<P> A reference to the tradition of blowing out the candles was documented in Switzerland in 1881 . Researchers for the Folk - Lore Journal recorded various "superstitions" among the Swiss middle class . One statement depicted a birthday cake as having lighted candles which correspond to each year of life . These candles were required to be blown out, individually, by the person who is being celebrated . </P> <P> There are many variations of sweets which are eaten around the world on birthdays . The Chinese birthday pastry is the shòu bāo (壽 包, simp . 寿 包) or shòu táo bāo (壽桃 包, simp . 寿桃 包), a lotus - paste - filled bun made of wheat flour and shaped and colored to resemble a peach . Rather than serving one large pastry, each guest is served their own small shou bao . In Korea, the traditional birthday dish is seaweed soup . In Western Russia, birthday children are served fruit pies with a birthday greeting carved into the crusts . The Swedish birthday cake is made like a pound cake that is often topped with marzipan and decorated with the national flag . Dutch birthday pastries are fruit tarts topped with whipped cream . In India there are very few people use birth celebration in villages but cities and towns birthday cakes are used similarly to western people specilly among higher educated section . </P>

When did adding candles to birthday cake start