History In The Baking

Alex Corlett discovers how our favourite cakes evolved into the sweet treats we enjoy today . . .

CREDIT goes to the Ancient Egyptians for being the first to distinguish cake from bread. Their use of yeast and honey for rising and sweetening began the early development of our favourite teatime treat.

A version of the cheesecake then appeared in ancient Greek culture, while the Romans created fruitcakes packed with fruit and nuts, in a similar vein to modern Italian panettone or panforte.

Thanks to the leaps and bounds in international trade, 17th-century Europe saw an explosion of creative cuisine.

It’s around this time the modern cake is said to have taken shape.

Now made with sugar, egg whites and flour, cakes were usually round and iced, in a form we’d recognise today.

Technology in the 19th century brought more reliable ovens, refined white flour and a switch from yeast as a raising agent to baking powder.

Cakes were still a treat for the wealthy, though, with some ingredients coming from further afield and costing more as a result.

Many cakes are round, for which there are a few theories.

Perhaps they were originally intended as offerings for the gods, when it’s thought that the shape represented the “circle of life” – and the shape of the sun and moon.

Some think that it’s just an easier shape to create.

Long before modern cake tins and loaf pans, both would have been commonly worked into round shapes before baking.

According to a 2020 survey by online food delivery portal Foodhub, cheesecake is the nation’s favourite treat, chosen by 42%, closely followed by chocolate cake (41%).

Victoria sponge, the previous favourite, was preferred by nearly a third of respondents.

The survey also revealed that Brits typically eat cake two or three times a week.

Over the years, countries around the world have made their contributions to the cake catalogue.

Let’s take a look at some that have achieved international fame and the stories behind them.