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Bonkers birthday baking

This week, Sandi taught us about the Danish tradition of screaming as you chop the head off your boy or girl birthday bake. Kind of cute, kind of… nightmarish. What she didn’t introduce us to was the Danish birthday song, where the person celebrating chooses three instruments that the singers have to mimic (bagsy trombone). Neither did she mention the tradition of adorning your entire house in the Danish flag on your big day. Or lagkage, which is basically layers of cake filled with cream, strawberries, jam and all your birthday wishes. The Danes know how to party.

But the Danish aren’t the only ones veering away from good old candles and caterpillar cakes. Here’s some of our favourite birthday baking traditions from around the world.

Australia

In the land down under, birthdays are celebrated with the magical-sounding fairy bread. What is this fantastical concoction? Bread and butter, sprinkled with Hundreds and Thousands. Right.

Russia

In Russia, fruit pies are served instead of cakes, with birthday messages written around the crust in pastry. If the guests don’t all shout ‘SUR-PIES!’ on serving, they’ve missed a trick… though on second thoughts, the pun may not translate.

Ghana

In Ghana, a traditional birthday breakfast of sweet potato patties is given to the birthday child. One for those with a savoury tooth.

China

‘Longevity noodles’ are eaten in China on birthdays, with extra points if the birthday person can eat them all without biting. Slurrrrrrrrp.

For more international baking inspo, tune in to The Great British Bake Off on Tuesdays at 8pm on Channel 4, or catch up on All 4.