Layers of Joy

On the occasion of Vogue India’s 15th anniversary, SNEHA MEHTA muses on the enduring appeal of cake and makes a case for why what’s old could be new again.

- SNEHA MEHTA

What constitutes a celebration? There’s a coming together of people, of course, an occasion worth toasting, perhaps a bottle of champagne if you like pomp and pageantry. But in my humble (yet strongly held) opinion, the most essential, don’t-even-bother without ingredient in the rich batter of a celebration is cake. There’s nothing else that says, “You did it!” or “Happy birthday!” or “Goodbye!” or whatever you wish to convey as emphatically or as delightfully as a cake. Cute or creepy, naughty or nostalgic, a fantastical feat in fondant or festive and kitschy, there’s no role it can’t play. And let’s be honest: is it really a party without cake?

If there’s anyone who understood celebrations, it was Tarla Dalal. The late cook, writer and television personality wrote over 100 cookbooks on various subjects, from Low Calorie Healthy Cooking (1990) and Roz ka Khana (1999) to Delicious Diabetic Recipes (2002) and