Cake Recipes & Photos - Joyofbaking.com

Cakes began in ancient Egypt as round, flat, unleavened breads that were cooked on a hot stone. Their evolution from crude cakes to what we enjoy today was possible, over many centuries, through the introduction of new ingredients and technology. The Egyptian's discovery and subsequent skill at using natural yeast helped leaven those once flat cakes. When butter and eggs made their way into the cake dough, their consistency became the precursor for today's cakes.

Cake making continued to improve especially with the new ingredients such as chocolate and vanilla, and eventually sugar, that came to Europe with the discovery of the New World.

By the 18th century cakes were beginning to be made without yeast. Some yeast risen cakes survived, such as the Alsatian Kugelhopf, but the new cakes got their lightness from beaten eggs. But not only did some recipes call for an astounding number of eggs (upwards of 30) but they required long hours of beating. Unfortunately, this went on until technology caught up with the invention of baking soda (1840s) followed closely by baking powder (1860s).The quality of baked goods would continue to improve over time as ingredients became more refined and of a consistent quality. ....... Continued below

Almond Sponge Roll

Apple Streusel Cake

Berry Shortcake

Blackberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Black Bottom Cupcakes

Blueberry Buckle

Blueberry Coffee Cake

Boston Cream Pie (Cake)

Brownie Cupcakes

Buttermilk Fruit Cake

Carrot Cake

Checkerboard Cake

Cherry Cake

Chocolate Almond Torte

Chocolate Angel Food Cake

Chocolate Banana Cake

Chocolate Butter Cake

Chocolate Cupcakes

Chocolate Genoise

Chocolate Hazelnut Torte

Chocolate Meringue Cake

Chocolate Pavlova

Chocolate Sponge Cake

Chocolate Torte

Clementine Torte

Coconut Cake

Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping

Cranberry Upside Down Cake

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Cream Puffs

Gingerbread Cake

Hummingbird Cake

Individual Cheesecakes

Lamingtons

Lemon-Cranberry Pound Cake

Lemon Frosted Lemon Cake

Linzer Torte

Marble Cake

Meringue Cake with Strawberries & Cream

Molten Chocolate Cakes

New York Style Cheesecake

No Bake Chocolate Cake

Orange Chiffon Cake

Paris Brest

Pavlova

Pound Cake

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Spice Cake

Pumpkin Roll

Red Velvet Cake

Ricotta Cheesecake with Cran-Raspberry Sauce

Sponge Cake filled with Raspberry Cream

Sponge Cake with Cream and Strawberries

Strawberry Charlotte

Strawberry Shortcake

Tiramisu

Vanilla Cupcakes (Fairy Cakes)

White Butter Cake

Yellow Butter Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Continued from above.

Many centuries would pass from the baking of a cake on a hot stone to baking in a hot electric/gas oven. One step along the way to the modern oven was the placement of an oven (box) inside the fireplace that sometimes had a door. Obviously it was quite an art to control the temperature and items were placed in the oven according to their baking times. Even the early replicas of modern ovens we have today did not have temperature controls. Some women as late as the early 1900s were still measuring an oven's temperature by sticking a piece of paper into the oven and waiting to see how long it took to brown. Or worse yet, they stuck their hand in the hot oven judging the temperature by how long they could leave their hand in the oven.

The lines between a bread and a cake were once almost indistinguishable. The main difference was their shape and that cakes had a sweetener, usually honey. But over time their differences grew to the point where bread remains a staple food and cakes are now considered desserts .........More on Cake Making






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