Cake day
Also called: cakeday, happy cake day, reddit birthday
Definition
Cake day is the anniversary of the day a Reddit account was created. On that day each year, Reddit shows a small cake icon next to the user's username, and other users often reply "happy cake day."
Cake day is a Reddit account's birthday. Reddit's help center puts it simply: "It's like your birthday, but for your Reddit account!" Every year on the date you created your account, Reddit displays a cake icon next to your username, and people commenting near you may wish you a happy cake day.
How to find your cake day
On reddit.com, open your profile and look for Reddit Age in the profile card on the right. Hover over the age to see the exact date and year your account was created. The Reddit app shows your account age on your profile, but Reddit says you need a desktop browser to see the exact date.
Other users can see the same Reddit Age on your profile card, and the cake icon appears next to your name on your posts and comments for that day.
Why it matters for marketers
Cake day itself is a bit of fun. What it points to is not: account age is public, and it is one of the first things moderators and redditors look at when deciding whether to trust an account.
- Many subreddits have an account age requirement that filters posts from accounts below a certain age.
- A product recommendation from an account whose Reddit Age is "3 days" reads as spam no matter how good it is.
- Deleting an account removes its cake day and karma; Reddit Help notes deletion disassociates the username from its history, karma and cake day, and the username cannot be reused.
So the useful takeaway is to create the account you plan to use well before you need it, and build a normal history with it.
Common mistakes
- Posting "it's my cake day" for upvotes. Many communities treat that as karma begging and remove it.
- Thinking a cake day changes anything. It does not grant karma, raise your standing with moderators or add any features.
Frequently asked questions
Why is there a cake next to someone's name on Reddit?
It is their cake day, the anniversary of the day they created their Reddit account.
Can I change my cake day?
No. It is fixed to your account's creation date.
Do I get anything on my cake day?
Just the icon and, usually, some "happy cake day" replies.