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Cakes Around the World: Exploring Global Baking Traditions

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Welcome aboard, dear cake enthusiasts! In this global tour, we will be exploring the mystical realms of cakes, an intensely loved delight stretching across cultures, celebrated in every corner of our blue planet!

Brief Explanation of the Popularity of Cakes Worldwide


Why is cake universally adored, you may ask? Well, there’s something undeniably special about a food item that effortlessly straddles the line between dessert and art. With an array of flavors, textures, and styles to choose from, cakes appeal to nearly every palate. Whether it’s a simple, stark white pound cake or a rainbow-hued, multi-tier unicorn cake, there’s a cake out there for everyone.

Importance of Exploring Global Baking Traditions


So why delve into the world of global baking traditions? Besides sparking our curiosity and teaching us some mouthwatering new recipes, understanding international desserts allows us to appreciate our global community’s richness even more. Not to mention, it’s a delicious and fun way to:
• Gain insight into other cultures
• Discover new ways of using familiar ingredients
• Challenge our baking skills with novel recipes. Let’s grab our aprons and get ready to embark on this scrumptious journey!

Traditional Cakes from Europe


Indulging in tasty desserts is a time-honored tradition across Europe. In this region, each country is known for its unique style of cake that reflects their history, culture, and local ingredients. Let’s discover a few of these delightful European cakes!

French Cake: Gâteau Breton


Originating from the Brittany region in France, Gâteau Breton possesses a crumbly yet tender texture that melts in your mouth. This buttery-rich cake is made with eggs, sugar, flour, and a generous amount of sweet butter. It’s often enjoyed with a cup of coffee or tea, making it a favorite treat during afternoon breaks. – Ingredients: Eggs, sugar, flour, butter
– Tradition: Served with coffee or tea in the afternoon

Italian Cake: Tiramisu


Tiramisu, a worldwide renowned Italian dessert, brings a whole new level of sophistication to cake tradition. Made with savoiardi (lady’s fingers), mascarpone cheese, espresso, and often a touch of liquor, this cake exhibits a beautiful balance of creamy and bold flavors with a hint of bitterness from the espresso. – Ingredients: Savoiardi, mascarpone cheese, espresso, often a touch of liquor
– Tradition: A sophisticated dessert enjoyed after meals

 

British Cake: Victoria Sponge


The Victoria Sponge cake, named after Queen Victoria herself, is a quintessential British treat. Famous for its light sponge layers sandwiching a sweet filling of jam and whipped cream, this cake embodies the simplicity and subtlety of British cuisine.- Ingredients: Flour, sugar, eggs, jam, whipped cream
– Tradition: Served at afternoon English tea

Exotic Cakes from Asia


A trip around the world is not complete without tasting the diverse and unique desserts of Asia. Let’s take a tantalizing tour of three cake specialties from Japan, India, and China.

Japanese Cake: Matcha Roll Cake


The Japanese Matcha Roll Cake is a concoction of East meets West, blending traditional Japanese flavors with a Western-style roll cake. A moist sponge cake infused with a gentle hint of matcha green tea, then filled with a lush sweetened whipped cream. Really, it’s a sensory delight! The cake’s light, tender texture combined with the matcha’s slightly bitter taste and the cream’s sweetness result in sheer perfection.- Key ingredients: matcha powder, flour, eggs, sugar, and cream.

Indian Cake: Basbousa


Our next culinary adventure takes us to the vibrant and colorful India. Basbousa, although originally an Arabic dessert, has found its unique flavor adaptation in India. Made from semolina soaked in sweet syrup, often flavored with rose water or orange blossom, this cake is a bite of heaven.- Key ingredients: semolina, sugar, yogurt, and flavored syrup.

Chinese Cake: Mooncake


Finally, we’re landing in China with the famous Mooncake. Intricately designed, Mooncakes are traditionally enjoyed during the Mid-Autumn Festival. With a thick, tender pastry skin enveloping a sweet, dense filling, often filled with lotus seed paste and sometimes inclusing a salted egg yolk inside, they are really a symbol of Chinese gastronomic culture. – Key ingredients: lotus seed paste, salted egg yolks, and lard. In the end, cultural boundaries may divide us, but food, specifically cake, has the power to bring us together. It’s a sweet journey worth embarking on!

