Cakes- probably no event can be complete without this vital component. Whether it is birthday, marriage anniversary, thanksgiving or Christmas, the celebration cannot be completed without the ceremony of cutting the cake. In fact, cakes have gained so much popularity that people takes extra initiative in ensuring that the design and flavour of the cake are up to the mark. The nitty-gritty has to be kept in mind to ensure that a perfect cake suiting your type and adept for your taste buds is created. Further with easy cake delivery options available today, it becomes all the more important to have an in depth knowledge about the umpteen variations of cake and just place the order. So here are some of the popular cake types, which can help you in deciding your favourite cake in your next special occasion:

• Classic Sponge Cake– Types may change from time to time but one variety of cake, which has stood the test of time, is the sponge cake. Prevalent since ages, sponge cake has a very soft feel, which when coupled with the classic vanilla flavour gives an elegant touch. With or without icing, sponge cake is the ultimate cake type that a major fraction of the population caters to.

• Tart cake- A cake with a tart appeal is essentially a tart cake. Usually, it is like the apple tarts with a hard bound boundary, which imbibes soft and supple bits of apple pie or any other ingredient. The beauty is that although the outer sphere is thick and crisp while the core ingredients remain juicy soft.

• Velvet cake– For a very smooth texture and a rich flavour, one of the best cakes is the velvet cake. Usually it comes in layer form with a layer of red or other velvet alternating with the sponge form. Velvet cakes are really one of a kind and one can lookout for different flavours depending on one’s taste.

• Fondant Cake– Now this one’s a different type. A thick layer of fondant covers the entire cake, which can be dipped in any colour. Fondants taste a little different and are really yummy. All the more, they create a thick layer, which gives the cake an entirely different appeal. Fondant cakes looks best when they are used in theme cakes since it adds to the beauty of the appeal.

• Victorian Sponge Cake– A cake with layers of raspberry jam and whipped double cream. Basically, the cake derives its name from the fact that Queen Victoria used to have this cake in the evening along with tea. All the more, flavours of raspberry and cream mellow in the mouth with a sumptuous fervour.

• Cheese cake– With cheese and biscuit scraps as the basic ingredients, cheese cakes are really a unique one with a lip smacking flavour. Cheese cake is simple and good to have.

So, pick up your favourite one and get the best flavoured cake delivered at your home and make your celebration extra special.

“Stressed” spelt backwards is “Desserts” and cakes are delicious desserts, which we simply cannot resist. Feasting on a piece of cake after dinner or nibbling on a pastry in between work hours satisfies the soul as much as the body. But cakes are loaded with calories, and hence, we cannot indulge ourselves as much as we would like to.

What if we can find healthier options for baking that perfect cake, which looks and tastes like the one you got from cake delivery? Then, you can have your cake and eat it too!

Typically, the main ingredients of a cake are flour, butter, eggs and sugar. Butte contains saturated fats, which contribute to most of the fat content in cakes. Saturated fats are known to block blood vessels and increase levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood. If we replace butter with healthier alternatives, it would make baking more enjoyable and guilt free.

Here is a list of ingredients, which could be substituted for butter.

1. Olive Oil

Olive oil has been used in dressing salads. But yes, we can bake with it too. It contains the healthy unsaturated fats. So, the added calories of this oil are actually beneficial for the heart.

Proportion: Substitute 3/4^th cup of oil for each cup of butter while baking.

2. Yoghurt

Yoghurt is full of healthy bacteria and adding it will boost up your protein intake too. Baking with it will make the cakes moist and fluffy.

Proportion: For each cup of butter, use ½ cup of yoghurt

3. Avocados

By swapping avocado for butter, you are replacing the saturated fats with healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats. Avocados also contain high amounts of potassium, fibre and Vitamin K. Baking with avocados will significantly reduce the fat and calorie content. But, be prepared for a change in the colour of the batter. It will turn slightly green.

Proportion: ½ and ½ mix of avocados and butter will yield a soft and delicious cake.

4. Bananas

Bananas are ideal substitutes for butter in cakes, which have a rich and dense texture. The calcium and minerals present in it add to the goodness of the cake.

Proportion: Substitute an equal amount of banana for the butter required in the recipe.

