Business & Tech

Bovella's Bakes Bruce Springsteen's Birthday Cake

New take on 'Cake Boss': Westfield bakery sweetens up The Boss's 63rd birthday.

Celebrating a birthday like a rock star just got a little bit easier for Westfielders. Saturday night, legendary musician Bruce Springsteen received a birthday cake specially prepared by Bovella's Pastry Shoppe, located on the corner of East Broad and Prospect streets in downtown Westfield.

The 63-year-old "Boss" enjoyed not only a "Happy Birthday" sing-along during his concert at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, but also a cake fashioned into a life-size replica of his guitar.

Bovella's owner Ralph Bencivenga, who attended Westfield High School, said he received a call midday Saturday from a former classmate who works with celebrities. She told the baker she needed a cake for the New Jersey-born rocker's birthday later that evening.

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Working from a photo, Bencivenga and his crew then spent the next six hours creating the true-to-size confection that mimics the yellow and black Fender Telecaster Bruce plays. The white cake featured a Bavarian cream filling along with fresh strawberries, raspberries and blackberries.

Talk about an on-the-job perk, Bencivenga said the driver who delivered the cake not only had the chance to go backstage but was also given front-row seats.

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"He was pretty happy," Bencivenga said. "He's a big Bruce Springsteen fan." 

After the 'Born to Run' icon cut into his birthday cake, which was transported on a 2x4 picked up at a local Home Depot, he then handed the first two slices to concert-goers, one of whom he referred to as his "oldest fan" who's been following him since he was 16. 

Bencivenga said one of several highlights from the whole experience was seeing Bruce lick the frosting from his fingers after he handed out those first two slices. (See the attached YouTube video for a peek at the birthday boy sampling the icing.) 

While Bencivenga said Bovella's has baked cakes for other celebrities, Bruce is definitely "the biggest."

So how did the 22-time Grammy award winner enjoy his birthday cake? 

"Everyone said it looked and tasted great," Bencivenga said. "It was pretty exciting to have our cake seen by 55,000 people."

To order a cake or learn more about the bakery, visit Bovella's website or call 908-232-4149. 


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