How do sponge cakes differ from other shortened cakes?

Category: food and drink desserts and baking
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(True/False) sponge cake is an example of a shortened cake. (True/False) shortened cakes are leavened by baking powder or baking soda and sour milk. (True/False) shortened cakes come out moist and tasty when prepared in a microwave oven.



Simply so, is a sponge cake a shortened cake?

*Example of shortened type cakes are Red Velvet Cake, Cheese Cakes, Banana Cake, Devil's Food Cake, Chocolate Brownies… *Example of un-shortened type of cakes are Angel Food Cake, Sponge Roll, Sponge Whole Cake, Meringue….

Additionally, can a sugar substitute be used in shortened cakes? Can a sugar substitute be used satisfactorily to replace the sugar in a shortened cake? Why? Yes, but the structure will change. When other types of sugars are used, quality attributes of the cake can be affected.

Correspondingly, what are the characteristics of shortened cakes?

Shortened Cakes

Appearance Slightly rounded or flat top, free of cracks Uniform, characteristic color throughout crust and crumb Thin crust High volume
Tenderness Handles easily, yet breaks apart without difficulty Seems to “melt in the mouth,” offers no resistance when bitten
Flavor Delicate, sweet flavor Well blended

What are the three types of cakes?

Below is a comprehensive but by no means exhaustive list of the basic types of cakes.

  • Butter Cake. Bake this easy buttermilk-raspberry butter cake into a layer cake, sheet cake, or even a DIY wedding cake.
  • Pound Cake.
  • Sponge Cake.
  • Genoise Cake.
  • Biscuit Cake.
  • Angel Food Cake.
  • Chiffon Cake.
  • Baked Flourless Cake.

39 Related Question Answers Found

What are the different types of sponge cakes?

4 Main Types of Sponge Cakes in Baking
  • Biscuit (Pronounced 'bees – kee' = French) This type of sponge cake contains both the egg white and yolks in the recipe.
  • Genoise. This type of sponge cake is made with whole eggs (no separation); this technique is a bit more involved as opposed to the Biscuit.
  • Angel Food Cake.
  • Chiffon Cake.

What are the mixing methods in baking?

Mixing is a general term that includes stirring, beating, blending, binding, creaming, whipping and folding. In mixing, two or more ingredients are evenly dispersed in one another until they become one product. Each mixing method gives a different texture and character to the baked good.

What makes a sponge cake?

Similar to angel food cake, sponge cake relies on beaten eggs to make it light as a feather. However, sponge cakes are richer than angel food cakes because they contain the egg yolks as well as the whites. Still they're lighter than chiffon or butter cakes because they contain little or no butter or oil.

What is the difference between a sponge cake and a Victoria sponge?

The Victorian can be baked thin and carefully rolled with cream for Swiss rolls. The main difference is the Victorian slices disorderly and 'crumby' while the Génoise retains its form neatly. Both are accompanied well by, and are traditionally served with hot beverages namely tea and coffee.

What are the methods of mixing shortened cake?


Terms in this set (3)
  • Blending method. is a method for mixing shortened cakes that is sometimes called the two-step method.
  • Creaming method. is a method for mixing shortened cakes that is sometimes called the conventional method.
  • Dump method.

Which is better chiffon or sponge cake?

Thread Reply
Chiffon Cake Sponge Cake
Texture More tender and moist Light and airy
Eggs Egg whites are not beaten separately Egg whites and yolks are beaten separately
Presence of Oil/ Butter Contains Oil Little/ No Butter
Presence of Leaveners Yes (Baking Powder) No

What makes a cake a cake?

Cake is a form of sweet food made from flour, sugar, and other ingredients, that is usually baked. The most commonly used cake ingredients include flour, sugar, eggs, butter or oil or margarine, a liquid, and leavening agents, such as baking soda or baking powder.

What makes a sponge cake spongy?

The incorporation of air into the mixture make the cake spongy and fluffy. It's all yellow and less of Whites- While adding eggs for a cake ensure you use less of egg whites and more of egg yolks. Egg whites are known for drying and would suck out all the moisture of the cake.

What are the classification of cakes?

There are two main types of cakes: butter cakes (also known as shortened cakes) and foam cakes. The distinction between these two broad categories of cake is in the fat content. Foam cakes have little to no fat, and usually have a larger proportion of egg.

What would happen if a cake was made with too much fat?


Fat- Moistness comes from the fat in the cake(butter, oil etc.). Too much fat will make the cake fall apart or stay runny. Adding too little will make it tough and dry as well as not giving it much flavor or a good texture. Sugar-Sugar makes the cake sweet and moist.

Why are foam cake pans not greased?

SHORTENED (BUTTER) CAKES generally tend to have their cake pans greased so the baking recipe won't stick; the amount of coverage dependant upon the amount of fat in the recipe. Some UNSHORTENED (FOAM) CAKE pans are not prepared in advance and remain ungreased, such as for Angel Food Cakes.

What is foam type cake?

Foam cakes are cakes with very little (if any) fatty material such as butter, oil or shortening. They are leavened primarily by the air that is beaten into the egg whites that they contain. They differ from butter cakes, which contain shortening, and baking powder or baking soda for leavening purposes.

How is a shortened cake tested for doneness?

A shortened cake is also called a butter cake. To test for doneness, insert a wooden pick in the center If it comes out free of moist batter, the cake is done. In addition, the sides should pull away from the pan and the top should feel firm but springy.

What is the difference between frosting and icing?

Icing is generally used to glaze pastries or cakes, and tastes more sugary than frosting. The Williams-Sonoma cookbook Cake states that “icing is generally thinner and glossier,” while its counterpart frosting is “a thick, fluffy mixture, used to coat the outside of a cake.”

What is the advantage of using a plastic fat in a shortened cake rather than oil?


What is the advantage of using a plastic fat in a shortened cake rather than oil? It is better able to hold shape of the cake. It traps the air bubbles which help establish the cakes structure.

What ingredients are required to leaven a shortened cake?

Baking Ingredients & Function: A Breakdown
  • Baking Powder. Made from Cream of tartar and starch, baking powder is a leavening agent, which causes your batter to rise.
  • Baking Soda. Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate, and needs to be paired with an acidic ingredient like honey, chocolate, or yogurt.
  • Butter.
  • Cornstarch.
  • Eggs.
  • Flour.
  • Milk.
  • Salt.

What is a British sponge cake?

Sponge cake
  • Sponge cake is a light cake made with eggs, flour and sugar, sometimes leavened with baking powder.
  • The earliest known recipe for sponge cake (or biscuit bread) from Gervase Markham's The English Huswife (1615) is prepared by mixing flour and sugar into eggs, then seasoning with anise and coriander seeds.