5. Applesauce

Applesauce is a great swap for butter. It ensures moist and delicious cakes with reduced calories.  It works great and gives the cake a moist and fluffy texture. If you cannot find apple sauce in the supermarket, check the baby food section for stewed apple.

Proportion: Replace half the amount of butter in your recipe with apple sauce.

6. Pumpkin Puree

A fabulous substitute for muffins and coffee cakes, pumpkin puree ups the nutritional value while adding very few calories. Pumpkin contains potassium, fibre and Vitamin K. Mail a pumpkin puree cake through cakes delivery to your loved ones, and they wouldn’t be able to recognize the swap you made.

Proportion: Replace each cup of butter with 3/4^th cup of puree.

7. Coconut Butter

Coconut butter is the meat of the coconut ground it a paste. It shouldn’t be confused with coconut oil. The versatile coconut is packed with many essential fatty acids, brain-boosting nutrients, fibre and even protein. It is low in sugar and this makes it a healthy alternative to butter.

Proportion: Replace equal parts.

Now we can bake a nutritious cake packed with a host of vitamins and minerals. Cause, baking calms the mind and soothes the soul.

The origin and symbolism!

All of us relish on a bite of cake on joyous events like weddings and anniversaries or even at home when we get sudden craving to indulge in some sweetness.  But have you ever wondered how your most favourite dessert came to be? The very long and ancient history of cake is pretty rich in symbolisms and customs from various countries and beliefs, all coming forward together to give existence to the cakes that we eat today.

If the food historians are worth lending an ear to, the very first culture to show record of baking interest were the ancient Egyptians. Ancient Egyptians were probably annoyed with the meat and wanted to try something different. They were more interested towards bread and as an alternative to sugar; honey was used by them as a sweetening agent. Cake, the word, hails from the Viking origin. Cake comes from the Norse word “kaka”.

A Cake is a symbolism of the value of the person it is baked for because in the ancient Egyptian days, the ingredients dried food, nuts and refined sugar cost a bomb. Although these same ingredients aren’t as expensive now, the message continues to hold truth. Baking is one of the ways to show your love and care for someone.

Cakes were an active part of ancient rituals!

Cakes in the ancient days had a major role to play in beliefs and superstitions, a few of them are carried on to this age. In olden days, the people used cake as an offering to gods and their respective spirits all over the globe. The Chinese celebrated and still celebrate the Harvest Moon festival in honour of moon cakes, which they offer to Moon Goddess. It is in practice till today. Russians have sun cakes, which are called by the name of “blini,” which are thin pancakes made to pray to a deity known as “goddess Maslenitsa”. Egyptians rolled cakes on a hill in the festival of Beltane, which would be celebrated on the first day of the season of spring, for mimicking the solar movement.  A rich history and relation of humans with cakes is not a wonder they are so important in our lives.

The history behind round shape of cakes!

Although, nowadays, you can find a variety of shapes  from heart-shaped cartoon characters, themed ones and lots more yet talking about a regular and simple one, a cakes is traditionally always round. This is pretty deep after but round cakes are a symbol of the cyclical nature life has. The round shape of the moon and sun is probably the reason cakes are round; focusing we are about to start on a new journey in our lives.

Ancient breads were also round in shape, cut into round balls, baked in round and shallow pans.

So, the cake, which you are so crazy about, the cake, which never misses your celebrations, and the cake, which one can send across through cake delivery UK was not born out of nowhere! So, spread sweetness and these facts with cake delivery.

You may be a fan of cakes and cookies, but you may have to forego biting into a piece if you have special dietary requirements. This is the situation of some people, who cannot consume eggs for some reasons.

For these people, there are eggless cakes. These include vegans, vegetarians and those, who have allergy to dairy products. Such cakes are made with egg substitutes both natural as well as commercial.

To successfully replace eggs in a recipe in a baking recipe, one must basically understand its role in the recipe. The function of eggs in baking is to moisten batter or to act as binders or leavening agents.

