On a sunny Saturday afternoon, more than a thousand cake lovers, home bakers, and professional pastry chefs gathered on the picturesque lawn of the Legion of Honor art museum in San Francisco. This wasn’t just any picnic, it was the Cake Picnic, a unique festival dedicated to the love of cakes. The only rule? “No cake, no entry.”
Attendees came from all over, some traveling from different states, carrying their baked masterpieces with pride. From exquisitely decorated homemade cakes to store-bought delights, the variety on display was nothing short of breathtaking. Ticket demand for the event was overwhelming, selling out in less than a minute. Elisa Sunga, a passionate home baker and the event’s organiser, described the excitement as both exhilarating and overwhelming, according to The San Francisco Chronicle.
A feast for the eyes and taste buds
As the festival began, attendees carefully arranged their cakes on beautifully draped tables. Some cakes stood tall in intricate tiers, while others were stunningly simple but no less mouthwatering. A few notable creations included a pink champagne cake, a lemon cake with passion fruit filling, an impressive tower of sponge cakes, and even a dinosaur-themed cake baked by a child. There was also a surprising selection of savory cakes, catering to a broader palate.
Before the feasting began, guests took photos, capturing the dazzling display of 1,387 cakes in their untouched perfection. Then came the much-anticipated moment, cake tasting. In an orderly yet enthusiastic fashion, people lined up with pastry boxes, selecting slices to sample. The event quickly turned into a whirlwind of flavors, with people going back for seconds, thirds, and even fourths until every last crumb disappeared.
How it all started?
What began as a small gathering in April 2024, where Elisa Sunga invited fellow cake enthusiasts to join her in a park for a casual cake-sharing experience, has now blossomed into a nationwide phenomenon. The success of the first event in San Francisco led Sunga to take her idea on tour, with stops in Los Angeles, New York, and back to the Bay Area. The most recent event set a new record, nearly doubling the number of cakes from the last picnic.
A living tribute to cake in art
The Cake Picnic coincided with a special exhibit at the Legion of Honor: “Wayne Thiebaud: Art Comes from Art.” The late artist, famous for his vibrant paintings of cakes and confections, was celebrated through this event in what organizers called a "living tribute." Attendees felt as though they were stepping into one of Thiebaud’s masterpieces, bringing his iconic dessert paintings to life.
