Cite this article as: Kabuk, M. H., &Butari, N. U. (2025). The cake as canvas: A multimodal discourse analysis of selected celebratory cakes. Sokoto Journal of Linguistics and Communication Studies (SOJOLICS), 1(3), 108–121. https://www.doi.org/10.36349/sojolics.2025.v01i03.015
THE CAKE AS CANVAS: A MULTIMODAL
DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF SELECTED CELEBRATORY CAKES
Kabuk Murna Happiness
Department of Languages
Nigerian Defence Academy
&
Butari Nahum Upah
Department of English and Drama
Kaduna State University
Abstract
This paper
examines how aesthetically appealing food can present a different perspective
other than the well-known fields of nutritional science. Over the years, there
has been a tremendous transformation of cakes from a fancy sweet pastry to a
work of fine visual art that communicates meaningful stories translated from
ideas to actual creativity. As a qualitative study, the work adopted the
purposive sampling technique to analyse four selected cakes using the three
Meta functions of representational, interactive, and compositional meanings
while the theoretical framework was grounded on Kress and Van Leeuwen’s
(2001/2006) Grammar of Visual Design (GVD).
The paper found out among others that cakes in the contemporary society
have been transformed into visual story telling mechanisms that communicate
life experiences from different perspectives with the colours that adorned
them, performing aesthetical and symbolic functions in visual communication.
Furthermore, unrelated elements logically assembled to form the cake design
also perform a communicative function by conveying complex information as well
as connecting the audience with the story both emotionally and cognitively
through their visual, spatial and symbolic elements. The paper concludes that
cakes tell stories that embody social, cultural and institutional
meaning of value, belief and convictions.
Keywords: Cakes,
Celebration, Communication, Grammar of Visual Design.
1. Introduction
Cake is a
form of sweet dessert that is typically baked and often times seen as
modifications of bread. In contemporary
times, cakes now cover a wide range of preparations that can be simple or
elaborate. Cake is often served as a celebratory dish on ceremonial occasions,
such as weddings, anniversaries, and birthdays which has a rich history and
diverse uses across cultures. Cakes date back to ancient Egypt, Greece, and
Rome, where they were often sweetened with honey and used in rituals and
celebrations then became more sophisticated in Medieval Europe with the
introduction of sugar and spices and have continued to evolve, with diverse
flavours, ingredients, and designs which has transformed cake baking into a
craft.
According
toVanilli (2022) cakes often hold cultural and symbolic meaning; representing
love, prosperity, and community as it brings people together, fostering social
bonding and shared experiences. The sheer artistry employed in cake designs
with its intricate designs, flavours, and presentation in contemporary times
makes cakes a canvas for creative expression.
Cakes have
transcended their culinary origins to become intricate semiotic artefacts,
functioning not only as edible delights but also as powerful carriers of
meaning. From wedding cakes adorned with symbolic toppers to birthday cakes
featuring personalized inscriptions and themed imagery, cake design is now at
the intersection of gastronomy, art, and communication. This transformation has
position cakes as multimodal texts or objects that combine multiple modes such
as visual aesthetics, spatial arrangement, texture, colour symbolism,
typography, and even performative acts like cutting or unveiling. Each of these
modes contributes to the broader narrative of celebration, identity, and social
bonding.
Many
studies focus on either the culinary or aesthetics of the cake while neglecting
the visual and textual elements of cakes. This study is therefore focused on
examining the communicative role of cakes in socio-cultural settings by
adopting a Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA) framework which allows for a
deeper understanding of how cakes serve as communicative canvases. According to
Kress and Van Leeuwen (2006), meaning is not conveyed through language alone
but through the orchestration of different semiotic resources. Cakes,
therefore, can be studied as visual and performative texts where meanings are
constructed through the interplay of design elements such as shape, colour,
iconography, and inscriptions alongside the ceremonial contexts in which they
are presented and consumed.
Celebrations may seem to be the
essence of these cake designs because they mark social and culturalactivities
such as weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and other memorable moments. Yet,
deeper meanings such as the commitment expected in the marriage, achievements
or its prospects with respect to anniversaries or growth and development
attributed to the passage of time are also embedded in these events. Cake
designs reflect but are not limited to celebrations, as other motivations exist
for the designs; events such as baking competitions where skilled bakers
converge to exhibit their baking and design prowess, cake exhibitions intended
to create a business clientele or socialise, are a few instances where cake
designs are on display, other than celebrations. In the current era of
the internet, social media and content creation, sculpted cakes have commanded
a strong media presence, as professional bakers specialise in creating
custom-made cakes baked, sculpted and shaped to resemble various objects,
characters, or scenes. Social media content creators who double as professional
bakers make captivating videos that showcase their creativity to attract
‘likes’, ‘views’ and ‘followig’ on the various social media platforms.