• Binders: If eggs are binders in the recipe, it can be replaced by Soy Lecithin, Arrow root, Flax seed mix, silken tofu, pureed vegetables or fruits and vegetarian Gelatine powder without flavour (Agar Agar). The measure is ¼ cup of substitute for every egg replaced. For binding, recipes generally call only for one egg. Most ingredients like softened tofu, pureed fruits and apple sauce might be used instead of eggs to bind the dry ingredients into dough. Lack of binding agents might cause baked goods to be crumbly and dry.
• Leavening: If eggs function as leavening agents, yogurt, butter milk, commercial powders of egg replacers and baking soda can be used instead. You can swap eggs for 15 ml of baking soda mixed with 15 ml of warm water. Baking soda is a mix of cornstarch and baking powder, which creates bubbles of carbon dioxide when exposed to liquids. This effect cause baked goods to rise and become light and fluffy.
•  Moistening: If eggs are intended for moisture, pureed fruit, fruit juice, water or milk can be used.

Common egg substitutes in baking are:

• Commercial egg replacers
• Flax seed meal
• Silken tofu
• Vinegar
• Baking soda
• Fruit puree
• Condensed milk
• Yogurt/ buttermilk
• Lime juice/lemon

Eggs act as a binder for other ingredients. They also serve as leavening agents that infuse air into batter or dough to help them rise. Without eggs, baked goods are seldom light and fluffy. Eggless baking can yield wonderful results if you add the correct replacements for eggs.

A commonly used substitute for eggs is commercial egg substitute products. According to the manufacturer, ingredients of commercial substitutes can vary from each other. Most products contain egg by-products like egg whites and are usually used to reduce fats and calories in the recipe rather than function as a substitute for eggs. Hence, they are not suited for vegans and those with dairy allergies. For diary free replacements, one can go in for ingredients like xanthan gum, tapioca flour, potato starch etc.

Here are some tips for eggless baking:

• Preheat oven and place cake pan in centre
• Avoid over beating the batter without eggs lest cakes sink in middle
• Allow cake to cool at least for 10 minutes before removing cake from pan and turn into wire rack.
• Sour curd can be used for self raising flour for the baked cake to rise.
• Agar is a good alternative to 1 or 2 egg whites in recipes. Whisk well and use.

These are some ways in which you can bake eggless cakes. If you are not confident about baking cakes yourself, go in for online cake ordering and wait for cake delivery. Reliable websites will make the process simple and efficient.

A lot of people these days prefer a gluten free cake, which is why several bakeries have started special gluten free baking and cake delivery all across. If you want to bake and get your cakes delivered to your loved ones without any white flour, then we have something just for you. White flour is said to have tons of calories in it, and if you consume it a lot, then there are chances you can gain a lot of weight. There are several other reasons why white flour is not the best for health. Occasionally, it is completely fine to add white flour or whole white flour to your desserts, but if you are someone, who eats cakes a lot, then you should ignore it.  Who says you have to avoid using flour? Here are some other flour options, which are incredible for health.

1. Whole wheat flour – Wheat flour is used for several recipes and is said to healthy compared to white flour. Make sure you find whole wheat flour and not just wheat flour for the cake. It helps in baking the cake better than just plain wheat flour.
2. Brown rice flour – Brown rice flour is said to be very healthy and it is great if you mix it a little in your cake with any other flour you use. It has a great nutty flavour, which will enhance the taste of the cake.
3. Spelt flour – This flour is known for being low in calories and high in the protein content. This reason enough tells why you should replace your white flour and add spelt flour to your desserts from now on.
4. Soy flour – We are sure by now we all know how healthy soy is for us. So run down to the store and get the high protein and nutritious soy flour for your cake. It can help in thickening the batter and also add a nice flavour to the cake.
5. Corn starch – Corn starch is not exactly flour, but it is a very close substitute of flour. It is made basically from corn or wheat, and it is extremely good for the body. It is light weight flour, which does not gather fats in the body.
6. Coconut flour – You must have hardly heard about coconut flour but guess what? It is quite a nutritious flour to use in cakes. It is high in protein, fibre and extremely low when it comes to carbs. If you use coconut flour in cakes the next time you bake, then make sure you add little sugar because it already has a sweet taste to it. Also, it can be a little tough to blend coconut flour because it absorbs water or liquid quickly so you might need to add some liquid ingredient a little extra. Make sure you find a right recipe which has coconut flour used to know what we are referring to.

We hope all these suggestions help you out the next time you are making a healthy and gluten free cake.