Spice Cake is essentially a cake which is flavored with a mixture of spices. This is basically a more savory twist on the traditional dessert cake which is made using sweet ingredients. The distinct feature of this cake is its spicy taste and the fact that it continues to maintain the consistency and tenderness of a traditional sweet cake while giving a completely different taste.
Origin of the Spice Cake Recipe
Although the exact origin of the Spice Cake is largely unknown, it is believed to be almost as old as the traditional sweet cake. There are many theories about how the preparation came into being and every region has its own version. While different people believe and retell different stories, the origin of the dish is mostly credit to the traditional English culinary world.
Today, Spice Cake is largely popular with almost all regions of the world boasting a different and distinct version. It is commonly found in menus of leading eateries, restaurant chains and even local joints.
Ingredients Prescribed by the Spice Cake Recipe
The earliest known and traditional recipes to prepare Spice Cake call for the use of cinnamon, cloves, allspice, ginger and nutmeg. In the days gone-by, these were the most popular and easily available spices and therefore the most commonly used. In modern times, there are many versions of the cake and spices are brought together with sweet ingredients, fruits and even some vegetables to make cakes which are distinct and unique in their own ways.
Eggs, flour, water, spices, sugar, fruits, jam, baking powder and vanilla essence are the most commonly and widely used ingredients to bake the cake.
Preparation of the Spice Cake Recipe
A Spice Cake is prepared much like other cakes. The main preparation method is baking and the total time taken to make the dish is about 60 minutes. All the ingredients are prepared and mixed in the exact same way as they are done for a sweet cake, with spices being added during the mixing steps. The cake is then baked and ready to be served as soon as it is done.
Spice Cake Recipe: Serving and Eating
Since Spice Cake is not predominantly sweet, it can be served during a meal, before it or even after a major lunch or dinner. In some regions, the preparation is served as a snack and is also a popular tea or coffee accompaniment. It can be served and consumed warm, at room temperature or chilled based on personal preferences and tastes.
Spice Cake Health and Nutrition Facts
Although Spice Cake has lesser sugar and fat content as compared to the traditional sweet cake, it is still a preparation which is rich is calories and fat because of the ingredients used. It is, therefore, not a suitable food for people who are obese or suffer from health problems like heart disease, high cholesterol or diabetes. Making a few substitutes and changes in the traditional Spice Cake recipe can solve the problem to an extent. Sugar can be replaced with artificial sweeteners and low-fat versions of rich ingredients like butter, cream and milk can be used.
It is, however, important to remember that while these substitutes will make a Spice Cake more suitable for consumption, the quantities must be limited.