By day, Elisa Sunga, 35, works as a senior UX program manager at Google. By passion, she’s the creator of a one-of-a-kind event that’s sweeping cities and social media alike; Cake Picnic. What began as a lighthearted attempt to share her love for desserts has grown into a festival that attracts thousands of bakers and food enthusiasts worldwide.
In an interview with CNBC Make It, Sunga revealed that she began baking during the pandemic and “just fell in love with it.” A few years later, her craving for cake inspired a quirky idea: “I really wanted to eat a lot of cake, to be honest… but I didn’t want to bake all of it. So I thought, what if everyone brought a cake?”
That simple question sparked a phenomenon.
The rule is simple: No cake, no entry
In April 2024, Sunga hosted the first Cake Picnic in San Francisco, where 183 cakes filled a sunny park. Her only rule, “no cake, no entry” became both the event’s tagline and its charm.
What she thought would be a gathering of 15 friends quickly turned viral. “Every time I refreshed the RSVP page, it kept jumping by hundreds,” she told CNBC Make It. Within months, the event had traveled to Los Angeles, New York, and even London, with guests bringing everything from matcha to chocolate cakes; all homemade.
By 2025, Cake Picnic had welcomed over 3,500 cakes across seven events, including one in San Francisco where participants brought an astounding 1,300 cakes. The event’s Instagram following jumped from 20,000 to over 100,000 overnight, cementing its place as one of the internet’s most joyful communities.
Why Cake Picnic struck a sweet chord
For Sunga, the secret ingredient behind Cake Picnic’s success isn’t sugar — it’s connection. “You get to see hundreds of cakes at one time and meet people who choose joy,” she said. From amateur home bakers to professional pastry chefs, attendees bond over a shared passion for creativity and indulgence.
“Everyone here loves cake and happiness,” Sunga explained. “It feels like you’re meeting friends of your heart.”
The event also sparks inspiration, as bakers exchange tips on design and flavor experimentation. “It’s the only place where you can taste 10 different cakes in 10 minutes,” she laughed.
A passion project
Behind the frosting and fanfare, Sunga still balances her full-time role at Google. She works on Cake Picnic during evenings and weekends, alongside her partner and co-founder, Danny Knight, and a team of volunteers spread across U.S. cities.
Tickets are typically priced around $30, helping sustain the events and fund creative projects within the baking community. Sunga says she wants any profit to “go back to the cake community,” commissioning artists and supporting local creators.
Despite the viral success, Sunga insists she isn’t leaving her tech career. “If I did this full time, it might change the joy I feel about it,” she told CNBC Make It. “Right now, it’s still about cake, friendship, and happiness — and that’s what keeps it special.”
Reflecting on the journey, Sunga wrote in an April 2025 Instagram post:
“In my earliest daydreams, it was a small picnic of maybe 15 friends in Golden Gate Park. I had no idea it would draw such a crowd. For the love of cake, we must.”
In an interview with CNBC Make It, Sunga revealed that she began baking during the pandemic and “just fell in love with it.” A few years later, her craving for cake inspired a quirky idea: “I really wanted to eat a lot of cake, to be honest… but I didn’t want to bake all of it. So I thought, what if everyone brought a cake?”
That simple question sparked a phenomenon.
The rule is simple: No cake, no entry
In April 2024, Sunga hosted the first Cake Picnic in San Francisco, where 183 cakes filled a sunny park. Her only rule, “no cake, no entry” became both the event’s tagline and its charm.
What she thought would be a gathering of 15 friends quickly turned viral. “Every time I refreshed the RSVP page, it kept jumping by hundreds,” she told CNBC Make It. Within months, the event had traveled to Los Angeles, New York, and even London, with guests bringing everything from matcha to chocolate cakes; all homemade.
By 2025, Cake Picnic had welcomed over 3,500 cakes across seven events, including one in San Francisco where participants brought an astounding 1,300 cakes. The event’s Instagram following jumped from 20,000 to over 100,000 overnight, cementing its place as one of the internet’s most joyful communities.
Why Cake Picnic struck a sweet chord
For Sunga, the secret ingredient behind Cake Picnic’s success isn’t sugar — it’s connection. “You get to see hundreds of cakes at one time and meet people who choose joy,” she said. From amateur home bakers to professional pastry chefs, attendees bond over a shared passion for creativity and indulgence.
“Everyone here loves cake and happiness,” Sunga explained. “It feels like you’re meeting friends of your heart.”
The event also sparks inspiration, as bakers exchange tips on design and flavor experimentation. “It’s the only place where you can taste 10 different cakes in 10 minutes,” she laughed.
A passion project
Behind the frosting and fanfare, Sunga still balances her full-time role at Google. She works on Cake Picnic during evenings and weekends, alongside her partner and co-founder, Danny Knight, and a team of volunteers spread across U.S. cities.
Tickets are typically priced around $30, helping sustain the events and fund creative projects within the baking community. Sunga says she wants any profit to “go back to the cake community,” commissioning artists and supporting local creators.
Despite the viral success, Sunga insists she isn’t leaving her tech career. “If I did this full time, it might change the joy I feel about it,” she told CNBC Make It. “Right now, it’s still about cake, friendship, and happiness — and that’s what keeps it special.”
Reflecting on the journey, Sunga wrote in an April 2025 Instagram post:
“In my earliest daydreams, it was a small picnic of maybe 15 friends in Golden Gate Park. I had no idea it would draw such a crowd. For the love of cake, we must.”
You may also like
AIIMS Bhubaneswar provides platform for innovative health-tech Ideas
'Captivating' war series that is 'tough to watch' has 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes
Princess Kate sends 'secret message' to Prince William with 'bold' gesture
Why has ECI yet to disclose male, female voter turnout in first phase: Tejashwi Yadav
Volodymyr Zelensky praises King Charles for getting Trump back on side
