Write your message on a cake

Two weeks ago, when everybody was getting ready to take off for their Holy Week vacation, a colleague in the office, Bong, thoughtfully sent us in the Lifestyle section a cake for our all-nighter.

It’s no exaggeration to say that every newsroom in the country gets a cake or two every single day of the year. But what Bong sent was no ordinary cake. It was a Red Ribbon Dedication Cake. On the cake was the written message in white icing: “Last working day before Holy Week, yehey!”

Looking so festive and fun, the cake indeed fit the occasion and the dedication brought a smile to our faces. Yehey was right. We were working late, but also excitedly anticipating the long break. The cake comes with sugar decorations on the border shaped like confetti and stars. The decoration makes it look like a fiesta put on a cake.

Not just an ordinary birthday cake: When you can put any message on the cake, why settle for a simple greeting? Personalizing your cake is easy because there’s no need to pre-order —  Dedication Cakes are available at all Red Ribbon branches.

Not like tall round cakes that usually collapse after making two or three slices, the rectangular Dedication Cake was so easy to portion. I was able to make about 24 slices — just the right size for everybody in the section and we even gave some to the news desk and pre-production.

What Bong sent was chocolate flavor (the other choice is mocha, another favorite in this section), and what we really liked about it was the creamy chocolate fudge filling that melts in the mouth.

Some of us put several slices in the ref to enjoy the chocolate icing even more. So, all night while we were working we ate the cake.

Yehey, indeed!

Edible Messages

I’ve tried both cakes (chocolate and mocha) and I’m actually more of a mocha person. I like the creamy mocha filling inside the soft, moist cake. For me, this flavor goes better with coffee, which makes it perfect for dessert, and it’s not as sweet as the chocolate cake. The mocha Dedication Cake has kisses-like decorations on the borders.

I think I’m going to order this for a friend of mine who is moving to a new house and hosting a party in her new crib once she has fixed the place. For sure, other people are going to bring food and drinks and cakes. So I want mine to stand out and she’s type who’ll appreciate wit. So rather than putting a message like “Congratulations,” I want something that will make her laugh.

So I’m going to run with: “Dear Carol, there goes the neighborhood!”

Flavorful delights: The red Ribbon Dedication Cakes come in chocolate and mocha and with chocolate fudge and mocha cream filling inside.

How nice that birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, graduations and even non-occasions can be made even more memorable with a personalized cake. You just don’t put “Happy Birthday, Daddy” when you have the opportunity to put “Happy Birthday sa pinaka-guwapong Dad — here in Cainta.”

At Red Ribbon shops are a few sample messages. One of its posters has a picture of the chocolate with the message “Ang baby namin lady na! But no boyfriend muna ha? Happy 16th Birthday, Clara! Love, Papa & Mama.” What’s funny is that one family appropriated this dedication for an 80-year-old aunt! I just might do the same when a single colleague’s 60th birthday comes along. 

If you’re at a loss on how to propose to your girlfriend, you can simply give her a cake with the dedication “Will you marry me?” Or if you want to welcome a new employee to the office, a “Welcome to the best office with 18th-month pay” cake will make her feel at home and positive about her new job. Or what about an “I’m sorry” cake for a loved one that’s mad at you?

Or a birthday cake for a friend who’s guarding her age, like a Rottweiler would his master? “Your secret is safe with us! Happy __ Birthday.” For an officemate who just got a pay hike, “Congratulations on the promotion! Kailan ang libre? Love, your slaves.”

Then there are parties for occasions that are not exactly celebratory and come with mixed emotions. For instance, a parent leaving for a job abroad. Surely, there will be a despedida party, and surely there will be both laughter and tears, anticipation and anxiety. A Dedication Cake can help you express your feelings —“Bye Papa! Ingat ka doon, we’ll miss you & we love you!”

I’m thinking of giving one to my niece who graduated elementary last April. It’s going to be a chocolate cake, for sure, since she loves chocolate! I’m going to put, “Kahit sobra kang makulit, you’re still my fave niece! From your prettiest (and only) aunt.”

It sure beats simply giving a greeting card.

Quick, Easy & Affordable

Dedicated to loved ones: Whether for colleagues or family, a Dedication Cake can make an occasion — or even an ordinary day — special.

For me, what’s really nice about these cakes is that you don’t have to order them in advance. You can just go to any Red Ribbon branch, choose from the two flavors and have them put your message.

If somebody at the office was celebrating a birthday and everybody forgot, one can just dash off to a Red Ribbon branch (there are more than 200 all over the country) and buy a Dedication Cake.

And it’s easy on the pocket, too. The chocolate cake is only P490, and the mocha cake is P440. In five minutes or so, you can have a personalized cake — no need for a big production number to make someone’s birthday even more special and no need to spend so much.

For more than 30 years, Red Ribbon has been making our lives sweet with its delicious cakes, rolls, and pastries. Many Filipino gatherings — whether special or everyday are remembered for their delightful treats — the Black Forest Cake that was served at Christmas, the Mocha Choco Crumble that we had for dessert at a cousin’s birthday, the Mango Cream Pie that was served at a niece’s graduation party, the Triple Chocolate Roll, Mamon and Ensaymada that we brought to a reunion and the Yummy Cheese Roll that we had on a road trip.

Now I can add to that — the Dedication Cake in 2011, on our last day of work before I took off to go diving in the Hundred Islands.