Naked Cake (cake without outer icing)

A “naked cake” is a caked with unfrosted sides. Wedding cakes are popular versions of the naked cake. “Naked cake” has been cited on Twitter since 2009 and became popular by 2014.
   
Chef and founder Christina Tosi of Milk Bar (sister bakery to Momofuku restaurants, New York City) has been credited with popularizing the “naked cake” trend.
     
 
Milk Bar (sister bakery to Momofuku restaurants, NYC)
WEDDING CAKES
all of our wedding cakes are produced exactly the same way as they are for the bakery with unfrosted sides to highlight all of the delicious fillings layered inside. our cakes are never covered in fondant or buttercream.
 
Twitter
jakesmomma04
‏@jakesmomma04
got finished with the “naked” cake and got it delivered. Gonna work on the fishing themed one next
1:37 PM - 22 Apr 2009
 
Twitter
Sharon Linne Faulk
‏@linnefaulk
@MikeyPod You goof! It has frosting. Naked cake has no frosting. 😉
9:14 PM - 4 Jul 2009
 
Twitter
Jenny Hartin
‏@icywit
I don’t like cakes that aren’t frosted on the sides…I know it is in now - but come on - who wants a half naked cake?
7:58 AM - 24 Feb 2010
         
Chef Jamie Levine 
February 16, 2014
10 Current Culinary Trends I’m Diggin’
(...)
5. Exposed Cakes
Christina Tosi of Momofuku fame really jumpstarted this trend, one that gives cakes an updated edge. The idea is to leave the sides of each layer exposed, creating a juxtaposition of rustic and elegant.
 
ABC News
Brides Crave ‘Naked’ Cakes for Summer Weddings
By MATTIE KAHN
June 16, 2014
(...)
The brain behind the bold new look is Christina Tosi. As the owner of Momofuku Milk Bar, Tosi is famous for her whimsical approach to seriously delicious baked goods. Her signature wedding cakes are no exception. Featuring such flavors as salted pretzel and ‘birthday cake,’ these works of art are a welcome departure from the industry standard. Tosi says a desire to cast recipes and flavors as the “visual stars” of her creations pushed her to reinvent more traditional models. “Why am I hiding all of the colorful, textural, exciting parts of being in the kitchen behind of decor?” she remembers asking herself. “Why not challenge the norm?”
 
Daily Mail (UK)
Introducing the ‘naked cake’: New wedding dessert trend for unfrosted edges exposes the delicious flavors inside
By MARGOT PEPPERS
PUBLISHED: 15:45 EST, 19 June 2014 | UPDATED: 14:52 EST, 30 June 2014
The traditional wedding cake is typically frosted with white icing, but if a new trend takes hold, it’s about to get a serious make-under.
 
More and more brides are opting to serve ‘naked cakes’ - pared-down creations that forgo an outer layer of buttercream so that the texture of the cake and the colors inside are put on show.
 
Chef, founder and owner of Milk Bar, Christina Tosi, is credited with starting the trend, which she says casts delicious recipes as the ‘visual stars’ of the cakes.
 
YouTube
The Naked Cake: How to Slice, Ice, Stack, and Decorate
Superfine Bakery
Published on Aug 4, 2014
Naked Cakes (cakes without outer icing) are all the rage here in Southern California! For a vintage look, try it out at home. Tons of fun, easy and light to lift and transport, and a great focal point to any celebration.
 
OCLC WorldCat record
Naked cakes : simply beautiful handmade creations
Author: Lyndel Miller
Publisher: London : Murdoch Books, 2015.
Edition/Format:   Print book : English
Database: WorldCat
Summary:
Fondant haters, lazy bakers and time-poor hosts rejoice! These naked cakes are achievable, budget friendly and swoon worthy—and they provide an ideal opportunity to experiment with and display your individual creativity.
 
OCLC WorldCat record
Naked cakes : simply stunning cakes
Author: Hannah Miles; Steve Painter
Publisher: London ; New York : Ryland Peters & Small, 2015. ©2015
Edition/Format:   Print book : English
Database: WorldCat
Summary:
“While in recent years the trend has been for cakes to be encased in icing and decorated in a fancy style, there is a new trend for stripping cakes back, and decorating them very simply with fresh edible flowers and vibrant berries or using pastel shades to make the cake itself the star attraction. The queen of cakes, Hannah Miles, has undressed classic cakes to create these delightful recipes.”—provided from Amazon.com.
   
Eater
Master the Naked Cake Technique With Christina Tosi’s Cranberry Gingerbread Layer Cake
by Eater Video Nov 24, 2015, 9:10a
At Milk Bar — the rule-breaking bakery with locations in NYC, DC, and Toronto — chef and founder Christina Tosi has popularized the concept of the naked cake, a cake without a final coating of frosting or icing. Her naked cakes have always been crowd pleasers, beautiful but never too pretty to eat, and with fillings and flavors that are both crave-able and unique. Here, Tosi presents a creation appropriate for any holiday celebration: Her Cranberry Gingerbread Layer Cake features pie crust crumbles, a pie-flavored frosting, and cream cheese icing on top. Find the recipe below, but watch how Tosi builds the cake in the video above. Note her novel use of a bent spoon to spread frosting and fillings between each layer, and her attention to texture, temperature, and timing.