Phi Theta Kappa members at Spoon River College believe everyone should have a birthday cake, and are hosting a community service project to build “birthday boxes” for local food pantries. They are encouraging the use of “soda cakes,” which eliminates the need for oil or eggs.
“If you’ve never tried baking a cake with just a cake mix and a can of soda, it may seem impossible, but I promise you that it works perfectly,” said Becca Werland, Phi Theta Kappa advisor. “We made a test cake with coke and chocolate cake mix, and it was very fluffy and moist—and best of all, it doesn’t require expensive eggs or oil, both of which are in low-supply at food pantries.”
They are also collecting cans of frosting, birthday candles and cards, and aluminum cake pans with lids. Items will be collected until March 19, and can be dropped off at the Canton Campus. Members will then build the birthday boxes and deliver them to the food pantries.
Werland noted that the most popular soda cake choices are for coke or cherry coke and chocolate cake mix, Sprite and yellow cake mix, cream soda and vanilla cake mix, and Mountain Dew and lemon cake mix. Diet sodas can also be substituted.