Heart shaped birthday cake

The birthday cake is part of birthday celebrations in European countries since 19th century.

The tradition of adding candles to the top of a birthday cake spread widely among rich people in Germany during the 15th century. Ηowever, the actual concept of a round cake and 'making a wish' that we now associate to birthdays goes back to Ancient Greece. These ancient predecessors of the modern birthday cakes served as offerings to Artemis, Greek goddess of the moon and of hunting, Artemis. They were meant to carry the wishes of the people into the temple. The roundness of the cakes symbolized the shape of the moon itself. It is suggested that the cakes were decorated with lit candles in order to make them glow like the moon.