Appropriate that the September post is about cake, as it is my birthday month!
Back in the day, JCPenney's birthday at the mall was a pretty big deal every July. One publicity stunt I recall was a huge birthday cake display at the entrance, 1986. I was working at the Walgreens next door, the cake was on display out front, the sugary vanilla perfuming the air the week before the celebration. All the mall employees flocked to get a slice. Conrad's Bakery, who also created my Snoopy cake for my third birthday, was the baker.
This thing was HUGE. Must have been a million layers of crystal white and gold buttercream. It was a big community celebration when it was finally served to the masses.
I grew up on the Duncan Hines mix + matching frosting for birthdays, so rich vanilla with buttercream was a revelation in simple decadence. The slice I received also had a buttercream rose, which spoiled me for weddings the next 10 years, as I fought to the front of the line at any reception to get a piece with a little something extra, be a rose, a sugar dove, a fondant treat.
I want to say Conrad's closed in the late 80s, and the last JCP cake was served in probably 1990. I had gone away to school by the end of '89 and when I came home to work the summer of '91, I don't recall any more cakes.
OMG: story here!
No comments:
Post a Comment