It’s the end of the year, which means many ambitious college students are already looking ahead to 2026 and making big plans and setting major goals for the months ahead. But before you get too focused on your New Year’s resolutions, consider stopping to reflect on all that you achieved and overcame this year. That’s what TikTok’s accomplishment cake trend is all about: celebrating the moments, no matter how big or small, that you and your friends or family members are counting as wins.
Remember all of those hear me out cakes from 2024? This is like that, but much more wholesome. The trend, which started popping up in mid-November — just in time for Friendsgiving gatherings — features groups of people sticking small pole-like objects (think toothpicks, candy canes) into a cake, with notes attached that boast some of their proudest accomplishments from the past year. Each person takes a turn sharing their accomplishment out loud as they add it to the cake, and usually, the rest of the people involved in the video give them a round of applause. It’s a fun and interactive way to not only reflect on your past year, but also share updates with loved ones.
The accomplishments people choose to share really run the gamut: Some are celebrating professional wins, like landing a job or internship, getting a promotion, or finding a better work-life balance. Others are related to wellness, like walking 10,000 steps each day or finally starting therapy. There are also accomplishments relating to relationships, moving, volunteering, academics, travel, hobbies, and more.
And the best part? No matter what the accomplishment is, everyone gets the same level of applause. It’s such a positive and welcoming trend that people have even taken to the comments sections of these videos to share their own wins — and other commenters are hyping them up. (I’m not crying over strangers on the internet, you are!)
How To Make An Accomplishment Cake
If you want to make an accomplishment cake for an upcoming holiday party or get-together, you’re in luck, because it isn’t hard to… accomplish (hehe). It can be any cake of your choosing, whether you want to go all-out and bake one from scratch, go the box-mix route, pick one up from the store — or, it doesn’t even have to be a cake at all! People have used pies, brownies, rolls, and more. All that matters is that you take some time to celebrate yourself and your loved ones for getting through another year!