Sweet and fluffy, topped with anything
from creams to fruits to chocolate,
the history of cake dates back to ancient Egypt
and pops up in recipe books
from almost every culture throughout time.
Let's take a look at cake around the world.
Postre chajá is named after a large, odd-looking bird
that's native to Uruguay.
The airy, layered dessert starts with
sweet angel food cake
that's soaked with peach syrup,
spread with dulce de leche,
and topped with a thick layer of whipped cream,
crunchy meringue cookies, and cubes of peaches.
After a second or even third round of layers,
the cake is covered with broken meringue cookies
and topped with more sliced peaches.
The cake is sweet and fruity
with a fluffy, yet crunchy texture.
Ağlayan kek, or crying cake in English,
might just cause you to shed some real tears
because it's so damn good.
The ultra-moist dessert starts with
chocolate cake that's poked with a fork
and soaked in a blend of whole milk and chocolate,
then topped with fluffy sweetened whipped cream.
Finally, the top of the cake is covered
with a thick chocolate sauce that's left to set
before the cake is sliced into thick squares
of creamy, chocolaty goodness.
Victoria sponge dates all the way back to 1843,
when baking powder was developed.
But almost 200 years after its invention,
it's still a household favorite in England.
Buttery, sweet sponge encases
a layer of raspberry jam and whipped cream.
While it's often served at celebrations,
Victoria sponge is still synonymous with afternoon tea.
Tres leches is popular all over Central America,
but in Nicaragua you'll find it everywhere,
from parties to five-star restaurants.
Soft, spongy cake is soaked overnight
in half and half, evaporated milk,
and sweetened condensed milk.
The cake is finished with a dollop of fresh whipped cream
and sprinkled with cinnamon.
In Chile, torta de piña is the go-to choice
for birthday celebrations.
Layers of light sponge are smothered with dulce de leche
and topped with mounds of fluffy whipped cream
mixed with chopped-up canned pineapple.
The finished cake is frosted
with even more ice-cold whipped cream
and covered in shreds of toasted coconut.
Lamingtons have been a staple treat
at afternoon tea since the 1920s.
Sweet and fluffy vanilla sponge is cut into small squares
and covered in a thin, sweet chocolate icing,
then rolled in desiccated coconut.
Some variations add a little sweetness
with a layer of fresh cream and/or raspberry jam.
Also known as candy cakes,
chikenduza are best known for their bright pink glaze.
The batter notably uses yeast
and is mixed with a bread hook,
making the cake itself sweet, yet super dense,
somewhere between a pound cake and bread.
It's baked into the shape of a muffin
and topped with a gooey drizzle of electric-pink frosting.
It's unclear when the ice cream cake was invented,
but with the innovation of the freezer
at the turn of the century,
Americans took the once elite dessert
and turned it into a staple treat for summer festivities.
While an ice cream cake can include real cake,
at its best, it's a layer of crushed Oreos
sandwiched between thick slabs
of chocolate and vanilla ice cream,
then frosted with Cool Whip.
Dundee cakes have been mass-produced
in Scotland for 350 years.
A dense fruitcake, dundee cakes incorporate things
like raisins, candied citrus peel, orange marmalade,
currants, glacé cherries, and other fruits.
It's topped with decorative blanched almonds
to complete the signature look.
Pandan leaves give this chiffon cake a bright green color
and a soft, grassy aroma and floral taste.
The pillowy sponge is baked into a tube shape, then sliced.
It can be dusted with powdered sugar
or even a dollop of ice cream.
Orange cake mixes orange juice and zest
into standard cake ingredients
to create a sweet and fluffy loaf cake
that's dusted with powdered sugar for a festive touch.
Eat this slice of heaven
with a little jam and a cup of tea in hand.
Drømmekage translates to "dream cake,"
and this sweet and crunchy dessert lives up to that name.
Rich, buttery cake is topped with caramelized coconut
for a delicate slice perfect for any time of the day.
Bolo polana uses cashews
and up to a full pound of mashed potatoes.
Thanks to the spuds, the cake is dense,
yet surprisingly smooth.
Standard cake ingredients
like eggs, sugar, cream, and occasionally flour
are blended with mashed potatoes, ground cashews,
and citrus zest for a refreshing finish.
Black cake, known to tourists as rum cake,
incorporates a quart or more of dark rum
and brandy into a batter full of dried fruits
like prunes, cherries, and citrus peel.
Once it's baked and chilled,
the cake is doused in even more dark rum
for a finished bake that can get you a little tipsy.
Which is perfect, since this cake is traditionally eaten
during family Christmas celebrations.
Madeleines are little butter cakes eaten with tea.
They start with an airy batter called genoise
that's piped into distinct shell molds
made specifically for this pastry
and cooked until golden brown.
Crisp on the outside
and perfectly sweet and spongy on the inside,
they're the perfect portable treat.
Pão de ló is a sponge cake that dates
all the way back to the 18th century,
and it's surprisingly fluffy considering
it's only made with three ingredients:
sugar, flour, and a whole lot of eggs.
Eggs and egg yolks are whisked with sugar
until they're so airy they've tripled in size,
then flour is folded in.
Traditionally, it's baked in a clay pão de ló mold,
similar to a Bundt pan,
and can be served with a piping hot cup of tea.
Grenada has been called Spice Island
thanks to its abundance of spices like cinnamon,
nutmeg, cloves, and allspice, all of which
make an appearance in Grenadian spice cake.
The aromatic batter is baked until it's spongy
and slightly dense,
and the cake can be eaten after dinner
with a cup of strong coffee.
Kalter hund, literally meaning cold dog,
is a no-bake cake
that only takes about 25 minutes to put together.
The cake loaf, when sliced, reveals layers
of biscuits floating in thick ganache
made of dark chocolate, cream, coconut fat, and rum.
The biscuits stay nice and crisp
for a sweet and bitter treat.
So, which kind of cake do you want to try?
Are there any we missed?
Let us know in the comments below.