With approximately 300 cakes in attendance made by local home cooks and professional bakers, the National Museum of Women in the Arts hosted what may be the biggest, sweetest potluck in the region.
This Sunday, D.C.-based bakers Jill Nguyen and Tiffany MacIsaac organized “The Bigger Cake Exchange” event with one rule: Those who come must bring a cake.
This is the second “Cake Exchange,” or cake potluck, hosted by Nguyen and MacIsaac. The first was organized in March of this year at Dauphine’s restaurant where attendees brought approximately 100 cakes. Both events sold out.
One attendee, Deborah Ben-Moshe, told WTOP that she was able to attend both events.
As an avid baker, she said, “I love to bake, and it’s really fun to talk to the other bakers about how they made their cakes and why they made their cakes and baking tips.”
It’s about both community and peace for Ben-Moshe: “I think it gives a sense of order in a world of chaos because you do things, and you follow the directions and something magical happens in the end.”
Nguyen said she and MacIsaac were inspired by the Cake Picnic event, first organized by Elisa Sunga in San Francisco in March.
“It became a phenomenon,” Nguyen said. “The concept I guess is not new, but the idea that in the time where the world seemed really uncertain and a little scary, suddenly you can find time to bake — which I find very therapeutic and peaceful — and bring it to meet other bakers and eat cakes and hang out, and kind of find a little bubble of just sugar and sweet and sticky buttercream.”
For sisters Audrey and Megan Bodie from D.C., they attended the event for the chance to experience a variety of flavors.
“It’s definitely just for the little joys of life, and who doesn’t get joy out of baking and eating cake?” said Audrey.
Another attendee, Emily Ockerman, said: “I love cake. It’s my favorite thing in the entire world,” but she noted that they can be tricky to put together. ‘“It’s not ‘a piece of cake.’ It’s really quite difficult.”
For those who may want to attend a future “Cake Exchange” event, Ben-Moshe recommended this: “Don’t go for the thing that just looks fancy.” Instead, she said, focus on flavor and texture without getting too complicated.
And if there is potential for a sugar rush, that wasn’t a concern for those who attended the event.
As Megan said: “We can pace ourselves and have cake for breakfast tomorrow, too.”
This type of event is more than just about sugar, but bonding, too. Nguyen said, “It’s like the best way to meet a new friend.”
She said she plans on hosting similar events in the future, but details are not yet confirmed as to when and where that will be, but she’s open to potluck-style events for pies, cookies or breads as well.