Choose Joy With a Cake Picnic

As CFO -- Chief Foodie Officer -- at Chef's Corner Store, staying on top of food trends is the best part of my job. Every once in a while, I stumble onto something so outrageously divine, it consumes me. While taking a break from my usual stream of true crime podcasts, I tuned into an episode of Radio Cherry Bombe, and found my newest obsession, Elisa Sunga's Cake Picnic. Sunga's original vision was a whimsical get-together for 15 or so guests, who each brought a cake to share -- similar to a cookie exchange, but with cake instead. The gathering grew to include hundreds of participants, with many more asking to host Cake Picnics in their own communities.

Sadly, I do not live near any of the 2025 Cake Picnic tour stops, and waitlists for these events can number in the thousands, as entry is highly coveted. I decided to host my own cake picnic, on a much, much smaller scale.

Let Them Eat Cake

Your personal Cake Picnic can be as laid back or structured as you like. Sunga's only requirement for the cake itself (and I think it's a good one) is that everyone should bring something they personally want to eat. Consider choosing a theme for your picnic: a specific style of cake, a special ingredient, or even a color. If your guests have allergies, you can even incorporate those restrictions for a fun and challenging theme.

Since I scaled down the size of my cake picnic, I also scaled down the size of the cake. Luckily, there are plenty of options to choose from: cupcakes, mini loaf cakes, snacking cakes, upside down cakes, icebox cakes, cookie cakes, and even savory cakes.

Finishing Touches

Whether you decide to host your picnic in a park, your backyard, or your living room, here are a few ideas to make your party extra sweet.

• Serve something fun to drink. Whether it's rosé or sparkling water with fruit slices, eating cake is thirsty work.
• Break out the good china (or not). If you choose to host your picnic indoors, now is a great time to use your "special occasion" dishes. If you are hosting outside, provide sturdy disposable plates and silverware for your guests to eat their cake. Make sure you have plenty of utensils to cut and serve the cakes.
• Stay on brand. Finishing touches like a dress code, playlist, and decorations can help tie your picnic theme together.
• Plan for leftovers. Sunga says there are always leftovers at her picnics. Ask guests to bring their own containers or provide cute to-go boxes.

Choose Joy and Whimsy

If you're thinking, "I love cake, but this sounds like a lot of work," I recommend scaling it back even more. Meet a few friends and have everyone bring a store-bought cake.

Sunga states the popularity behind Cake Picnic so beautifully: "I think it's the connection and community of joy, like choosing joy in a time of maybe not so much joy. I think there's a lot going on with the world, but choosing joy and being intentional about how you're spending your time."