The Trend of “Burn Away Cakes”: A Dramatic Flair for Birthday Parties

Candles on a cake have always added a special touch to birthday celebrations. However, if you’re looking for a more extravagant way to make a statement, the new trend of “burn away cakes” might be just what you need. These cakes feature printed images that are lit on fire and burned away to reveal another image underneath. The trend, which originated from an unclear source, is quickly gaining popularity, with countless TikToks showcasing creative burn away cake reveals. From themed cakes inspired by movies like Mean Girls to Pokémon evolutions and inventive gender reveals, burn away cakes offer endless possibilities for customization and excitement.

One of the driving forces behind the trend’s popularity is Canadian baker Namaya Navaratnaranjah, known for her TikTok account, @CakesByNams. Inspired by a New Year’s burn away cake made by Denise Steward, Navaratnaranjah took the idea and ran with it, creating her own burn away cakes inspired by viral memes and pop culture moments. Her TikToks showcasing these cakes have garnered over 19 million likes and continue to attract attention.

As the trend continues to grow and more creators and brands join the burn away cake wave, the public has raised several questions about this unique decorating trick. How does it work? Is it safe to eat? Is it safe in general?

To answer these questions, we spoke with Tony Park, CEO and founder of QB Hospitality, who offers burn away cakes at QB’s Angelina Bakery. Inspired by social media, the Angelina team developed their own version of burn away cakes, which quickly gained popularity. Park explains that creating burn away cakes is technically easy as long as you have a sugar printer, although it requires significant labor.

How Do Burn Away Cakes Work?

Burn away cakes are adorned with designs created using edible ink printers, a common practice in professional bakeries. However, the frosting and edible ink themselves are not flammable. Instead, sheets of paper made from sugar, rice, and other starches are used to give the cakes their dramatic, fire-y effect.

To create the reveal, cake decorators layer the flammable paper over the frosting-based design, separating the two layers with a frosting border. This border serves as a protective gap, preventing the flames from reaching the bottom design.

Are Burn Away Cakes Safe?

While working with fire always carries some risk, burn away cakes are relatively safe. According to Park, the level of fire produced by the sugar in these cakes is similar to that of a candle or a small sparkler. The flames are slow and gentle, tapering off once they reach the frosting border. Despite their dramatic appearance, burn away cakes are delicately flammable and lose their burning power if made too far in advance due to moisture absorption by the sugar paper.

Where Can I Buy a Burn Away Cake?

If you’re interested in trying a burn away cake, you’re in luck. Angelina Bakery, located in New York, offers a range of seasonal burn away cakes, including designs for Lunar New Year and Valentine’s Day. However, due to the cake’s delicate nature, it is currently only available locally and cannot be shipped nationwide. For those outside the bakery’s reach, cake decoration retailer Ink4Cakes provides custom burn away designs and instructions for creating your own cake at home.

Gabby Romero is Delish’s editorial assistant, where she writes stories about the latest TikTok trends, develops recipes, and answers any and all of your cooking-related questions. She loves eating spicy food, collecting cookbooks, and adding a mountain of Parmesan to any dish she can.