Editing Cake (section)

==Varieties==
{{Main|List of cakes}}

Cakes are broadly divided into several categories, based primarily on ingredients and mixing techniques. There are about ''hundreds'' of different types of cakes, but there are '''two''' broad categories, that [[culinary]] divide them into: ''shortened,'' and ''unshorted cakes.'' Unshortened cakes contain no fat while ''shortened cakes'' do. These types may be combined in [[baking]].

Although clear examples of the difference between cake and bread are easy to find, the precise classification has always been elusive.<ref name="isbn0-19-280352-2" />

===Butter cake===
{{main|Butter cake}}
[[File:182365 Gooey Butter Cake.jpg|thumb|[[Gooey butter cake]]]]
[[Butter cake]]s are made from creamed butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. They rely on the combination of butter and sugar beaten for an extended time to incorporate air into the batter.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Robbins |first1=Mary Jane |title=Creaming butter and sugar |url=http://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2015/04/27/creaming-butter-sugar/ |website=King Arthur Flour |access-date=6 December 2015 |archive-date=14 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200614084744/https://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2015/04/27/creaming-butter-sugar |url-status=live }}</ref> A classic [[pound cake]] is made with a pound each of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. Another type of butter cake that takes its name from the proportion of ingredients used is [[1-2-3-4 cake]]: {{cups|1|US}} butter, {{cups|2|US}} sugar, {{cups|3|US}} flour, and 4 eggs.<ref>{{cite web |title=Classic 1-2-3-4 Cake and Variations |website=The Spruce Eats |url=https://www.thespruceeats.com/classic-1234-cake-and-variations-3062322 |access-date=28 December 2020 |archive-date=26 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926082728/https://www.thespruceeats.com/classic-1234-cake-and-variations-3062322 |url-status=live }}</ref> According to Beth Tartan, this cake was one of the most common among the [[American pioneer]]s who settled North Carolina.<ref>{{cite book |last=Tartan |first=Beth |title=North Carolina and Old Salem Cookery |year=1992 |publisher=The University of North Carolina Press |isbn=9780807843758 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jhd6x_rrkPwC&dq=1-2-3-4+cake&pg=PA257 |access-date=19 November 2021 |archive-date=16 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231216162512/https://books.google.com/books?id=jhd6x_rrkPwC&dq=1-2-3-4+cake&pg=PA257#v=onepage&q=1-2-3-4%20cake&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Baking powder]] is in many butter cakes, such as [[Sponge cake#Victoria sponge|Victoria sponge]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cloake |first1=Felicity |title=How to make the perfect Victoria sponge cake |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2013/may/16/how-bake-perfect-victoria-sponge-cake |access-date=6 December 2015 |work=Guardian |date=16 May 2013 |quote="[Victoria sponge] is a misnomer, because a true sponge, of the kind used in Swiss rolls, is made from a whisked mixture of eggs, sugar and flour." |archive-date=4 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210904072029/https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2013/may/16/how-bake-perfect-victoria-sponge-cake |url-status=live }}</ref> 

===Sponge cake===
{{main|Sponge cake}}
[[File:HK Sheung Wan 寶湖金宴 Treasure Lake Seafood Restaurant food Chinese Steamed Sponge Cake 馬拉糕 Mah Lai Goh Jan-2013.JPG|thumb|Steamed sponge cake called ''ma lai gao'']]
[[Sponge cake]]s (or foam cakes) are made from whipped eggs, sugar, and flour. Traditional sponge cakes are leavened only with eggs. They rely primarily on trapped air in a protein matrix (generally beaten eggs) to provide [[leavening]], sometimes with a bit of [[baking powder]] or other chemical leaven added. Egg-leavened sponge cakes are thought to be the oldest cakes made without yeast.

[[Angel food cake]] is a [[white cake]] that uses only the whites of the eggs and is traditionally baked in a tube pan. The French [[Génoise cake|Génoise]] is a sponge cake that includes [[clarified butter]]. Highly decorated sponge cakes with lavish toppings are sometimes called ''gateau'', the French word for cake. [[Chiffon cake]]s are sponge cakes with vegetable oil, which adds moistness.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Medrich |first1=Alice |title=Joy of Cooking |date=1997 |publisher=Scribner |location=New York |isbn=0-684-81870-1 |page=949}}</ref>

===Chocolate cake===
{{main|Chocolate cake}}
[[File:GermanChocolateCake.jpg|thumb|[[German chocolate cake]]]]
[[Chocolate cake]]s are butter cakes, sponge cakes, or other cakes flavored with melted chocolate or [[Cocoa solids|cocoa powder]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Berry |first1=Mary |title=Chocolate sponge cake |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/chocolate_cake_48307 |access-date=6 December 2015 |work=Food: Recipes |publisher=BBC |archive-date=22 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422041523/https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/chocolate_cake_48307 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[German chocolate cake]] is a variety of chocolate cake.

===Coffee cake===
{{main|Coffee cake (American)}}
[[Coffee cake (American)|Coffee cake]] is generally thought of as a cake to serve with coffee or tea at breakfast or a [[coffee break]]. Some types use yeast as a leavening agent, while others use baking soda or baking powder. These cakes often have a crumb topping called [[streusel]] or a light glaze drizzle.

===Flourless cake===
Baked flourless cakes include [[Clementine cake|clementine cakes]], baked [[cheesecake]]s, and [[flourless chocolate cake]]s.

===Layer cakes===
{{main|Layer cake}}
[[Layer cake|Layer cakes]] are cakes made with layers of cake filled with cream, jam, or other filling to hold the layers together.

===One-egg cake===
One-egg cakes are made with one egg. They can be made with butter<ref>{{cite book |last=Farmer |first=Fannie Merritt |title=The Boston Cooking-school Cook Book |year=1896 |page=420 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1H8EAAAAYAAJ&dq=One+egg+cake&pg=PA420 |access-date=19 November 2021 |archive-date=16 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231216162512/https://books.google.com/books?id=1H8EAAAAYAAJ&dq=One+egg+cake&pg=PA420#v=onepage&q=One%20egg%20cake&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> or vegetable shortening.<ref>{{cite book |last=Berolzheimer |first=Ruth |title=Culinary Arts Institute Encyclopedic Cookbook |date=1948 |publisher=Penguin |isbn=9780399513886 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eoktyOUwM1oC&dq=One+egg+cake&pg=PA690 |access-date=19 November 2021 |archive-date=16 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231216162512/https://books.google.com/books?id=eoktyOUwM1oC&dq=One+egg+cake&pg=PA690#v=onepage&q=One%20egg%20cake&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> One egg cake was an economical recipe when using two eggs for each cake was too costly.<ref>{{cite book |title=Good Housekeeping Volume 71 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UGwjAQAAMAAJ&dq=One+egg+cake&pg=RA2-PA51 |date=1920 |access-date=19 November 2021 |archive-date=16 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231216162512/https://books.google.com/books?id=UGwjAQAAMAAJ&dq=One+egg+cake&pg=RA2-PA51#v=onepage&q=One%20egg%20cake&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref>