So… what’s up with all the cake shows?
Ace of Cakes (DISH , Food Network, Sundays, 10 PM.) Amazing Wedding Cakes (DISH , WETV, Sundays, 10 PM.) Cake Boss (DISH 183, TLC, various times.) Ultimate Cake Off (DISH 183, TLC, begins August 31.)
In recent years, personal cake making classes and supplies have quietly risen in popularity amongst the suburban set, with entire aisles in craft stores dedicated to colored sugar, pastry tubes, and stainless steel decorative tips. As a person who found it highly difficult to manage the ready-made plastic icing tubes which began appearing en mass in the ‘80’s, this is impressive.
But what makes us watch others slave away before vats of sugar and… and more sugar? I imagine it’s the amazement at watching another human being say “Yes, I can create a Staples Center out of frosting and cocoa, and I’ll throw a basketball on top of it for good measure.” And then… go do it.
Cake shows represent the ultimate reality show concoction: Dramatic personalities, a difficult task, and the voyeuristic thrill of watching someone else’s ridiculously lavish wedding (“Who has the money to spend on a ten-foot groom’s cake resembling a dragon, complete with occasional bursts of flame?!” “I don’t know, but let’s find out!”) Indeed, a recent episode of Amazing Wedding Cakes featured a customized cake for a wedding shower--- a wedding shower—which consisted of a treasure chest. It was completed and ready to go when the bride called, because you know what would be great? If the chest were halfway open!
Ultimate Cake Off, not content to limit itself to pastrified hissy fits from the same old chefs, is a competitive reality offering. Contestants battle to create a five-foot cake in nine hours for “a marquee event.” The winning cake is offered the centerpiece for the to- do; everybody else gets to have a nice day, and add “AS SEEN ON ULTIMATE CAKE-OFF!” to the business card.
Looking forward to it.
