You Say "Bread," I Say "Cake" (2024)

Pop quiz: Which of the following does not belong in the group? Pumpkin bread, persimmon bread, banana bread, gingerbread, cornbread, rye bread, zucchini bread. (Hint: The correct answer has nothing to do with fruits and vegetables.)

I was all ready to say that the outlier on the list is rye bread—the only loaf leavened with yeast (rather than baking powder or baking soda). I was going to say that the rye is a true bread and the others are so called “quick breads”—most of which are actually cakes (with plenty of sugar, butter or other fats, and eggs) baked in loaf pans. For backup, I checked my 1990 edition of Joy of Cooking where you'll find a chapter called “Yeast Breads,” followed by another called “Quick Breads," to wit:

Quick breads are so called because they are quickly mixed and, with the absence of yeast, need no lengthy rising time before baking…These breads encompass not only sweet and savory loaves to serve as mealtime accompaniments or teatime temptations in lieu of yeasted breads, but also corn breads…, spoon breads, sweet morning coffee cakes, muffins, tender biscuits and…scones.

Based on this, I now see how one could argue that yeast breads and quick breads are simply different types of bread. And now, in the interests of transparency (and possible hilarity), I have to admit that I wrote this intro in the 1990 Joy of Cooking! In retrospect, I’m surprised (actually, annoyed) that I didn’t discuss the difference between bread and cake, and point out that many quick breads are really cakes in wolves' clothing.

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So I went online, where confusion reigns. Some info is downright ridiculous, and sources tend to quote each other. One source explains that the difference between bread and cake is that cake is light and bread is dense—and this is why banana bread (dense) is bread while zucchini and carrot cakes (light) are cakes. Oy! This is an interesting observation about the textures of things that we bake in loaf pans, but it leads to a silly definition.

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Top Comment:

“Hi there, it’s okay to disagree, but kindness is always appreciated here. :)I actually feel differently! Cakes are leavened by eggs or leavening agents. And while the way these ingredients interact is indeed scientific, the terms that cookbooks and publications use to describe baked goods aren’t scientific at all; they’re names we’ve come up with over the years. And they can change over time, and I think that’s really interesting.”

— Eric K.

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I see it from a baker’s point of view: Cakes vary in texture from dense and moist to light and airy, with all kinds of textures in between. Those with a tight crumb that bake nicely in a regular round or square cake pan often bake well (and make nice bread-shaped slices) in loaf pans. When we bake such a cake in a loaf pan, we sometimes call it bread (think banana bread, pumpkin bread). (By the way, loaf pans don’t work well for cakes with lighter and more delicate sponge cakes, chiffon cakes, etc.—so bakers don’t use them for these kinds of cakes.) But does the use of a loaf pan turn a cake into a bread? I don’t think so.

So what's the difference between bread versus cake?

For me, bread is predominantly flour and water and requires yeast and rising before baking. A few are sweet and/or rich (think brioche, Challah, panettone, stolen, babka), but most are not. As such, if you ask me, quick breads (even the ones that are savory or simply not sweet) are not true breads at all. And most of the sweet, rich loaves that we call breads (like those in the quiz above) are actually cakes baked in loaf pans.

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Honestly, I don’t care if you call a loaf-shaped cake a bread; I only hope you don’t actually think it is one. Here’s how the issue came up for me recently:

A couple of weeks ago, I stopped into Standard Fare Kitchen and Pantry, a West Berkeley gem where you can enjoy a perfect salad, main dish, or snack served on Heath pottery, and eat them on a sidewalk bench in an industrial (okay, lightly industrial) part of town. I was ordering turmeric tea for my throat and inspecting the baked goods on offer when I saw slices of something dark and moist and laced with tiny black seeds and labeled "Roasted Squash Bread."

"Is that really bread—or cake?" I inquired (because I didn’t have my glasses on).

The young server’s answer was super enthusiastic and (because I was sure she understood the existential nature of my question) almost triumphant. “Bread!” she sang out.

I was curious. Expecting a hearty and interesting blend of whole-grain flours and what-have-you, I ordered a slice to share and settled on a bench with my pals. Well, of course it was cake. It was also loaded with garam masala and ginger and had a fine crunch from poppy and chia seeds. I enjoyed it immensely, but could not let go of the fact that the server did not know that the use of a loaf pan does not actually transform a cake into bread—and that the correct interpretation, thus the correct answer to my inquiry should have been "cake."

Quick breads (even the ones that are savory or simply not sweet) are not true breads at all. And most of the sweet, rich loaves that we call breads are actually cakes baked in loaf pans.

My daughter was not present, but she would have been proud of me for not going back into the cafe to lecture the server like a cranky old lady, or even in the nicest possible way. I didn’t. But I did spend a couple of hours creating my own version of roasted squash “bread” with a liberal lashing of garam masala, chia, and poppy seeds. The result is addictive. So here is my homage to Standard Fare’s roasted squash "bread." Mine includes buckwheat flour and is gluten-free and entirely whole-grain, if you choose brown rice flour instead of white rice flour along with the buckwheat flour therein.

