In honor of Betty Crocker, community and cake, the global Cake Picnic tour is coming to the Twin Cities.
The concept, a cake potluck of sorts, is sweet and simple: Attendees bring their creations to share while trying slices that others have brought.
Cake Picnic founder Elisa Sunga launched the tour in 2024 out of her desire “to be surrounded by friends and as many cakes as possible.” She has been holding picnics in various cities such as Los Angeles, the Bay Area and London ever since.
The sold-out Twin Cities stop, which will be held at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden on Oct. 4, coincides with Betty Crocker’s 104th birthday. As part of it, Cake Picnic is partnering with Betty Crocker’s parent company, Golden-Valley based General Mills.
This Twin Cities tour, with an estimated 500 to 600 attendees, is extra special to Sunga because she grew up making Betty Crocker boxed cake mixes. She is excited to see all the cakes and how people interpret Cake Picnic’s “birthday” theme.
“I think it will be one of our most colorful, joyful spreads yet,” Sunga said in an email statement.
Micheli Vazquez, owner and operator of Minneapolis-based Aunt Mona’s Cakes, will be among the participants. Vazquez, who uses they/them pronouns, already has some practice for the event. In March when the event was held in San Francisco, they made a Betty Crocker-themed cake for the festivities.
For the upcoming birthday-inspired, $30 ticketed event in which the main rule is “No Cake, No Entry,” Vazquez plans to bring Aunt Mona bakery’s signature glittery and whimsical design style while giving a nod to their Puerto Rican heritage with flavors such as coconut and guava.
