CELEBRATORY CAKES BIG AND SMALL
“IT’S A HELLUVA CAKE!” That’s what Eli said as he stepped back and admired the huge cake he’d made for Chicago’s 150th birthday celebration. Eli’s Cheesecake has been baking up giant celebratory cakes for most of its 35-year history! The Office of the Mayor refers to Eli’s cheesecakes as “a symbol of the city” and “an ambassador of Chicago’s culinary scene.”
“Marc has turned his father’s classic old Chicago cheesecake into a civic pillar. Chicago’s mayor famously sends Eli’s cheesecakes rather than dead fish; Eli’s cheesecakes have nourished inauguration balls,” wrote Scott Simon in his book Unforgettable. No celebration is complete without a big Eli’s cheesecake.
Marc recalled about one of his favorite Big Cakes, “It is heartbreakingly rare for a Chicago baseball team to win the World Series. It has been over 108 years for the Chicago Cubs, but the White Sox broke a nearly century-long losing streak in 2005 when they took home the title. Chicagoans went crazy when the White Sox won. Over one million people filled the streets to watch the victory parade. The next day, team owner Jerry Reinsdorf and manager Ozzie Guillen came to City Hall to present the World Series trophy to Mayor Daley and the City Council. But first there was a stop in the lobby of City Hall, where I introduced the Mayor, Ozzie, and Reinsdorf and presented them with a giant World Series victory cheesecake. It doesn’t get any better than that! My dad, a lifelong White Sox fan, would have been so proud.”
You might wonder what goes into such a big cake. The mind-boggling grocery list for the 2,000-pound cakes Eli’s has prepared for President Clinton’s and President Obama’s inauguration celebrations included 1,330 pounds of cream cheese, 300 pounds of sugar, 150 dozen eggs, 65 pounds of sour cream, 100 pounds of buttercream frosting, and 100 pounds of marzipan.
For slightly smaller celebrations—like family birthdays, dinner parties, and dessert buffets—a couple of clever ideas follow that are sure to delight you and your family. The decoration part of these recipes is family friendly, as they’ve been tested many times by our daughters and their friends since they were only four years old or so. We think making the dessert is as much fun as having the party!
