BY Chef Mpho Charles
The origins of celebration cakes trace back to Africa, ancient Egypt to be precise. Historians credit Egyptians for starting the tradition we cherish today. According to sugar.org, Egyptians celebrated the birth of a Pharaoh with food, drink, and festivities, as they believed Pharaohs were gods. These celebrations included baked goodies similar to our modern cakes. The cakes were made from flour, butter, sugar, nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamon, and milk—ingredients that have remained favourites for centuries.
The Germans popularised birthday cakes in the 1400s. By the 1700s, these cakes were decorated with candles, and a lavish cake became a staple for every birthday celebration. This tradition quickly spread worldwide, and now a birthday just isn’t complete without a cake.
To celebrate Xploreza’s rebranding milestone, it was an easy decision to create a spectacular cake for the grand occasion. As a young brand, the team chose a giant cupcake theme for the celebration. The cupcake symbolised spreading joy and love, and it was also a way to say ‘thank you’ to our loyal audience for their support.
Joining me in the kitchen to bake and decorate the Xploreza cake were a new cohort of Sparrow Professional cookery learners who started their course in July. It was their first time in the kitchen since they are still busy with the theoretical part of their course.
As with most celebrations, we had a blast. I demonstrated how to decorate the themed cake, which featured the brand’s professional colours and logo, along with fun elements representing travel, mobility, and lifestyle. It was an incredible day filled with laughter, questions, and celebrations, and we ended up with a beautiful blue bubblegum and vanilla giant cupcake.
At Xploreza, we’re all about spreading love and joy. Since you couldn’t join us for cake, here’s a recipe for you to recreate at your leisure.
RECIPE
blue bubblegum and vanilla giant cupcake
Ingredients
300mls white sugar
5 eggs
630mls flour(sifted)
20mls baking powder
2.5mls salt
200mls vegetable oil or melted butter
200mls water
100mls milk
5mls vanilla essence
Method
Preheat the oven at 180 degrees celcius.
Oil and line a 10 inch baking tray
In a bowl whisk together the eggs and sugar until light and fluffly. Gradually fold in the dry ingredients. Add the liquid and flavouring and mix well (do not overmix). Add a little milk if the consistency is not smooth.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes to an hour or until a skewer or knife comes out clean.
Leave in the pan for about 5 minutes. Let it cool and ice with your choice of topping – buttercream, ganache or fresh cream.
Tip:
For the blue bubblegum flavour instead of vanilla essence add a few drops of blue colouring and bubblegum flavouring.
Enjoy!For any food-related questions, queries and recipes, please contact our resident chef, Chef Mpho, on our socials or email [email protected]
