Paul Bunyan’s Ginormous Bake-Off

We are heading into the “silly season.” Traditionally, these were the drowsy, late summertime days when major news stories became scarce and the media focused instead on fun, weird, and frivolous pieces to fill airtimes and column inches.

These days however, we are besieged with more seriously major news stories than we can handle. Because of that, we are taking a brief break here and bringing back the silly season tradition with this story aimed solely at delighting our readers. And so, without further ado, may we present...

The Largest Birthday Cake Ever Made!

Back in 1962, the Seattle World’s Fair didn’t just shoot for the stars with the Space Needle — it baked its way into history with the world’s largest birthday cake, celebrating none other than legendary lumberjack Paul Bunyan’s 128th birthday.

This wasn’t your average sheet cake by any means. This 25,000-pound fruitcake towered 23 feet high, stretched 60 feet around, and packed enough ingredients to feed a small city:

• 1,500 dozen eggs

• 10,500 pounds of flour

• 7,000 pounds of raisins

• 2,200 pounds of pecans

• A “Bunyan pinch” of salt — 100 pounds

• 4,000 pounds of C&H Brand cane sugar, just for the icing alone

  
  

Mixed by Van de Kamp’s Holland Dutch Bakers and decorated by students from Edison Technical School in Seattle, the cake was displayed in the Food Circus pavilion at the fair and became a centerpiece of the exposition's quirky charm.

The cake’s first tier showcased the Seattle skyline and boasted 128 specially made candles, each towering three feet high. The seals of all 50 states decorated the second tier. The third tier depicted scenes from Paul Bunyan's famous adventures, while the top tier featured symbols representing religion, government, trades, industry, agriculture, and progress. Crowning the masterpiece were sugar replicas of Mount Rainier and the birthday boy himself, Paul Bunyan.

Souvenir portions of the immense cake were available for purchase in mailable boxes at the fairgrounds and at Clark's Restaurants around town, allowing visitors to take a taste of the extraordinary creation home with them. It's a "Sight and a Taste to Remember!" according to an advertisement for the cake.

Enjoy watching this video about the Seattle World’s Fair!

Photos (from top): Museum of History and Industry, Seattle; Seattle Public Library Digital Collection. Video Courtesy of Memory Mountain.

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