Have cake, will picnic
They had exactly five minutes.
The 463 London attendees of Elisa Sunga’s CAKE PICNIC™—including a few familiar faces from The Great British Bake Off—had each brought a cake that lined tablecloth-covered tables from a Mad Hatter fever dream. When their time was called, they had five minutes to serve themselves as many slices of cake as they could heave into a bakery box, and then settle into their picnic blankets with friends old and new.
There was so much cake.
But that’s the beauty of Cake Picnic, which Elisa, a UX project manager for Google, started during the pandemic, alongside her baking alter ego @saltedrye (a must follow, she’s currently in her “red phase”). She chatted with Radio Cherry Bombe host Kerry Diamond about how this whole crazy, frosted thing came to be, and we’re re-airing the episode on this week’s She’s My Cherry Pie.
Elisa’s story is a lesson in entrepreneurial success driven by joy. Let’s have more of that in the world—especially if it means more Cake Picnics.
And don’t worry, there was enough for many to get seconds and take home leftovers. Want to join the next Cake Picnic? L.A. and New York, you’re up soon. Stay tuned by following along on Instagram or the website here for more details.
CATCH SHE’S MY CHERRY PIE ON APPLE, SPOTIFY, OR YOUTUBE.
Shop the show & more
Elisa got into baking when she decided to cook all of Christina Tosi’s Milk Bar cakes—now it’s your turn
Another big one? A Good Day to Bake by London baker and GBBO-alum Benjamina Ebuehi
She also mentions the great Wild Sweetness: Recipes Inspired by Nature by Thalia Ho
If you’re going to throw a picnic, don’t forget a good blanket
… and a handy cake carrier
Wise words
“Let’s get together and eat a lot of cake.”
–Elisa Sunga on the Cake Picnic philosophy
Rabbit hole to chase
Some guests bring savory cakes, like this viral tomato cake made with layers of scallion pancakes and chili crisp cream cheese frosting by Cake Picnic “groupie” Joyce Lim. Ingenious.
Tip of the week
If you’re going to host a Cake Picnic-inspired get-together with friends, make sure to delegate a clean-up crew, bring takeaway containers for leftovers, and remember to pack a few cake servers.
Question for the class
If you were attending a Cake Picnic, what cake would you bring?
Fresh baked news
Would you try pasta with strawberries & yogurt?
Ellen Yin is opening a bakery in Philly
Nasim’s take on dairy-free banana pudding
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream is now in Atlanta
We love cherry season
Cake Picnic inspired Flour Bakery in Boston
From the archives
Cake artist Lucie Franc de Ferriere of From Lucie
The cherry on top
Jubilee L.A. tickets are on sale now
Nashville Bombesquad! Join us on Friday, Aug. 15th, for a special event
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