Isn’t cake just cake? Yes and no, to be sure. There are numerous sorts of cake, including birthday, angel food, pound cake, and many others. However, all of these cakes or birthday cake are simply variants of a few basic varieties. So you know what you’re creating, learn the differences between these classic cakes.
There are two main types of cakes.
Butter cakes (sometimes known as shortening cakes) and foam cakes are the two most common varieties of cakes. The fat content of these two big groups of cake distinguishes them. Foam cakes feature little to no fat and a higher proportion of egg than other types of cakes. They have a lighter, airier texture as a result of this (think angel food and sponge cake). Butter cakes, on the other hand, are made with butter, margarine, or vegetable shortening, and are dense and moist. Each of these major kinds has a plethora of variations; continue reading to discover more about them. You can buy cakes online and make your day special.
Cakes made with butter or shortening
Here’s a hint: if the recipe calls for “cream butter and sugar,” you’re looking at a butter cake. After the creaming is finished, you’ll usually add the egg, flour, and leavening (baking powder or baking soda). Butter cakes come in a variety of flavours, including white chocolate, white, yellow, and marble, to mention a few. Other cakes in this category, such as carrot cake or red velvet cake, can be “shortened” with oil.Â
Butter Cake in the American Style:
Despite its name, this style of cake did not originate in the United States, but it has become very popular in the country. These dense cakes are ideal for rolling fondant and can withstand rich frosting and fillings. Oil can also be used to shorten them.
Pound Cake:
The ingredients for this cake are measured in pounds: a pound of butter, a pound of sugar, a pound of eggs, and a pound of flour. Because it doesn’t rise as much as an American-style butter cake, the cake is incredibly dense. Pound cakes are often mild in flavour due to their richness, and are eaten plain or with a simple icing. Normally, they’re baked in a loaf pant or a Bundt pant. Coffee cakes, sour cream cakes, and fruit crumb cakes are all examples of pound cake variations.
Carrot Cake:
Baking soda or baking powder is used to leaven carrot cake, much as it is in American-style butter cake. Carrot cake, on the other hand, uses oil for shortening instead of butter. This makes the cake last longer, but it also makes it a little greasy. The thick cream cheese icing combined with the toasty spices creates an appealing treat.
Red Velvet Cake:
There’s no denying that red velvet cake is a fan favourite. It’s essentially butter cake, but it’s frequently made using oil. The additional cocoa gives it a characteristic red velvet flavour. The red colour of the cake came from a reaction between buttermilk and raw cocoa. Today, much of the colour comes from food colouring.
Foam Cake:
These light and fluffy cakes can be made in a variety of ways. Aside from the fat given by eggs, foam cakes typically contain no fat or leavening. When baking foam cakes, it’s crucial to remember that the batter needs to go into the oven as soon as it’s ready to avoid the egg whites collapsing. Because of the rise that the egg whites provide, they must be baked in a tall pan. Because thick frosting won’t hold up well on these cakes, a light glaze or a dab of whipped cream is the best option.
Sponge Cake:
A sponge cake is technically any recipe that uses a lot of whipped eggs or egg whites but no baking powder or baking soda. There are only three components in a basic sponge cake: flour, sugar, and eggs. This cake, as the name implies, responds well to syrup soaking. Sponge cakes come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and their names vary depending on where you are in the world.
Genoise Cake:
In Italy and France, a sponge cake is known as Genoise. The eggs are beaten together with the yolk and white, as well as sugar, until they are mousse-like in this style of cake. After that, the flour is folded in with a little oil or butter for extra moisture. This sponge cake is more moist and tender than its sponge cake siblings due to the use of butter.
Biscuit Cake:
The egg is separated in a biscuit sponge cake, and the whites and yolks are beaten with sugar separately. After that, flour is used to fold the two ingredients together. As a result, you’ll have a light batter that’s drier than genoise but retains its shape better. This is why ladyfingers and other piped shapes are frequently made with biscuit cake batter. The flour is replaced with matzo cake meal and potato starch in a slightly different form to make the traditional Passover sponge cake. You can order cake online or cake send online and enjoy it with your family and friends.