Cake — we knew it was delightful, but who knew it could be so philosophical, political and hilarious? But as a symbol of celebration, levity and decadence, cake becomes a meaningful simile for society’s joys and woes. Here are 10 wonderful cake quotes from some of the world’s most ingenious minds. And just like cake, they’re fun to share.
On taking what you want, but also what you need: “All the world is birthday cake, so
take a piece, but not too much.” – George Harrison, musician
On the similarity between cakes and empires: “A great empire, like a great cake, is most easily diminished at the edges.” – Benjamin Franklin, Founding Father and Renaissance Man
On dieting: “Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread and pumpkin pie.” – Jim Davis, cartoonist
On birthday cakes and aging: “You know you’re getting old when the candles cost more than the cake.” Bob Hope, comedian
Putting a spin on the old anecdote: “Life for me has been exactly what I thought it would be, a cake, which I have eaten and had too.” Margaret Anderson, founder, editor, and publisher of The Little Review
On cake, simply: “When I got to France I realized I didn’t know very much about food at all. I’d never had a real cake. I’d had those cakes from cake mixes or the ones that have a lot of baking powder in them. A really good French cake doesn’t have anything like that in it – it’s all egg power.” – Julia Child, chef
On compromise: “A compromise is the art of dividing a cake in such a way that everyone believes he has the biggest piece.” – Ludwig Erhard, German politician
On writing: “I am putting real plums into an imaginary cake.” – Mary McCarthy, author
On being reviewed: “A bad review is like baking a cake with all the best ingredients and having someone sit on it.” – Danielle Steel, author
The most famous quote about cake: “Let them eat cake.” – attributed to Marie Antoinette, Queen of France and fashion icon
Madina Papadopoulos is a New York-based freelance writer, author, and regular
contributor to Paste. You can follow her adventures on Instagram and Twitter.