Sculpture cakes invite the full participation of their audience who explore
colours, appreciate artistry, creativity and sensory appeal (Wilson, 2018).
Summarily, beyond celebration,
cakes are customised finesse, meticulously carved as insignia of themes (that
convey personalised messages such as loss, grief, separation or offences),
interest or personality of individuals they commemorate. Memorial cakes, for
instance, are created to commemorate lost loved ones or significant historical
events, blending emotion with symbolism (Lopez, 2020). The purpose of designing
a cake determines its relevance in communication, and compelling messages often
add to the effectiveness of the communication. In any case, cakes are designed
to evoke criticisms, admiration and curiosity other than sheer consumption.
Through their pictorial or graphic designs, cakes are often photographed to
invite a wider participation of the internet audience or for posterity. Whether
in public displays shared via social media or in intimate family gatherings,
cakes communicate messages about cultural identity, social hierarchy, emotion,
and celebration.
This paper
adopts a multimodal approach to the analysis of cakes as canvases,
interrogating how various semiotic modes converge to create layered meanings.
By examining the designs/decorations of cakes, inscriptions, and their
performative roles in celebratory events, this study sheds light on the
evolving Grammar of Visual Communication (GVC) within the everyday practices of
festivity and social ritual.
2. Literature Review
Cakes as a Communicative Medium
The importance of food has long
been recognized as more than mere sustenance; it is a communicative system
deeply embedded in culture, identity, and social ritual. Scholars like Barthes
(1961) argued that food operates as a system of communication where choices
about preparation, presentation, and consumption convey social meanings. This
view is supported by Counihan and Van Esterik (2013), who highlight the role of
food in expressing cultural identity, social belonging, and emotional
connections. The conceptualization of food as art has gained attention,
especially in the fields of gastronomy and culinary aesthetics. Artists and
chefs increasingly design food items; and cakes in particular as aesthetic
objects (Fine, 1996). Through the years, cake design has constantly evolved
from simple decoration to complex visual storytelling, often reflecting themes
of celebration or personal milestones, cultural heritage, emotions or certain
social situations.
Cakes occupy a central place in
celebratory rituals across cultures from birthdays and weddings to religious
festivals and public events. Anthropologists such as Mintz (1985) have traced
the historical and social functions of sugar and sweet foods, noting their
symbolic roles in status display and festivity. Wedding cakes, for instance,
symbolize unity and prosperity, while birthday cakes often carry markers of
personal identity such as names, ages, and preferred iconography (Kapferer,
1990). However, these analyses rarely go beyond the symbolic function to
explore how cakes operate as multimodal texts involving visual, textual, and
performative modes. The act of presenting, cutting, and photographing cakes
also introduces a performative dimension to their meaning-making. Butler’s
(1990) theory of performativity, though developed in gender studies, can be
extended to rituals where objects like cakes help enact social roles and
collective identity. LeBesco& Naccarato (2012) observe that in contemporary
contexts, cakes are frequently photographed and shared on social media,
transforming a local event into a digitally mediated spectacle that attracts
other people’s participation in the celebrations, by their views, reactions and
comments.
Yet, the academic exploration of
cakes as visual texts remains limited. Korsmeyer (2012) explores aesthetic
appreciation in food, but mainly from a philosophical and sensory perspective,
rather than a communicative or semiotic one. Despite the rich scholarship on
food, celebration, and multimodality, few academic studies have explicitly
focused on cakes as multimodal communicative artifacts. Most existing works
analyse food from nutritional, aesthetic, historical, or anthropological
perspectives without integrating the multimodal frameworks necessary to capture
the layered meanings embedded in cake design and ceremonial underpinnings.
The Significance of Cakes to Nations
Cakes mark significant life
milestones and remain an important symbol.