Unique Cakes from Africa


Fancy a sweet trip around Africa? Let’s embark on a luscious journey that cakes us across the mesmerizing continent of Africa, from South Africa’s Malva Pudding to Kenya’s Mandazi and Nigeria’s Chin Chin.

South African Cake: Malva Pudding


Leading the parade of African cakes is South Africa’s famous Malva Pudding. This luscious treat is a sweet and sticky baked sponge pudding made with apricot jam and often served hot with custard or ice-cream. Our recipe for Malva Pudding is easy to follow, making it a cinch to bring a taste of Africa to your dessert table.- Moist and fluffy texture with a caramelized exterior.
– Decadent apricot flavor that goes perfectly well with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Kenyan Cake: Mandazi


Next stop, Kenya, known for Mandazi, a slightly sweetened fried bread, often referred to as Kenyan Doughnut. Made with coconut milk and often subtly spiced with cardamom or cinnamon, Mandazi is not your ordinary dessert.- Deliciously soft and fluffy on the inside, golden brown and crispy on the outside.
– Perfect for breakfast or as an afternoon snack with some Kenyan chai.

Nigerian Cake: Chin Chin


Last but not least, Nigeria’s Chin Chin, a crunchy, fried snack cake, popular during festivities. Made from plain flour, sugar, and butter, these delicious bites can be flavored with nutmeg or cinnamon to add a unique twist.- Light, crunchy texture that’ll keep you coming back for more.
– Perfectly portable for on-the-go snacking or as a feel-good treat at parties. Piece by delicious piece, Africa’s cake offerings unveil a tasty narrative of cultural traditions, unique flavors, and baking brilliance.

Cakes from the Americas


If you have a sweet tooth and a zest for cultural exploration, there’s no better place to start than right here, in the Americas.

American Cake: Red Velvet Cake


Few cakes can spark vivid memories like a good old Red Velvet cake. This delightful American classic sports a deep crimson crumb, a hint of cocoa, and is usually teamed up with a distinctive creamy white frosting. Originating from the southern states, the true surprise of this cake hides within its fabulous layers – the delicate balance of sweet, sour, soft, and moist creates a tantalizing experience for the palate.

 

Canadian Cake: Butter Tart Cake


Next on our cake voyage, we swing by our northern neighbor, Canada. Experience the bliss of their beloved Butter Tart cake. Known for its delicious filling of butter, sugar, syrup, and egg baked in pastry, the cake version includes a sponge, draped with sweet brown sugar glaze and topped with buttery pastry pieces. This is a sweet slice of Canadian culture which should not be missed!

Brazilian Cake: Brigadeiro Cake


Our last stop for this section of the cake tour is the bustling and vibrant country of Brazil. The Brigadeiro cake, named after the famous Brazilian treat, is a moist chocolate cake teeming with condensed milk, butter, and cocoa. Rolled into balls and coated in chocolate sprinkles, the cake version sees these luxurious chocolate balls used as a unique and eye-catching garnish for an already stunning chocolaty desert.Are those taste buds tingling yet? Stay tuned for more cakes from around the globe!

Lesser-Known Cakes from Oceania


Let’s hop over to the stunning, sun-bathed region of Oceania. Lying in the great Pacific Ocean, this region is known for its beautiful landscapes and unique cultural practices, and, maybe to your surprise, some significantly delightful cakes.

Australian Cake: Lamington


This first treat on our list takes us to Australia – meet the lamington. This cube-shaped sponge cake is first soaked in chocolate sauce and then rolled in desiccated coconut. It’s sometimes considered the “National Cake of Australia”, epitomizing the Aussies’ love for sweet treats. Fun fact: National Lamington Day is celebrated in Australia every July 21st!
• Light sponge cake
• Chocolate sauce
• Desiccated coconut

New Zealand Cake: Pavlova


Next, we sail to New Zealand to relish a slice of Pavlova. Named after the famous ballet dancer Anna Pavlova, this cake features a crisp meringue shell with a soft, marshmallow-like center, usually topped with fresh fruit and whipped cream. Its lightness perfectly complements the region’s widely loved dairy products.
• Crisp meringue shell
• Soft marshmallow-like center
• Fresh fruit and whipped cream

Hawaiian Cake: Haupia Cake


Lastly, let’s embark on a culinary journey to Hawaii with Haupia Cake. This delightful cake consists of a layer of white cake, a layer of haupia – a coconut milk-based Hawaiian dessert – and often, another layer of white cake, all topped off with whipped frosting. Truly a tropical delight!
• White cake layers
• Haupia (Coconut milk-based Hawaiian dessert)
• Whipped frosting

Fusion Cakes: Creatively Combining Traditions


What’s more exciting than taking a trip around the world in a single bite? Fusion cakes meld together different culinary styles to create something deliciously new and exciting, respecting the traditions of the original recipes while innovating for the modern palate.

