Types of cakes (plain, fruit, sponge)

Types of Cakes

Plain Cakes

Plain cakes, also known as pound cakes, primarily consist of basic ingredients like flour, sugar, eggs, and butter.
They derive their name from the original recipe: a pound each of flour, sugar, butter, and eggs.
These cakes are popular due to their simple and versatile flavour, allowing them to pair well with various frostings, syrups, or fruit preserves.
The texture of a plain cake is usually dense and rich due to the heavy proportion of fats and eggs.

Fruit Cakes

Fruit cakes are one of the oldest known types of cake, traditionally prepared for holidays and special celebrations.
The main feature of fruit cakes is the inclusion of chopped, dried fruit and nuts, often soaked in spirits for added taste and moisture.
The batter of fruit cakes tends to be less sweet to offset the sweetness of the added fruits.
Fruit cakes typically have a dense and heavy texture due to the volume of fruits and nuts in the cake mix.

Sponge Cakes

Sponge cakes are named so due to their light, soft, porous, and ‘spongy’ texture.
They are characterized by the absence of any fat like butter or oil in the batter.
The main ingredients are eggs, sugar, and flour. The eggs are often separated, and the whites are beaten separately to introduce air, creating the sponge cake’s signature fluffiness.
Different variations of sponge cakes exist including the Victoria sponge, genoise, and angel food cake. The Victoria sponge, a British classic, traditionally has a layer of jam and whipped cream between two sponge cake layers.

Key Techniques in Cake-Making

Creaming method: Used for many plain cakes, this involves beating butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then gradually adding the eggs and flour.
Rubbing in method: Used for some plain cakes and fruit cakes, this involves rubbing butter into the flour to create a breadcrumb-like texture before adding the other ingredients.
Whisking method: Used for sponge cakes, this entails whisking eggs and sugar together until thick and voluminous, then carefully folding in the flour to not deflate the air bubbles.
Melting method: Used for some fruit cakes, this involves melting the butter and sugar together before combining with the dry ingredients and eggs.
All-in-one method: All ingredients are combined at once, often used in simple plain cake recipes.

Remember, each type of cake and preparation method requires specific techniques to ensure optimal texture and taste. Much success in cake-making relies on precise measurement, patient mixing, and careful baking.