Aren’t we all guilty of taking an extra slice of cake by
saying, “It’s basically bread, right?” Turns out its no lie, cake probably got
its start in ancient Egypt when a bread baker added honey to his loaves. Since
then, it's taken off, taking on its own unique look and flavour in regions
worldwide. Different parts of the world have their own baking techniques and
styles, so some traditional cakes look more like bread, even cake’s
arch-nemesis, pie! The multi-layered, amazingly frosted confections we think of
as “cake” are just the most recent trend in a practice that’s been around for
centuries.
We have rounded up some of the famous cakes of all time. Few of these cakes are everyday favourites today, but some might be new for you. Let’s take a look on traditional cakes and their history!
Strudel- Germany
Looking for a perfect cake that could fill in as dinner or
dessert? Well, then try Strudel! An old-style German cake made with high-gluten
flour and shaped into a long roll. If you’re making dessert, layer the dough
with some delish fruit filling, like cherries, apples or raisins and top it off
with some icing or whipped cream. However, if you’re making it as a main
course, use ingredients like spinach and sauerkraut instead.
Panettone- Italy
Panettone was started as a regional favourite in Milan as an
Italian Christmas cake. It is a puffier, lighter, airier take on the classic
fruitcake and is usually baked into a dome shape containing candied fruits and
nuts. Recent variations of this iconic cake leave out the fruits or are filled
with other popular ingredients, like chocolate or custard. Classic panettone is
rich with eggs, and it has a light crumb and a very airy texture. It is unknown
that who invented panettone, but this ancient cake probably originated during
Roman times. If you want to make an authentic version of it at home, make sure
to use a special, high-sided panettone pan.
Pavlova -Australia and New Zealand
If you are into some light and delicate cakes, then this one
is such a dreamy cake for you! Both New Zealand and Australia claim this
creation as a national culinary treasure. A cake made for ballerinas, Pavlova
was created initially to honour Russian ballet superstar Anna Pavlova, hence
the name Pavlova. A masterpiece of timing and patience, a pavlova is a meringue
cake with a crisp exterior and a marshmallowy center. It’s traditionally served
with whipped cream and fresh fruit. Still, Stephanie Jaworski at “Joy of
Baking” suggests that tart fruits like raspberries, kiwi and passion fruit help
the balance super-sweet meringue.
Pastel de Tres Leches – Mexico
Pastel de Tres Leches is a sponge cake soaking up in three
sorts of milk. It’s very soft, rich and sweet, with a dense, wet consistency
similar to bread pudding. Usually, it is made with evaporated milk, condensed
milk and fresh milk or cream. But of course, you can get creative in the
kitchen and try everything from eggnog to melted ice cream instead of the
milks. Several countries, including Cuba, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico and Costa
Rica, claim to pastel de tres leches.
.png)
.png)