For over a thousand years, the Chinese have eaten Moon cakes to
celebrate the mid-Autumn harvest festival, where the ritual involves families
coming together, dividing and sharing cakes, drinking wine, reciting poetry and
watching the moon. Traditionally the cakes are round in shape, designed to echo
what the full moon looks like, because it was recognised that the moon played a
crucial role in the seasonal cycle, and the cakes were devised to honour the
lunar Goddess Heng–O, often with her image stamped on top of the cake. Yang,
Zhang & Wan (2024)
Similarly, the Ancient Celtic,
rituals involved offering rounded Beltane cakes to the solar god Belenus to
help ensure the continued rotation of the sun. The Celts also followed a ritual
that involved rolling rounded cakes down a hillside as means of divination and
the cakes that were rolled down the hill were then examined to predict the
fortunes of the roller, depending on how they broke. Cite source MacCulloch
(1911)
Cakes play a significant role in
Nigerian celebrations, this study opines that cakes particularly in Nigeria
resonates with weddings and birthdays and more recently any achievements such
as graduation, promotions, anniversaries, awards, religious events
etc. These cakes are often elaborate, reflecting the purpose of making
them through their designs, colours and flavours.These cakes range from the
traditional to the contemporary event types.
In Nigeria, different types of cakes hold diverse cultural significance,
particularly during celebrations like weddings, birthdays, and festivals.
The act of cutting and serving a
cake is considered a gesture of goodwill and hospitality, in many cultures as
it represents nourishment, connection between people; and a means of expressing
gratitude, affection, and well-wishes. They are more than just desserts; cakes
symbolize joy, festivity, and unity, and their designs often reflect cultural
motifs and traditions. Thus, in Nigeria, cakes are inspired by Nigerian culture
and they feature concepts such as calabash shapes, coral beads, or
representations of traditional attire which further communicates more about the
celebrants and the occasions.
Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA) and Semiotic Resources
Multimodal Discourse Analysis
(MDA), as articulated by Kress and van Leeuwen (2006) is a theory that provides
tools for description and analysis of how multiple modes such as visual,
spatial, gestural, linguistic etc. combine to create meaning. MDA has been
widely applied in studies of media, advertising, political communication, and
digital culture but rarely in the study of edible items. Machin’s (2007)
emphasis on the need to interpret visuals within social contexts motivates this
paper to include a material artifact such as cakes within the ever-expanding
scope of multimodal analysis as proposed by Jewitt (2009) to include everyday
communicative practices, yet few scholars have applied this to food, leaving a
gap in how edible artifacts like cakes are understood as semiotic ensembles.
In Multimodal Discourse Analysis,
“Many readings of text are constructed not just by the use of words but by the
combination of words with other modalities, such as pictures, film or video
images and sounds” Paltridge (2006, pg. 189) to communicate ideas, desires or
emotions. People’s reaction to communication via multimodal resources is more
intense when compared to verbal or written reports, as a picture of
attractively designed cake can attracts instant appreciation of a work of art,
because multimodal discourse engages people in the event. Multimodal Discourse
Analysis (MDA) is an emerging paradigm in discourse studies which extends the
study of language by combining resources, such as images, colours, scientific
symbolism, gestures, action, music and sound (O’Halloran 2011), to communicate
to target participants more meaningfully. Kress and Van Leeuwen (1996/2006)
argue that visual images have a grammar of their own, similar to language. They
contend that images are not just supplementary to text but are a distinct mode
of communication and highlight how images and layout work together in visual
design to convey meaning; hence, language users can use visuals to capture
images and stories that cannot be expressed in plain words. Kress and van
Leeuwen (2006, p.2) observe that “visual and textual structures can be used to
express meaning from common cultural sources”, and affirm that visual
structures work in the same way as language structure in the interpretations of
experience and forms of social interactions. In visual grammar, the
compositional meaning which corresponds to Halliday’s textual function in
Systemic Functional Grammar, deals with the organisation and structure of
images to create coherent discourse. Additionally, the representational meaning
of an image implies that any semiotic modality can reproduce objective things
and their relationship with the external world and the interactional
meta-function focuses on the way social relations and interactions are created.
3. Theoretical Framework
The study is hinged on the Grammar
of Visual Design (GVD) which is an approach to Multimodal Discourse Analysis
(MDA) that encompasses all modes used in any text or text-like entity. In their
theory of the Grammar of Visual Design, Kress and van Leeuwen (2006, p. 1)
assert that “Visual communication is as strongly governed by rules as language
is; it has its own grammar”. Kress (2010, p.1) states that, “Using three modes
in one sign - writing and image and colour as well - has real benefits. Each
mode does a specific thing: image shows what takes too long to read, and
writing names what would be difficult to show. Colour is used to highlight
specific aspects of the overall message”.
