First, there was the infamous waffle fiasco, and now we have yet another culinary controversy—Fake Cake-Gate.
Meghan Markle recently posted a photo on Instagram featuring a homemade-style naked cake, captioning it, “A very sweet treat indeed.” While the intention was likely to evoke charm and warmth, the reaction was quite the opposite. From its outdated aesthetic to suspicions about who actually baked it, the post left many people scratching their heads. Oh, Meghan—if there’s one thing you do consistently, it’s proving you’re perpetually a decade behind the trends.
Nak-d cakes? Really? Those had their moment back in 2015 when Pinterest was awash with boho-chic weddings and mason jars filled with fairy lights. Now, it just looks like something pulled from the bargain bin of a dated wedding magazine. And let’s be honest—she didn’t bake that cake. We all remember the waffle debacle, so unless she suddenly became a master baker overnight, those slightly lopsided, uneven layers didn’t come from her hands. More likely, she had a professional do the hard work, then swooped in at the last second to drizzle a bit of honey on top for the perfect Instagram shot. Classic Meghan—stamp her name on someone else’s effort and present it as her own.
But let’s focus on the real problem here—the aesthetics. The cake itself is a disaster. Uneven layers, messy filling, and an overall “first attempt at baking” vibe. It’s the kind of cake you make when you’re still figuring out how your oven works, not something from someone trying to cultivate an aspirational lifestyle brand. Where’s the finesse? The elegance? The actual skill? For someone so eager to be seen as a tastemaker, this attempt is anything but inspiring.
What makes this even more amusing is the larger picture—her apparent effort to rebrand herself as some kind of traditional homemaker influencer. Meghan Markle, domestic goddess edition, complete with cottagecore aesthetics, nostalgic Pinterest inspiration, and a desperate attempt to channel Martha Stewart. The problem? Martha Stewart’s cakes don’t look like they were haphazardly assembled by a toddler at a playdate. Even the honey drizzle seems excessive—if the fruit were truly fresh and flavorful, would it even need a sticky-sweet coating? Or is this just another one of her signature moves—adding a pointless extra step to give the illusion of sophistication? At this rate, she’s one drizzle away from declaring herself the queen of confectionery.
And then there’s the issue of authenticity—or rather, the lack of it. Why is there never a photo of anyone actually eating these things she posts? It’s the same pattern as with her children—plenty of carefully curated images, but nothing that actually confirms reality. Just like her “homemade” cake, it all feels staged, cold, and devoid of genuine warmth. She wants to project an image of effortless domesticity, but all she’s serving up is artificial sweetness.
If this is her attempt at staying relevant, it’s backfiring spectacularly. Meghan, dear, 2012 called—it wants its Instagram aesthetic back. If you’re looking to modernize anything, start with your content strategy. Maybe hire someone with a vision beyond outdated homemaker tropes and forced sentimentality. Because right now, this isn’t trendy, chic, or even remotely convincing—it’s just plain embarrassing.
