By james art 
A Cuban in the United States, @driven369 on TikTok, caused a stir online by criticizing the exorbitant prices of cakes in Cuban bakeries, saying they cost “more than in Dubai”.
In his video, he claims that at these establishments, the cakes can cost between $45 and $50, while at supermarkets like Publix, they are available for $20 or $25.
With his characteristic sarcasm, @driven369 declares that Cuban cake is “number one for tons of sugar and killing diabetics.” He criticized the obsession of some Cubans in the U.S. with these sweets and argued that Cuban culture has a childhood “addiction to sugar,” which he says does not justify the “inflated” prices charged by bakeries.
Reactions came quickly and the majority of users supported the criticism. Among the comments that stood out were phrases like “I totally agree with you” and “My kid’s birthday cake a week ago cost $150 and was a little bigger than a flan.” One user noted, “Here in Massachusetts, the most expensive cake is $30 on sale.” Another user sarcastically added, “Any minute an oil prince will send someone to bring a cake from Hialeah.”
However, some defended the taste and tradition of Cuban torta against supermarket options: “But you know the quality isn’t the same because the flan from Publix doesn’t look like homemade”; “Cuban meringue is so much richer and that moist cake filled with coconut or cream – those were happy childhood days!”
Others argue that ultimately the price depends on each person’s financial situation: “There is no such thing as an expensive product; some can afford to pay and some can’t’; “If they’re selling it at a high price, it’s because someone is buying it. Once people stop buying it, they will lower the price. Someone concluded with the simple, “It’s called capitalism.”
The video by @driven369 has sparked a debate among Cubans in the US, where many are concerned about these prices at Cuban bakeries. It seems that the problem with cakes and their price will remain for some time.