The Grammar of Visual Design by
Kress and van Leeuwen (2006) extend Halliday's Systemic Functional Linguistic
theory into the visual domain, arguing that images possess a structured grammar
for meaning-making and the visual, for instance,
establishes meaning spatially, in non-linear and instantaneous fashion. They propose that the visual
mode operates through three metafunctions: representational, interactive, and
compositional. The representational metafunction concern is concerned with how
visuals depict people, places, and actions, either narratively or conceptually.
The interactive metafunction addresses the relationship between the image and
its viewer, using gaze, angle, and social distance to evoke engagement or
detachment. The compositional metafunction organizes the elements within an
image through layout, salience, and framing, directing the viewer’s attention
and establishing informational hierarchy. These visual choices are not
arbitrary; they follow culturally recognized patterns that guide viewers'
interpretations, forming the basis of visual literacy. Applying the theory of
the Grammar of Visual Design by Kress and van Leeuwen (2006) elicits a more
nuanced and in-depth analysis of celebratory cakes.
4. Methodology
The data for this research is
drawn from cakes collected from various celebrations for family and friends.
The research adopted the purposive sampling techniques in the selection of
cakes. A total of four cakes were selected from the twenty cakes sourced from
photo gallery of cakes from a photo collector. The choice of this sampling
technique is deliberate because it complements the qualitative and
interpretative analysis of Kress and van Leeuwen (2006) grammar of visual
design. The study applied the Representational, Interactive and Compositional
meanings to analyse the selected cakes.
The theory is deemed suitable for the research because it accounts for
both visual and linguistic representation of ideas.
5. Data Presentation and Analysis
A total of four cakes labeled Datum 1 – 4 were selected for analysis. Each cake was analysed using the Representational, Interactional and Compositional meanings which are the metafunctions of Kress and van Leeuwen theory of Grammar of Visual Design. The cakes are artistic expressions that display the designers’ artistic prowess, the depth of their imagination and level of information about the depicted objects hence their ability to communicate the same.
Datum
1
Compositional Meaning: This cake is a combination of round and square
shapes; it is designed as an academic/graduation cap and a voluminous scholarly
book (hued in navy blue), placed on a platform that has a blend of white, navy
and sky blue colours with golden stripes interjecting within the shades of blue
and white colours of the platform design. The inscriptions are a sharp contrast
of their background, impossible to ignore; the first inscription is white
colour, against a navy blue background, the second set of inscriptions is in
navy blue against a white background and the third set is in gold, against a
white background. The cake has three sets of inscriptions: “Class of 2019”,
“Danbo International College – Discipline and Knowledge”, and “Uncommon
Mavericks”. The occasion is a ceremony of school graduation situated in an
academic setting. The cake designer used fondant icing to decorate and
communicate the above information.
Interactional Meaning:The image
offers the cake as an observational object where the viewer is invited to
admire, reflect, and interpret it. The attention of the human eye is drawn to
the text elements (“CLASS OF 2019,” “UNCOMMON MAVERICKS,” and the school logo).
The entire cake is visibly detailed suggesting that the picture is shot within
medium range; this is an indication of social distance. The picture also
positions the viewer face to face with the image as an observer and or
participant of a graduation. The platform gives the cap and book more visibility, while the
schools crest anchors identity.
Representational Meaning: The cake tells a story of success, the graduation
cake symbolizes exit from secondary or high school, a milestone achievement
worthy of commendation and celebration and also marks the end of an academic
session. The first inscription “Class of 2019” clearly states the year of
graduation, the second group of text “Danbo International College – Discipline
and Knowledge” introduces the name of the school the students are graduating
from, and the mission statement or the motto of the school. “Uncommon Mavericks” gives the set of
graduating students a label of what they represent to the school and society.
Datum
2
Compositional
Meaning: The cake is
structured as a book with a cross on it, incorporating a green earth and blue
sky in the background. The colour palates are a simple combination of majorly
white on most parts of the background, two shades of green (light and dark),
sky-blue highlighting the base, a conspicuous brown cross and defining black
stripes. The inscription on the cake reads “Christ is Risen.” The material used
for this design is a mixture of butter and fondant icing, giving it that
texture of softness.