Mexican Tres Leches Cake with a Japanese Matcha Twist


Take the wildly popular Mexican Tres Leches cake! This melt-in-your-mouth sponge cake, soaked in a heavenly concoction of three kinds of milk, gets an intriguing facelift with the addition of Japanese Matcha. This powdered green tea adds a slightly bitter, earthy contrast to the rich sweetness of the cake, accompanied by a beautiful green hue that’s a feast for the eyes.

Italian Cannoli Cake with an Indian Gulab Jamun Filling


Next stop is Italy, home of the crispy and creamy Cannoli. But imagine intertwining this with an Indian dessert, the Gulab Jamun. Yes, you read correctly! Replacing the traditional ricotta filling with sweet, syrup-soaked gulab jamuns, we create a fusion that’s both surprising and delightful. The crunchiness of the cannoli, filled with the luxurious, juicy sweetness of the gulab jamun, will make your taste buds dance with joy!
Fusion cakes open a new world of dessert possibilities. Get ready to embark on a global baking adventure!

Conclusion

Recap of the diverse cakes explored


In this gastronomic voyage, we’ve journeyed through various continents, tasting and appreciating the myriad of cake baking traditions that exist. From the aromatic basbousa of Egypt, the intricate gulab jamun cake of India, to the delectable black forest cake of Germany – each one is a testament to its country’s unique culinary heritage. We savored the delicate balance of sweetness in Japan’s matcha cake and took delight in the delightful texture of Brazil’s brigadeiro cake.
• Basbousa – Egypt
• Gulab Jamun Cake – India
• Black Forest Cake – Germany
• Matcha Cake – Japan
• Brigadeiro Cake – Brazil

Encouragement to try baking these international cakes at home


Imagine being able to transport your taste buds to any part of the globe through the magic of baking. We hope this diverse array of international cakes inspires you to experiment with these delicious recipes at home. By doing so, not only can you indulge in new flavors, but also expand your culinary horizon while respecting and appreciating various world cultures. Nothing could be more exciting than transforming your kitchen into an experimental, global bakery! Happy baking!

Stock photos provided by Dreamstime.com

World Tiramisù Day: 3 Italian Desserts you Haven’t Heard Of

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Punchy, creamy, and endlessly scrumptious — it’s no wonder tiramisù has its own day, and it’s fast approaching!

 

Photo By: Unsplash

The 21st of March is considered World Tiramisù Day, and we really do love this dessert, if you couldn’t tell. Layers of ladyfingers dipped in coffee, whipped eggs, sugar and mascarpone cheese come together perfectly to create one of the most mouthwatering, quintessentially Italian puddings.

While there is no need to limit your tiramisù consumption to 21 March, we believe that, as much as it is unbelievably gorgeous, it is also overshadowing some other incredible Italian desserts — and there are lots of them. Many Italian desserts are centred around flavours like coffee, dark chocolate, and alcohol; take for instance, the classic tiramisù or traditional torta al cioccolato. They also rely heavily on milk and cream, both of which can be found both in panna cotta and zabaglione.

So, for when this World Tiramisù Day comes and goes, here are our top three Italian desserts you probably don’t know about, and how to make them.

1. Babà al rum

Babà al rum, also known as Babà Napoletano, is a small yeasted rum cake, similar to brioche, drenched in citrusy rum syrup and glazed with apricot jam. Some versions feature whipped cream as a topping, or even orange peel and raisins added to the batter. This recipe is quite straightforward, but it can be hugely improved with homemade jam instead of store-bought.

