Answer
The food supply was running low for the inhabitants of the secret annex and the new year just begun.
The significance of the cake was important because it was the first day of the year January 1st, 1944.
Another significant thing was the people in the annex were low on food supplies.
The hunger was so severe that Mr Van Daal was caught in the act of stealing and Mrs Van Daal was prepared to sell her precious fur coat in order to get food.
It revealed certain things about the characters as it showed a level of distrust, anger and disappointment.
Mrs Frank was asked to cut the cake because Mr Frank was not trusted enough to share the cake equally because of his previous attempt at theft.
Mrs Frank was extremely pleased to see a cake and she did not fail to say how excited she was.
