Would someone giving away free homemade cake on the subway make you grin — or make you call 911? (ANTHRAX!!!!1) Well, Bettina Banayan was hoping for the former. The New York City culinary student whipped out a two-layer cake, gloves, and icing while riding the subway earlier this month. She then proceeded to frost and decorate the cake, completely undaunted by onlookers, and pass it out to fellow hungry passengers:

“New Yorkers aren’t very personable with each other,” she explained. “We’re constantly in people’s private space, especially on the subway. I think it’s important to have some kind of community.”

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There’s something oddly soothing about her steady, careful handiwork amidst the bustle and noise of the subway. Then again, I wasn’t on the subway, so maybe it was obnoxious to want to sit down, only to find a plastic tub of frosting was occupying the seat. (UNCOOL.) Cake-decorating on public transit ranks somewhere between “applying makeup” and “sleeping across three seats” in the taking-up-more-space-than-you-need hierarchy. Then again: cake.

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The performing artist has also sliced an onion on the subway. We’ll take free cake over onion tears any day!