Cake is a type of food that is made from flour, butter, eggs, and leavening agents (baking soda or baking powder) and then baked. It usually comes in the form of sweet food made with sugar, but there are also the savory versions of the cake.

When we mention cake, we usually think of some special occasions like birthdays, weddings, and all sorts of celebrations. But, it can be eaten as a part of everyday food.

The history of cake

Cakes were made even in ancient times but in a rather different form. They were more of sweet bread that was made with honey and sometimes dried fruits or nuts. The word "cake" has Viking origins, from the Old Norse word "kaka".

The Oxford English Dictionary has found the records of this word back in the 13th century. But we can trace the modern type of cake to the 17th century. The reason for its appearance was the availability of refined sugar and more enhanced baking technology, like good ovens and food molds. The icing was at that time boiled with sugar and egg whites.

The first records of the cake that we know today were in the 19th century. In 1894, "The Cassell's New Universal Cookery Book" contained a recipe for the layer cake. At that time, the boiled icing was replaced with a butter-cream frosting.

Types of cake

There are two basic types of cake - shortened or butter cake, which has a lot of oil, butter, or shortening in them, and un-shortened cake or foam cake which has no fat but has whipped eggs. But there are more types of cake. Here are the most common ones.

1. (Yellow) Butter Cake - usually contains sugar and cream butter, and then flour, eggs, and leavening agents. Butter and sugar are usually beaten first and for a longer period of time so the cake could become airy. But there are also versions where all ingredients are mixed together at the same time. There is also an American-style butter cake that is sturdier and can hold a thick layer of icing.

2. Foam Cake (Sponge Cake) - have the whipped eggs as their main ingredient. Besides that, they contain sugar and flour. It has no leavening agent and it relies only on the whipped eggs for volume. So, keep in mind that cake should go into the oven the second you are done with mixing. It is also called sponge cake because of its ability to absorb liquids such as different kinds of syrups.

3. Pound Cake - got its name by the measurement of the ingredients (a pound of sugar, a pound of flour, a pound of butter, etc.). What is unique about this cake is that is doesn't rise and it is very dense.

4. Red Velvet Cake - is a butter cake, but oftentimes oil is used instead of butter. And it has one additional ingredient - raw cocoa. In combination with the buttermilk, it gives the cake a red color. However, today, most people are using food coloring.

5. Carrot Cake - is a shortened cake that is usually made with oil instead of butter. And it is made with leavening agents alongside grated carrots. Often, it has cream cheese frosting.

6. Angel Food Cake - doesn't use any shortening or leavening agent. It rises from the beaten eggs, but it doesn't use the egg yolks. So, it is a cake made only with the egg whites.

7. Chiffon Cake - usually contains vegetable oil and baking powder. However, the eggs are beaten before the other ingredients are added. It is a rich oil cake, but at the same time, light as a sponge cake.

8. Devil's Food Cake - uses cocoa powder and baking soda to make a dark color (unlike the chocolate cake which uses the melted chocolate). It is usually frosted with the chocolate frosting.

9. Flourless cake - it can be baked or unbaked, but the main thing is that it doesn't contain flour. Sometimes they have a bottom crust (like some cheesecake recipes). They are often high in fat.

Healthy and unhealthy cakes

As you might have guessed, some cakes are healthier than others, depending on their ingredients. So, cakes like Angel Food Cake, Protein Mug Cake, Flourless Chocolate Cake are among healthy ones.

On the other hand, Carrot Cake, even though it contains carrots, is full of fat and sugar. So, one piece could have up to 600 calories. The same goes for Cheesecake, that can have up to 1,000 calories, Pineapple Upside-Down Cake can contain 350 calories, and Red Velvet Cake can have up to 500 calories. So, even though they are delicious, they should still be once in a while thing you can treat yourself with.

Savory cakes

It was only a matter of time when people would make the savory version of the cake with savory ingredients, instead of sweet.

So, today we have a lot of different cakes that include different savory ingredients like meat, cured meat, fish, different kinds of cheeses, seafood, rice, different seeds, spices, etc.

Maybe the most common ones are those that contain vegetables like spinach, tomatoes, zucchinis, leeks, onions, bell peppers, celery, potatoes, squashes, olives, asparagus, etc.

The method of making savory cakes is usually the same as the sweet dessert cakes, but instead of sugar and sweet frostings, you use the savory ingredients.

For example, in our recipe, we used the delicious combination of crab meat, leeks, onions, and bell peppers. But, the recipe is not for the full-size cake, but it is in the form of bite-size pattycakes or cupcakes that are made in the skillet, instead of the oven.

Pattycakes

Pattycakes are basically miniature cakes or mini cakes. The alternative names are pat-a-cake or patty-cake. The name comes from the English nursery rhymes. It goes like this:

"Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man.
Bake me a cake as fast as you can
Pat it and prick it, and mark it with B,
Put it in the oven for Baby and me."

There are various versions like in "The Campaigners" by Thomas D'Urfey, which was made in 1698. Then it appeared in the "Mother Goose's Melody" in 1765. And it refers to the time when the households didn't have ovens, so they had to take their pastry to the bakery or bakehouse. The rhyme of the song is often a part of the clapping game between two people.

There is actually no difference between the pattycake and today's popular cupcake. They are just miniature cakes, made for a single serving, and for one person. Pattycakes also can have frosting on the top, but there are versions without it, too. Either way, pattycakes are a perfect snack, but they can be eaten as breakfast or dinner.