Ingredients

For the sponge

  • 600g strong white flour
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 5g active dry yeast
  • 2 tbsp whole milk
  • 12 medium eggs, cold and lightly beaten
  • 200g butter, cubed at room temperature
  • A pinch of salt
  • 400g apricot jam (for the glaze)

For the syrup

  • 2 litres of water
  • Zest of a whole lemon
  • Zest of a whole orange
  • 800g sugar
  • 400ml rum

Method

  1. Combine 30g of flour with yeast and milk until a smooth ball of dough is formed. Place in a bowl, cover with cling film, and leave in a warm place to rise for about 30 minutes. The dough should double in size.
  2. Add the remaining flour into a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Incorporate the yeast mixture on low-medium speed, add the eggs and sugar and let the mixer run for about 20 minutes, until the dough becomes elastic.
  3. Switch to a dough hook attachment and add salt as the mixer works. One cube at a time, incorporate the butter — make sure the cube is fully mixed before adding the next one.
  4. When all of the butter has been added, keep working the dough for a further 10 minutes. The result should be a soft and pale yellow mixture.
  5. Remove the bowl from the mixer and wrap in cling film. Let rise for three hours in a warm place.
  6. While the dough rises, make the syrup. Pour the water into a pot and incorporate the lemon and orange zest as well as the sugar. Over a medium heat, bring to a simmer.
  7. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove the pan from the heat. When slightly chilled, add the rum and put the pot aside.
  8. Grease and flour your baby savarin moulds and preheat the oven to 180°C.
  9. Create 70g balls from the dough and place each in a mould. Leave to rise until the dough grows into the mould and forms a dome.
  10. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until deeply golden brown.
  11. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before turning the cakes out of the moulds and placing them on a cooling rack.
  12. Heat the syrup until warm (but not boiling). Using a pair of tongs, dip each cake into the syrup and soak on all sides. Gently squeeze any excess.
  13. Transfer the cakes onto a cooling rack over a baking sheet, turning occasionally to encourage even soaking.
  14. Brush the cakes with apricot jam.
  15. Drizzle with more syrup when served.

2. Tartufo

Probably the most impressive dessert on this list, tartufo (literally meaning ‘truffle’) is a gelato-based bombe that tastes just as good as it looks. A molten chocolate ball (or fruit syrup) wrapped in two flavours of gelato and covered in a chocolate shell (think Ferrero Rocher taken to the extreme) — what can be better? The most notable version is Tartufo di Pizzo, which features hazelnut ice cream, but other options are available too.

Ingredients

For the chocolate gelato

  • 500ml whole milk
  • 25g skimmed milk powder
  • 125g caster sugar
  • 200g dark chocolate

For the hazelnut gelato

  • 500ml whole milk
  • 25g skimmed milk powder
  • 125g caster sugar
  • 65g hazelnut paste

For the chocolate sauce

  • 50g dark chocolate
  • 90ml double cream
  • 80g caster sugar
  • 85ml water
  • 30g cocoa powder

For the sugared hazelnuts

  • 50g hazelnuts
  • 50g sugar
  • 25ml water

Method

  1. To make the chocolate gelato, set a pan over medium heat and combine the milk, milk powder and sugar.
  2. Whisk constantly until the mixture reaches a simmer, then remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chocolate until melted and fully incorporated.
  3. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve into a plastic container. Chill for a few hours and then use an ice cream machine to churn and return to the freezer until needed.
  4. Repeat the process to create the hazelnut gelato: bring milk, milk powder and sugar to a simmer and add the hazelnut paste. Blitz with a hand blender to combine and then pass through a sieve, chill and churn.
  5. For the chocolate sauce, add double cream, sugar and water to a pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiled, remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth.
  6. Return to the heat and bring the mixture to a boil again, whisking constantly. When it starts bubbling, remove from the heat and stir in dark chocolate until melted and fully combined. Chill until ready to assemble.
  7. To make the sugared hazelnuts, preheat the oven to 180°C and line two baking trays with baking parchment.
  8. Spread the hazelnuts out on one of the trays and toast in the oven for a couple of minutes until golden brown and fragrant. Watch them carefully as they can burn quite quickly!
  9. Over high heat, pour the water into a small pan and add the sugar. Without stirring, allow the mixture to reach 140°C.
  10. Add the hazelnuts straight from the oven, mixing quickly over the heat until the sugar becomes dry and powdery. Remove from the heat and tip over the clean baking tray to cool.
  11. In order to assemble the tartufo, you need to remove the ice cream from the freezer to let it soften a little bit.
  12. Line eight ramekins with a large square of parchment paper, allowing for generous overhang. Scrunching up the paper first can help with that.
  13. Place a large scoop of chocolate gelato at the base of each ramekin. Using a spoon, form a well in the centre.
  14. Fill the wells with 2-3 sugared hazelnuts and 1 tsp of the chocolate sauce.
  15. Cover with a scoop of hazelnut gelato, pressing it down to fill any gaps.
  16. Layer another spoonful of the chocolate gelato on top, covering completely.
  17. Fold up the overhanging parchment to cover the ice cream fully, twisting slightly to hold in place. Allow to set in the freezer for at least two hours.
  18. To serve, remove from the parcels onto serving plates and peel off the parchment. Sprinkle with a generous amount of cocoa powder.

