In the months leading up to the United States’ 250th Independence Day anniversary, a unique project emerged to mark the milestone: an elaborate, large-scale birthday cake designed to embody the nation’s history and spirit. Grace Pak, a New York City-based cake artist, spearheaded the creation of the cake, which is intended to be unveiled and ceremonially cut on July 4 at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
Pak, 39, whose professional background includes appearances on the Food Network and prestigious private commissions, initiated the project after discovering in January that no official cake was planned for the nation’s semiquincentennial celebrations. With limited budget and complex political dynamics between organizing bodies, she took on the challenge to deliver a centerpiece that transcended partisan divisions, hoping to evoke a sense of unity through the universal appeal of cake.
The project was aligned with America250, the congressional commission established in 2016 to oversee the 250th anniversary programming. However, the commission’s efforts have been complicated by the emergence of Freedom 250, a separate organization connected to former President Donald Trump which pursued an alternative vision for the celebrations, including a large fireworks display and a highly publicized event on the National Mall—but never included a birthday cake.
Pak’s cake stands roughly four feet wide and six feet tall once assembled, adorned with intricate edible sculptures including chocolate Black Hawk helicopters, an eagle, and a rendition of Lady Liberty’s arm made from Rice Krispies Treats and green fondant. The cake’s base features 56 modeling chocolate squares, each representing a state, territory, or the District of Columbia, featuring symbolic icons such as a Mississippi catfish and a Kansas sunflower. The edible elements were crafted using historically inspired ingredients, including whole-wheat flour from Mount Vernon’s grist mill and Kentucky bourbon-soaked currants, reflecting deep research into colonial-era recipes.
Her team prepared the components in a Washington commercial kitchen and planned assembly on the day of the ceremony. The cake will be displayed at the White House Visitor Center from July 7 through August 2 following the event.
Pak’s effort included outreach to lawmakers from both parties, successfully involving about 60 members of Congress who each decorated a square on the cake, symbolizing a bipartisan collaboration despite a fraught political environment. Although the participants reportedly enjoyed the activity, Pak expressed dismay at the vitriolic responses some lawmakers received online.
Initially scheduled for July 3 in a Capitol conference room due to building closures on Independence Day, the cake-cutting ceremony was rescheduled at Pak’s insistence to July 4 in Madison Hall at the Library of Congress, a venue better suited to the occasion’s significance. Attendees include members of Congress, scouts, donors, and farmers who contributed ingredients.
Despite coordination with America250, some White House staff appeared unaware of the cake event until recently, and no representatives from the administration were expected to attend the ceremony as of the week before July 4.
Pak’s undertaking underscores the complexities and symbolic resonance surrounding the country’s 250th birthday, highlighting how cultural celebrations continue to carry political and social weight even amid efforts to create moments of shared national heritage.