I try to stay away from controversy on my little baking blog.

I have a philosophy… it’s silly I know.  But I believe that we can all unite over cake.  No matter your beliefs or views or politics, we can all come together and celebrate  with a beautiful and delicious cake.

Cheerios Cake

When I heard that there was a controversy over a Cheerios commercial, I was deeply saddened.

After seeing the commercial, I literally had no idea what the controversy even was! In case you are as blissfully naive as I am, the issue was race.

Some people were upset that the husband was black and the wife was white and that they had an interracial child.

Martin Luther King, Jr. famously said, “We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people.”

I don’t want to be a part of the appalling silence anymore.

Cheerios Cake

 

After reading some of the awful comments people have made, it’s clear to see that their minds are not going to be changed through some brief internet interactions.  I am never going to argue someone into seeing my perspective.

Instead, what I do want to focus on is solutions.

 

This cake is simple.  Overly simple some might say, but that was intentional.

I feel like the solution is simple.

Teach love.

I can certainly make sure that I am raising intelligent, well-mannered and considerate young people who understand that our inherent value is not based on appearance.

Simple.

I can model the behavior that I want to see in them.  I hope that my children will see in me a love for others, regardless of physical appearance.  I hope that they will remain blissfully ignorant of the pain and destruction caused by prejudice and racism for many, many more years.

  Cheerios Cake

Maybe we can all make a simple cake for someone you love!

Now.  Do you want to know how I really feel about segregation?

Racism Sucks.

 Ahem.

Just in case you want to make your own Cheerios Cake here is what I did:

Make the perfect white cake in two 8-in rounds and the best chocolate cake in two 8-in rounds.

I then whipped up a batch of chocolate buttercream to cover the cake.  There is no frosting between the layers.

Using Chocolate Cheerios, I spelled out the word “love”.  For the individual slice, I just poured some more Chocolate Cheerios over the top to add some texture and depth of flavor.

Share with your friends!

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Meet Amanda Rettke

Amanda Rettke is the creator of I Am Baker, and the bestselling author of Surprise Inside Cakes: Amazing Cakes for Every Occasion – With a Little Something Extra Inside.Over the course of her 15+ year blogging adventure, she has been featured in and collaborated with the Food Network, New York Times, LA Times, Country Living Magazine, People Magazine, Epicurious, Brides, Romantic Homes, life:beautiful, Publishers Weekly, The Daily Mail, Star Tribune, The Globe and Mail, DailyCandy, YumSugar, The Knot, The Kitchn, and Parade, to name a few.

Reader Comments

  1. Thank you for such an adorable cake with a powerful message! When I saw the beginning of the commercial, I knew the little girl was biracial and thought, how cool, I can’t remember when I’ve seen a commercial with a mixed race family. My husband is also biracial and said he would have loved to seen a commercial like this when he was growing up. Isn’t that what it is really all about, relating to people and sell some cereal? I didn’t even know about the controversy either, but I’m not surprised, after all commercials with a same-sex couple was also earth-shattering news. Oh wait, we are all still here! 🙂

  2. I was naive too, and I don’t understand why this is still an issue in 2013… so AMEN Sista! for not being one of the appalling silence. =)

  3. I don’t know you and I love you. Your transparency is sweet. I am a radical and I love your genuine heart. Race is a touchy subject and as a black woman, you find it cloaked in many things. What made me stop here is that you did not once say it didn’t exist, but you did say how sad and painful it can be. In reality, as black people, we just want acknowledgement of so many of the things that were stolen from us that we are still feeling the effects of many generational years after the monstrosity of slavery. While that is still years down the line of true recognitions, the acknowledgement that has come, is good, but with hearts like yours, we can get there a little faster. At the end of the day, when you peel back the outside, we are all the same on the inside-loveable humans. Thank you.

  4. I would have never thought to use cheerios to decorate a cake! I love this idea! I will definitely be trying it next time I bake a cake for a celebration.

  5. I agree with your philosophy–and I agree—you are so AWESOME!!!!!!
    Thanks for the cool creative ideas-I am always trying something different for my 15 grandkids-
    ages 1 month to 30!!!!!!! You are so fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANKS

  6. Dear Amanda,

    I was just browsing food blogs, came across yours, and loved your designs.

    So far this is the post I love the most.

    Bravo and beautifully said.

    Love,
    Brigid

  7. Perfectly stated and totally agree. We raised our five girls the same way. Keep up the good work.

    (Who would’ve thought that nursing cookies and Cheerios could be so controversial?)

    Mama

  8. i love your bravery. I love the fact you are willing to step up and be counted. I think you are freaking fabulous. How blessed is your son to have you as his parent. Yummy cakes and an open heart. That commercial, in an ideal world, “should” have created no comment whatsoever on anything other than the Cheerios. Kudos to you Mrs Baker.

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