3. Zeppole

A timely dessert, Zeppole di San Giuseppe are cream-filled choux pastries traditionally made for the Feast of St Joseph — celebrated on 19 March. The Italian version of profiteroles, they are stuffed and topped with crema pasticcera (pastry cream), dusted with powdered sugar, and garnished with a cherry.

Ingredients

For the pastry

  • 150g flour
  • 100g butter
  • 1½ tsp sugar
  • 250ml water
  • 4 eggs, room temperature

For the filling

  • 2 egg yolks
  • 200ml milk, room temperature
  • 150g sugar
  • 2¼ tbsp corn or potato starch
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Powdered sugar for dusting
  • Pinch of salt
  • Maraschino cherries

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
  2. For the choux pastry, place the butter, sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a rolling boil, then add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball. Remove from the heat.
  3. Add an egg and beat until incorporated fully, then repeat with the remaining eggs. The batter formed should be smooth.
  4. Move the mixture into a piping bag. Onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper, pipe small puffs with a well in the middle. Make sure to keep the puffs about three inches apart.
  5. Bake for about 30 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave the pastries in for another 10. Remove and place on a cooling rack.
  6. While they are baking, prepare the filling. Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, corn or potato starch, salt and vanilla in a pot. Pour in warm milk slowly, and place on the hob on low heat, continuously whisking and pouring and increasing the heat gradually. Cook for a few minutes, until the mixture thickens.
  7. Using a skewer, punch a hole into the side of the pastries and fill with the cream with a piping bag. Pipe more cream into the well at the top.
  8. Dust with powdered sugar and crown with a cherry.

Tutorial: How to Make Mascarpone Cheese at Home for Cheap! All You Need is Heavy Cream and Lemon Juice!

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how to make mascarpone cheese for cheesecakes easy diy cupcake filling recipe better baking bible blog low fatMASCARPONE / DAVID ERICSON / CC BY , CHEESECAKE / FREDERIQUE VOISIN-DEMERY / CC BY , MASCARPONE / STU_SPIVACK / CC BY, CARAMEL / ROSENBEGAL / CC BY

We all know that mascarpone cheese can be expensive, but did you know that there’s a way to make it at home? This budget-friendly recipe is truly a keeper, and you’ll never want to buy mascarpone from the store again! All you need are two basic ingredients to make this delicious cheese. Heavy cream and lemon juice are all you need to put this together, and a little bit of patience. Use your homemade mascarpone with your favorite tiramisu recipe, or simply spread it on a bagel for a tasty breakfast!

Ingredients:

1) Saucepan

2) 2 cups heavy cream (this recipe makes approximately 2 cups of mascarpone cheese)

3) 1 lemon

4) Strainer

5) Unbleached cheese cloth

6) Large bowl

7) Candy thermometer

Steps:

1.) Take out your saucepan, pour in the 2 cups of heavy cream, and stick in your candy thermometer. Bring the cream to a simmer. The temperature on the thermometer should be around 180 F. Keep the temperature around 180 F.

2.) Allow the cream to simmer at 180 F for 3 minutes. Add in lemon juice. Allow it to simmer for an additional 3 minutes, then take the cream off the heat. Leave it to cool until it’s room temperature.

3.) Take out your strainer and line it with 3 layers of cheesecloth. Place a bowl under the strainer. Pour the mascarpone into the strainer.

4.) Place the strainer with the bowl underneath into the fridge. Leave it there overnight. In the morning, your mascarpone will be thick and creamy. The mascarpone will be good in the fridge for 1 week.