Interactional Meaning:The
symbolic images of the cross, mountain and sky as presented require human
participation by offering the viewer a message to reflect on. The inscription
makes a direct religious statement and a visual demand. The image is closely
framed, capturing the depicted visual elements (the cross, mountain,
inscriptions and colours) within close range. This also engages the viewer to
reflect spiritually and also witness the symbolic meaning of resurrection. The
frontal and Ariel view of the cake indulges the viewer to participate in the
Eater celebration with deep reverence.
Representational Meaning: This is the occasion of Easter celebration, one of
the seasons of celebration of Christians, a time they celebrate death and
resurrection of Jesus from the grave. The colour representation accurately
depicts every item they represent. The cross, a symbol in the Christian faith
is made of wood and the colour of wood as known is brown. The green area
represents the earth and is components (ground, mountain, trees etc.) further
symbolizing the base for the cross and the burial place of Christ. The white
and sky blue colours represent the sky and the black strokes highlight and
define the movements of flying birds in the air, the stylish inscription in
black on a white background gives the text prominence. The cake represents the
foundational faith of Christianity (the death on the cross, burial in a grave
and resurrection of Christ from the dead.). The book represents bible (the holy
book of Christians). The text on the cake which reads: “He Is Risen”
communicate victory and a joyful state being.
Datum 3
Compositional Meaning: The participants are the gourd, drapes of red beads,
cowries, gold elements and wood-textured brown section. The colour combinations
are gold, red, white, green, brown and black. The layout of the cake is crowded
with natural foods and culturally symbolic items; local keg of palm wine (the
gourd), kola-nut, eggplant, coral-beads, leaves and cowries. The layer of cake
where these items (keg of palm wine, kola nut, eggplant, coral-beads) are
placed is a wood-textured brown and gold coated basket, surrounded with green
leaves and parchments of cowries on the basket. The last layer which serves as
a platform for the basket is majorly coated in brown and white colours and
attached to these colours are golden balls and black marks that accentuate the
golden ball and the red coral-beads draping down it. Though text is not
included in this picture of cake, the design is very detailed, depicting
certain symbolic items required to perform traditional wedding rites. The
material used for this icing is fondant – a mixture of gelatin, water, sugar
and colour.
Interactional Meaning:The
picture of this cake presents a rich cultural and symbolic festival of
marriage, demanding a close-up observation and deep contemplation of the
cultural elements by the viewer. The spectacle creates some level of connection
with the viewer to appreciate the gift of nature and witness/participate in the
tradition of an African marriage. The angle the image was shot give the cake an
elevated projection. The viewer is a participant observer in this cultural
celebration.
Representation Meaning: This is a celebratory cake of a traditional wedding
of the Igbo culture from South-East Nigeria. The colour representation are as
follow; gold signifying royalty, red signifying warmth, white signifying peace,
green signifying growth, brown signifying the earth and it constituents, and strokes of black adding to its aesthetics. The items on and
around the cake are symbolic as well; the gourd (calabash) symbolizes wealth,
tradition and status in African culture; the coral-beads are for aesthetic
purposes meant to beautify and give an identity to the person wearing them. The
wine is what the bride carries to identify her husband. The wine and the
wine-carrying bride symbolizes the brides choice of husband;the groom, who
usually sits in the midst of random people is identified by the bride and served
the wine. The breaking of kola-nuts and savoring the eggplants are also an
integral part of the ceremony. Symbolism is not limited to the items on the
cake but also extends to its colours as well; they represent goodwill and
prayers for the couple. White symbolizing peace, red signifying warmth, gold
and the white cowries are a symbol of wealth and the green represents growth
and fertility.
Datum 4
Compositional Meaning: This cake design depicts the No 2 dress regalia of
the Nigerian Army which comprises of the green suit, white shirt, and a green
tie crested with the Nigerian Army logo. The jacket is adorned with coloured
medals on the left and at the right side is a golden rope dropping down from
the shoulder, cutting across the right pocket and then fastened to the top
button of the suit. Other visible elements on the cake are the Nigerian Coat of
Arms and the colours of the Nigerian national flag though not in the right
order. The dominant colours are the Nigerian Army green as the main image and
white as the base. Other colours include red, black and gold as indicated on
the logo and other decorations. Symbols of the eagle and three stars and texts
were also artistically attached to the cake. The cake is round in shape placed
on a flat round base. The material used to design is fondant.
