Hurricane parties may be missing one key feature this year.
Publix announced it will not be selling hurricane cakes after Hurricane Ian impacted many areas of Florida and caused more than $112 billion in damage.
The cakes and large cookies were decorated in icing that looked like a radar image, sometimes with the words “Leave Florida Alone,” the Miami Herald reported.
The grocery store chain says on its website that it will not produce cakes that “make light of a natural disaster.” The statement isn’t new, however. the company posted the policy on its Q&A page as they “prepare and respond to Hurricane Ian.”
The statement on the company’s site said at the time, “We have sent communications to our stores reminding them of our policy. We regret if a store has not followed policy, and we are working to rectify the situation.”
Hurricane cakes apparently took the spotlight in 2019 when a cake decorator made Hurricane Dorian-themed cakes, WFTS reported. Jessica Gouin said she wanted to make shoppers smile during an uncertain time.
“It makes my heart happy bringing people joy or a smile during these stressful times,” Gouin said, according to WFTS.
The hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted a “near-normal” hurricane season for 2023 with between 12 to 17 total named storms this year.
