Sweet Americana Sweethearts: THE HISTORY OF CAKE CHARMS By Annee Jones

THE HISTORY OF CAKE CHARMS

By Annee Jones

You may recall that the article I wrote for this blog last month was all about the fascinating (and quite strange!) history of wedding cakes. You may wonder why I’m interested in researching this information. If you look back on the subjects I’ve presented in this blog, most of them contain clues about books I’m writing or planning to write! Hence, last month I was giving you a “hint.” Now the cat is out of the bag, and most of you know I am writing for the new Old Timey Holiday Kitchen series sponsored by Sweet Americana Sweethearts. My first book for this collection releases next month and is titled Charm Cake by Charity. So let’s talk about the history of cake charms!

Wedding cakes themselves date back as early as ancient Roman times, when a cake was broken over the bride’s head as a symbol of good fortune. In 17th century England the tradition developed of sewing charms onto the skirt of the bride's wedding dress. These charms would later be pulled off by her bridesmaids and kept as tokens of luck and friendship. Over the course of the next several decades, the trinkets were transferred from the dress to the cakes, creating the Victorian tradition of baking a ring into a “bride’s pie” to be served to the woman’s unmarried friends. The woman whose slice contained the ring was said to be the next to marry.

Today, the charms are usually attached to a ribbon and the cake decorator places them under the cake or between the bottom layers before the final decoration is finished up. It is common for one charm to be included for each member of the wedding party. Called a “cake pull,” the chosen members stand around the cake and all pull their charm out at the same time.

If you would like to insert charms into one of your cakes, here are some suggestions:

- Only use sterling silver or food-safe pewter (avoid things like metal alloy that you have no idea what is in it as it may post a health risk);

- Make sure ribbons are securely attached to the charms;

- Provide a guide for guests to know what their charms mean;

- A nice option is to offer your guests a way to wear their charm right away so it doesn't get lost. Ideas include bracelets, necklaces, keychains, or wine glass charm clips.

With regard to what the various symbols mean, there is a lot of debate. Modern charm vendors tend to make them up. Some of the more traditional meanings include:

Coin: Prosperity

Ring: You will find your true love or be the next to marry

Wishbone: Your wish will come true

Boot: You will travel

Bell: Betrothal

Baby Booties/ Footprints: A child soon

Anchor: Love that is true and steady

Key: You will have a secure life

Four Leaf Clover: Good luck will find you soon

Bird: A new opportunity will soon present itself

Boat: An adventure awaits you

Music Note: Harmony

Fleur-de-lis: New beginnings

You’ll have to read Charm Cake by Charity to find out which charms the characters receive and how their meanings feature into the story!

About Me:

Annee Jones is an inspirational romance novelist who enjoys sharing her heart and imagination with others. She is passionate about writing stories that offer hope and encouragement and likes to think of her books as “romance filled with faith and a sprinkle of fairy dust!”

Annee is also a professional book reviewer for Publishers Weekly in the genre of faith-based fiction (fun tidbit: she writes many of the editorial reviews you see on Amazon).

Professionally, Annee works as a disability counselor where she helps her clients navigate through complex medical and legal systems while rediscovering their wholeness in Spirit.

Connect with Annee here:

www.anneejones.com

https://www.facebook.com/groups/anneesangelgroup

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAnneeJones

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