Interactional Meaning: This image is offering itself for close observation
and appreciation. The image was shot between close and medium range, thereby
presenting the cake as imposing and dignified with sense of authority and
elevated status. The proximity reduces social distance that serves as
invitation for close examination of the details about a military uniform and
rank as designed on the cake. The text makes a direct statement about the
design. The projection of the cake at eye level, showing a frontal view, allows
for participation of the viewer in the celebratory mode of promotion to the
stated rank, building a sense of inclusion which is rare, as contact between the
military personnel with the civilian has some level of restriction.
Representational Meaning: The depicted dress code is the number 2 dress
regalia of the Nigerian Army, a ceremonial dress worn during National day
celebrations and other instances as may be prescribed by the Armed Forces. The
medal adornments symbolize the numerous operations and deployments the supposed
officer participated in. The eagle and the three stars which should have been
on the epaulette (the shoulder decorations of the different ranking in the
Nigerian Army) were instead artistically attached to the uppermost part of the
cake; as the insignia of a Brigadier General. The choice of fondant icing as
the material of design communicates firmness therefore, bringing to life the
designer’s conceived idea.
This is a celebratory cake of
promotion to the rank of a Brigadier General although it would have been more
appropriately communicated visually if the epaulettes were included in the
design.
6. Discussions
The first cake analysed explored
its visual elements (colour mixture and contrast, depicted objects, text etc)
and structural elements such as shapes and forms and how the image interacts
with the viewer. The cake was purposefully crafted to embody academic prestige,
success, celebration, and identity. The design leverages on shape, color,
spatial organization, and style to communicate its message clearly about the
school’s successful graduation ceremony of students in their terminal class
implying a successful completion of that phase of studies. Datum 2 is
another cake design that detailed disparate elements such as wood joined
together and natural features such mountains, the sky, living creatures fused
in a design to create a symbolic structure. The colours and spatial layout,
all worked in unison to project a deeply spiritually rooted celebratory message
of Easter that aligns with Christian tradition, and the message also connotes a
personal, solemn and contemplative ideals of the Christian faith. The cake
presents a spiritual relationship between the viewer and the image. In Datum 3,
the multimodal analysis of the described wedding cake revealsrich layers of
cultural symbolismdeeply embedded inIgbo traditional wedding practices. The
analysis combinescompositional choices (colours, layout, and materials), image
viewer engagements withrepresentational meaning (cultural symbols and
practices) to create avisual narrative that conveys a story of not just
celebration,but also heritage, identity, and values. In the last datum
each visual component corresponds to real-life symbols of authority and honour,
distinguished service and institutional pride. The datum anchors the military
theme and infers the occasion of promotion.
7. Findings and Conclusion
Each
analysed cake reflects the specific events they were designed for: The Academic
cakerepresents education, prestige, completion of studies and collective
achievement. The Easter cake symbolized spirituality, the Christian faith and
essence. The wedding cake communicates the message of cultural identity,
heritage and values within Igbo Cultural context and the Military cake narrates
honour, service and institutional pride implying that cakes are visual story
telling mechanisms that communicate life experiences from different
perspectives. Another finding communicates that cakes convey complex
information more rapidly and intuitively than extended textual narratives as
every word that would have constituted the narrative is graphically represented
as semeotics.Colours perform aesthetical and symbolic functions in visual
communication, thereby corroborating the opinion of Olateju et al (2004) that
“colour is a phenomenon with huge semiotic import. Different meanings are
communicated through colour.” The deployment of multimodal strategies such as
visual, spatial and symbolic elements connects the audience with the story both
emotionally and cognitively. This is achieved by a logical assembling of visual
elements to perform communicative functions that tell stories of societal
practices.
Overall, cakes communicate their
intended message through the three metafunctions of Grammar of Visual Design
(GVD). The visual composition, semiotics, cultural symbolism, and culinary
creativity communicate meaningful moments such as educational achievement,
religion or spiritual connection, career building, culture, status, and
national service
In conclusion, Cakes are not mere culinary objects but also a Semiotic Resource that employ Visual Grammar to communicate interwoven yet layered meanings. Beyond representational functions of specific events as captured by the data, (graduation, religious tradition, and African traditions such as marriage and career goals like promotion) cakes also tell stories that embody social, cultural and institutional meaning of value, belief and convictions.
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