Troy Warren for CNT #Celebrations

NATIONAL CAKE DAY

On November 26th, National Cake Day delivers a scrumptious treat for everyone to enjoy! Slide over pie, this day cake takes center stage as the dessert of choice. On most birthdays, the cake is topped with candles no matter their age. Showers, weddings, retirements and anniversaries, cake serves up a slice or two. Add ice cream, and you have America’s top favorite desserts in the same dish!

Whether it’s a shapely bundt cake (celebrated on November 15) or the less curvaceous sheet cake, these sweet layered, frosting-covered, or fondant-decorated works of art scream celebration! Made from scratch, a box or picked up from the bakery, a cake sends a sweet message. They also come in many combinations and flavors, too. 

No one can know how many. There are countless cake recipes. Some are even bread-like, others rich and elaborate, and many still are centuries old. Of Viking origin, the word cake is derived from Old Norse “kaka.” At that time, a cake’s texture was more like gingerbread due to the availability of refined ingredients. 

Cakes typically contain a combination of flour, sugar, eggs, and butter or oil. Additionally, some variety of liquid, such as milk or water, creates a batter. A leavening agent such as yeast or baking powder helps the cake rise. Flavorful ingredients are often added, for example, chopped nuts, fresh, candied or dried fruit, fruit purees, or extracts. Though we commonly think of cake with frosting or icing, many cakes can be enjoyed with just fruit or other toppings. 

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalCakeDay

Grab the flour and cake pans. Get dusted up and warm the house with love. Decorate and frost them. And then, deliver it to a family gathering. You know you’ll wow them with their favorite. Cream cheese frosting, buttercream or icing. What’s your favorite? Here are a few delicious favorites.

• Black Forest Cake
• Lemon Pudding Cakes
• Zucchini Cake
• Pineapple Pudding Cake

Use #NationalCakeDay to post on social media.

Cake FAQ

Q. Why does the cake recipe say to use room-temperature eggs?
A. Cold eggs bring down the temperature of the other ingredients in the cake. For example, if you add cold eggs to a butter and sugar mixture, the butter will firm up into clumps. The eggs and butter (or other ingredients) won’t distribute evenly throughout the cake batter affecting the final texture. The cake may also take longer to bake if cold eggs are used.

Q. I forgot to set my eggs out. What’s a quick way to warm them?
A. Place the eggs in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for 2-3 minutes.

Q. How do I know if my cake is done in the middle?
A. Nobody wants an underdone or overdone cake. There are several ways to test your cake for doneness.

• Use a cake tester. This is a handy kitchen tool that looks like a long metal skewer. Insert the tester into the center of the cake and remove it. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. If there is better or undercooked crumbs, let the cake bake a little longer. You can also use a toothpick in the same way.
• Test for springiness. A cake will spring back when gently pressed on the top. It will be soft, but not jiggly.
• The edges begin to pull away from the sides and a light crust begins to form along the sides.

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