It’s a familiar scene. You’re standing closest to the birthday girl/boy, ready to pounce on your slice of iced goodness. But your overzealous proximity to the festivities sees you hired as the cake slicer instead, meaning you’re not only responsible for cutting even, attractive slices for the entire room but you’re probably going to be left with the last, crumbly, paltriest slice.
Lesson number one: step away from the birthday cake.
Should you be the designated slicer, don’t panic – we’ve got a mind-blowing tip-off from science to ensure you nail the gig.
There are two things you want to consider when slicing for your crew: do you want the maximum number of slices (say, if you have a 20cm cake and 20 mouths to feed), or to preserve the freshness of any leftovers for a smaller cohort?
For the latter, mathematician Alex Bellos suggests the following. Bellos uses a science magazine from 1906 to explain how to get the most flavour and freshness out of your cake, long after the balloons have deflated.
Tip 2: How to preserve your cake for longer
Start by cutting two slices down the middle of your round cake. You can then divvy this up into at least 3-4 smaller slices. If that’s your entire group, it’s time to preserve the rest of your cake and avoid the dreaded dry side that eventuates when a triangular wedge is sliced out.
You do this by squishing the two halves back together and closing the cake, with assistance from a rubber band around its circumference. It can now go into an airtight box, ready for the exact same slicing method the next day, or for dinner that night (no judgement here). Closing the cake this way retains its moisture for longer, avoiding any dry edges exposed to the elements - even if said elements are confined to a tupperware box.
After slicing from its centre, close your cake and seal with a rubber band to lock in freshness. Source: YouTube
Tip 3: How to cut the most slices out of your cake
If you’ve got loads of mouths to feed, you can use this nifty little slicing trick instead.
Start by cutting into the round cake, about a third in, to make a little radius. Then, cut out a circle from this radius in the centre, so you’re left with a big cake tyre and a smaller cake round. You can then section the outer tyre into smaller slices way more evenly and distribute accordingly.
And the middle part? Well, seeing as this technically has the smallest circumference of icing, it’s your call who lucks out. Maybe it's that person who made you the designated slicer in the first place. Or that weird cousin.
Learn more baking tricks (and faux pas to avoid!) on Worst Bakers in America - check the TV Guide to find out when episodes are on air, then catch up on missed episodes on SBS on Demand.
