There’s only one thing worse than a plagiarized cake design: A fake cake.
As newly elected President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence sliced into their cake at the “Salute to Our Troops” Inauguration Ball Friday night, the nine-tier cake looked oddly familiar to some, including the baker of Barack Obama’s cake four years ago.
The baker, Duff Goldman, tweeted photos of both cakes which showed that they were identical—right down to the stars and stripes.
The cake on the left is the one I made for President Obama's inauguration 4 years ago. The one on the right is Trumps. I didn't make it. 🤔 pic.twitter.com/qJXpCfPhii
— Duff Goldman (@duffgoldman) January 21, 2017
While Trump’s transition and inauguration teams have not responded to comments about the identical cakes, Tiffany MacIsaac, owner of Washington’s Buttercream Bakeshop, told the Washington Post she made the cake.
MacIsaac said a client commissioned her to recreate an exact replica of the cake from Obama’s second inauguration. She also said she hadn’t expected the cake to get any attention because it was intended to be a prop. The cake was entirely made of Styrofoam except for a three-inch slice at the bottom.
The bakeshop shared a photo of the cake on its Instagram account, giving credit to Goldman for the original design. It also shared what it intends to do with the profits it made from the commission.
“Best part is all the profits are being donated to @humanrightscampaign, one of our favorite charities who we have loved working with over the years,” they wrote. “Because basic human rights are something every man, woman and child~ straight, gay or the rainbow in between~ deserve!”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPiBprwF4JP/
Goldman appears to not hold any grudges against the bakeshop, MacIsaac, or Trump.
Remembering a fantastic cake I made is awesome and the chef that re-created it for @POTUS Trump did a fantastic job. Group hug, y'all. 🇺🇸
— Duff Goldman (@duffgoldman) January 21, 2017
Not everyone has been as forgiving, however. Twitter users rallied behind Goldman, saying the replica was plagiarism.
https://twitter.com/XcrossAtlanticX/status/822859647782567936
if he loved it so much why not ask you to make it? Coz he was afraid you would say no? 🤔 why not make a diff cake?
— Laura #GarraCharrua 🌻🟦🟧 (@LBCeleste) January 21, 2017
Don't back track. They stole from you. You have the right to be upset about that!
— Veronica❤️💛 (@ILuvKCChiefs) January 21, 2017
The inauguration cake wasn’t the only part of the day to be accused of plagiarism. Many also pointed out similarities between Trump’s inauguration speech and a line from Batman villain Bane in The Dark Knight Rises.