Ingredients

8 tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup (200 grams) sugar
2 large cold eggs
3/4 cup (120 grams) white or brown rice flour
1/3 cup (40 grams) buckwheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground garam masala
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt (I use fine sea salt)
2 tablespoons (17 grams) poppy seeds
1 tablespoon (10 grams) black chia seeds
3/4 cup (170 grams) roasted butternut squash, pureed or simply mashed until smooth (see Note)
8 tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup (200 grams) sugar
2 large cold eggs
3/4 cup (120 grams) white or brown rice flour
1/3 cup (40 grams) buckwheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground garam masala
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt (I use fine sea salt)
2 tablespoons (17 grams) poppy seeds
1 tablespoon (10 grams) black chia seeds
3/4 cup (170 grams) roasted butternut squash, pureed or simply mashed until smooth (see Note)

What's the difference between cake and bread, in your opinion? Let us know in the comments below.

You Say "Bread," I Say "Cake" (2024)

FAQs

How was the cake reply? ›

Thank you for the amazing birthday cake! It was not only delicious but also beautifully decorated. Your attention to detail made my day extra special. I can't thank you enough for the wonderful birthday cake you ordered for me.

Why did Antoinette say "Let them eat cake"? ›

As the story goes, it was the queen's response upon being told that her starving peasant subjects had no bread. Because cake is more expensive than bread, the anecdote has been cited as an example of Marie-Antoinette's obliviousness to the conditions and daily lives of ordinary people.

What's the real saying you can't have your cake and eat it too? ›

The proverb literally means "you cannot simultaneously retain possession of a cake and eat it, too". Once the cake is eaten, it is gone. It can be used to say that one cannot have two incompatible things, or that one should not try to have more than is reasonable.

What do you call the bread in the cake? ›

The bread-like part of a cake is commonly referred to as the "crumb." It's the soft, tender interior of the cake that has a texture similar to bread but is typically sweeter and more delicate in cakes. Naturalist (1980–present) Author has 2.2K answers and. · 1y. That would be cake. The other stuff is called frosting.

What is an answer cake? ›

In 1954, Betty Crocker debuted Answer Cake—cake and frosting mix pre-packaged in a pan—and marketed it to small families. Although later discontinued, Answer Cake returned as Stir 'n Frost mix in 1976.

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"Hey, just to let you know that everyone was very impressed with your cake! putting an order in for her soon! Thanks again, you're so talented!" tasted as delicious as they looked!

Did Marie Antoinette like to eat? ›

Marie Antoinette's favorite dish was roast duck. Potatoes came into popularity thanks to Antoine Parmentier, Louis and Marie Antoinette. Prior to, potatoes were animal feed and thought to cause leprocy. Marie Antoinette may not have said Let them eat cake but she did love it.

Could Marie Antoinette speak French? ›

Yes, Marie Antoinette did speak French.

Marie Antoinette spoke German, French, and Italian. Historians suggest she spoke French with an accent. She was educated by private tutors before her marriage to the future King of France.

Is it right to say you can't eat your cake and have it? ›

They basically both mean the same thing which is “You can't have two good things at the same time when it's impossible.” I think the correct version is, “You can't have your cake and eat it too”, because the phrase was first found in a letter dated March 14th, 1538, from Thomas, Duke of York to Thomas Cromwell.

What does it mean when someone says I want my cake and eat it too? ›

idiom. variants or British have one's cake and eat it. : to have or enjoy the good parts of something without having or dealing with the bad parts. They seem to think they can have their cake and eat it too by having excellent schools for their son without paying high taxes.

Have your cake and eat it too cheating meaning? ›

The phrase is used to say that you cannot have two incompatible things. The proverb's meaning is similar to the phrases “you can't have it both ways” and “you can't have the best of both worlds.” There are many instances in life where we want to have our cake and eat it too.

Why is it banana bread and not cake? ›

First, the obvious: Bread usually doesn't have icing or frosting like cake often does. Then, the less obvious: Banana bread can incorporate heavier flours, like all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour, while banana cake sometimes calls for pastry flour or cake flour, which is lighter.

What is a cake without cream called? ›

Oil Cake. Oil cakes follow the same principles as butter cakes, but use oil as the source of fat. Because oil is liquid at room temperature, oil cake recipes skip the step of creaming the fat and sugar; usually the oil is incorporated into the wet ingredients, which are whisked or folded into the dry ingredients.

How do you say the cake was nice? ›

Absolutely fabulous – we can't thank you enough – the cake was amazing and tasted absolutely delicious! Everyone was so impressed by your work.

How do you respond to a cake order? ›

If a customer ordered a cake from you, you should consider sending them a thank-you note. Such messages would make them feel good, enhancing your relationship with them and leading to continued patronage. Thank them for their loyalty and tell them how much they mean to you and your business.

How do I reply to a birthday cake? ›

Thank you for making my birthday even sweeter. Words cannot express how much I appreciate the surprise birthday cake. It was truly a delightful surprise. Thank you for adding sweetness to my birthday with the surprise cake.

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