Question: when did adding candles to a cake originated

title: Birthday cake
text: There is no standard for birthday cakes , though the `` Happy Birthday '' song is often sung while the cake is served in English - speaking countries , or an equivalent birthday song in the appropriate language of the country . The phrase `` Happy Birthday '' did not appear on birthday cakes until the song `` Happy Birthday to You '' was popularized in the early 1900s . Variations of birthday songs and rituals exist in different parts of the world . In Uruguay , party guests touch the person 's shoulder or head following the singing of `` Happy Birthday to You '' . In Ecuador , the person whose birthday it is will take a large bite of the birthday cake before it is served . Elaborate