12/07/2010

50+ Great Cakes


As if this month wasn't busy enough, my family celebrates about 6 birthdays in December.  Which must explain why I'm thinking, not about how on earth I'm going to catch up on my Christmas shopping, but about cake. 
The following isn't meant as a comprehensive list of all cakes, but it is a comprehensive list of all the best cakes I've ever run across in my life.  (By the way, I'm not separating out cupcakes or bundt cakes, as these are shapes, not categories, as far as I'm concerned.)
  1. Battenberg Cakes.  Take one or more butter cakes in different flavors, cut them into blocks, re-assemble them (with the aid of jam) into architectural constructs, and then spread frosting over the result. Battenbergs contain the kind of dazzle meant to impress at formal teas and showers.  Variations include chess cake
  2. Butter Cakes.  You swirl the caramel into the batter, and then finish it off with a caramel/nut frosting.  Genius.  Variations include chocolate, devil's food cake, lemon, marble, red velvet cake, strawberry cake, vanilla cake
  3. Butterscotch/Caramel Cakes.  You swirl the caramel into the batter, and then finish it off with a caramel/nut frosting.  Genius.  
  4. Coffee Cakes.  A version of the basic pound cake with various extra ingredients stirred into the batter -  berries, apple, nuts, streusel, etc. - and served without frosting.  I'm especially fond of the ones with cinnamon crumb toppings. 
  5. Fruit/Nut/Spice Cakes.  Unlike layer cakes, these cakes have the fruit and nuts baked right into them.  The boozy Christmas version gets a lot of bad press, but can be delicious when properly make. I have an affection for what some call a Hummingbird cake, which folds pineapple, bananas and walnuts directly into the batter. Variations include genoa cake, German chocolate cake, Hummingbird cake, Italian cream cake, jam cakes  
  6. Ice cream cakes.  Like mousse cake, it's two desserts in one.  My mom was making them long before you could pick one up at the Baskin Robbins on your way home.  Variations include baked Alaska.
  7. Layer Cakes.  Butter cake + layers of fruit (possibly imbedded in cream or custard) = delicious!  Variations include Black Forest cake, Boston Cream Pie, coconut cake, lemon cake, raspberry cake.
  8. Liquor Cakes.  I love how quickly you can vary the taste of cakes just by adding a flavorful liquor. My sister added amaretto to my wedding cake and now that's what people remember about my wedding.  Variations include amaretto cake, creme de menthe cake, eggnog cake, Grand Marnier cake, khalua cake, Lane cake, irish cream cake, pina colada cake, whisky cake. 
  9. Mocha Cakes.  Variations include Black Russian cake, cappucino cake, tiramisu cake.
  10. Pound Cakes.  Pound cakes are "denser" than butter cakes, which makes it possible to add novelty ingredients without creating a spongy mess.  Variations include applesauce cake, cream cheese cake, King cake, pudding cake, yogurt cake.
  11. Punch/Poke Cakes.  Bake a basic butter cake, punch holes in it, and then fill the holes with a variety of good things. The result tends to be colorful and incredibly moist.  Variations include pineapple punch cake, peach punch cake, jello punch cake, lemon punch cake.
  12. Spice Cakes.  Because sometimes something as simple as tweaking the spices is enough to create a delicious cake. Variations include gingerbread, spice cake
  13. Sponge Cakes.  Classic sponge cake paired with fresh fruit and cream - liquid or whipped.  It really does taste like a little slice of heaven.  Variations include angel food cake, chiffon cake, shortcakes 
  14. Upsidedown Cakes.  With this you get not only cake and fruit, but also a delicious carmelized layer of brown sugar that adds the perfect amount of sweetness and gooiness.  Variations include banana upsidedown cake, pear upsidedown cake, pineapple upsidedown cake.
  15. Vegetable Cakes.  Suppose I could list this as a variation of your basic spice cake, but the carrots add a heartiness and moistness that plain spice cake lacks.  Variations include carrot cake, pumpkin cake, sweet potato cake, zucchini cake.
I've also encountered some cakes that I'm not so sure of.  Tomato soup cake?  Cantaloupe cake? Rhubarb cake?  Ricotta cake?  The prospect is almost enough to make me swear off of pot luck buffets.

Don't see your favorite here?  Let me know!  Hate to think that I might be missing out on something good.

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