Cake is a form of sweet dessert that is typically
baked . In its oldest forms, cakes were
modifications of breads but now cover a wide
range of preparations that can be simple or
elaborate and share features with other desserts
such as pastries , meringues, custards and pies. Typical cake ingredients are flour , sugar , eggs ,
butter or oil , a liquid, and leavening agents,
such as baking soda and
/or baking powder. Common additional ingredients and flavourings
include dried, candied or fresh fruit , nuts ,
cocoa , and extracts such as vanilla, with
numerous substitutions for the primary
ingredients. Cakes can also be filled with fruit
preserves or dessert sauces (like pastry cream),
iced with buttercream or other icings, and
decorated with marzipan , piped borders, or
candied fruit. [1]
Cake is often served as a celebratory dish on
ceremonial occasions, for example weddings,
anniversaries , and birthdays. There are
countless cake recipes; some are bread-like,
some rich and elaborate, and many are
centuries old. Cake making is no longer a
complicated procedure; while at one time
considerable labor went into cake making
(particularly the whisking of egg foams), baking
equipment and directions have been simplified
so that even the most amateur cook may bake
a cake.
