How to make a simple cake at home

The cake comes from the Latin word coagula, meaning glue or mass. The cake is defined as a soft food made primarily of flour, sugar, eggs, and milk, sometimes flavored with vanilla, chocolate, coffee, orange juice, nuts, coconut, etc., and baked until firm enough to cut.

The first cakes were flatbreads made with wheat and honey, which were later shaped into round loaves called bannocks. In Ireland, bannock was often eaten with butter and honey and became known as crubeens.

In England, cakes have been associated with wedding feasts since at least the Middle Ages. Cakes containing almonds and candied fruits have always been popular, particularly for Christmas celebrations. In medieval times, however, cakes were often hard and dry, and only wealthy people could afford them. When the English started baking their bread around 1000 AD, they began making smaller, softer cakes that would keep longer.

In the late 17th century, the British developed a method for producing sponge cakes, using the same wet ingredients as pancake batter, adding baking powder instead of yeast. These cakes were much lighter than traditional ones and were soon being sold as luxury goods. By the mid-19th century, sponge cake had become widely accepted in Britain, and was no longer considered a special treat for royalty.

Today, the cake is baked in many different ways, depending on its use. Baked fruit cakes may be decorated with icing, frosting, fondant, marzipan, or meringue. Small cakes may be filled with jam, cream cheese, custard, yogurt, marshmallow, pudding, or chocolate syrup. Large cakes may be covered with icing, piped with pastry cream, or rolled in powdered sugar before serving. Sponge cake recipes vary according to the type of leavener used; for example, yeast cake uses yeast while quick bread use baking powder. Chocolate cake is a favorite dessert and includes cocoa powder, cacao nibs, unsweetened chocolate, and/or white chocolate chips. Other variations include carrot cake, lemon cake, Irish soda bread, banana cake, and cheesecake. Many desserts involve two or three layers of sponge cake alternating with fillings, decorations, and sauces.

The cake is traditionally eaten with tea or coffee, although these days, some prefer a glass of wine instead. Because of its rich flavor and tender texture, the cake is often served for breakfast, especially in Australia and New Zealand. However, in the United States, cakes tend to be consumed at dinner parties, weddings, birthdays, holidays, and other events.

A simple vegan cake that contains only seven ingredients!

Ingredients:

 Baking soda - 2 tsp

 Sugar (brown) - 1/2 cup

 Milk - 1/4 cup

 Vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon

 Eggs - 2

 Flour - 1 1/2 cups

 Oil - 1 teaspoon

 Salt - 1/8 tsp

 

Preparation:

Mix sugar and baking soda; gradually add milk while mixing until smooth. Add vanilla extract and eggs; mix well. Then stir in flour and salt until just combined. Mix oil into the batter.

Heat oven to 400°F. Pour batter into a greased 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350°F and bake about 30 minutes more, or until golden brown. Remove from pan and cool completely before removing sides. The cake should have a soft center. Use a knife to cut around the edge of the cake to loosen the cake if necessary. Slice and serve with whipped cream.