HAVE THE CAKE AND NAME IT TOO

Why Angel Food Cake? We Explain The Name Of 10 Cakes

Published on December 9, 2024

Credit: Ravi Sharma

While a cake can be a common, modest sweet treat for everyday situations, this kind of preparation is usually made to mark special occasions or to enjoy as a delicacy in tea houses. And, as such, some of these confections can get quite fancy. Some of its notable exponents have ambitious names like Chiffon Cake or Angel Food Cake—names that attempt to express with words the flavor experience these treats provide. Follow us as we uncover the meaning behind some of these delicious names!

Red Velvet Cake

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Velvet is a lush, dense fabric, famous for its softness. Its name is usually associated with smooth surfaces and textures, and the world of food is no exception. The famous Red Velvet Cake got the "velvet" part of its name thanks to the softness of its texture, and the "red" part, thanks to the raw cocoa powder employed in its confection, which turned red in the presence of buttermilk.

During World War I, many bakers were forced to turn to grated beets or beet juice when eggs and milk were in short supply.

Black Forest Cake

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Despite its dark brown chocolate color, the Black Forest Cake is not called that way because it resembles the dark wooden logs in the forest. Instead, its name comes from a sour cherry brandy called Schwarzwalder Kirschwasser (Black Forest Cherry Brandy) developed in the Black Forest region of Germany.

Black Forest cake is made by soaking the chocolate sponge in sugar syrup flavored with cherry brandy and topped with whipped cream. The German variation of Black Forest cake uses buttercream, while Austrians make theirs with whipped cream, gelatin, and cornstarch.

Coffee Cake

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The habit of pairing coffee with cake began in Europe around the 1600s, with the introduction of the beverage. Germans and Dutch favored sweet pastries and cakes as their accompaniment of choice.

The "coffee cake" was brought to the United States in the late 1800s and it was adapted into more of a pastry than bread. Then, in the 1950s, bakers began making coffee cakes in Bundt pans to better support a heavier batter and thick streusel topping. Modern coffee cake can be made with a variety of toppings, icing, fruits, and nuts.

Angel Food Cake

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The angelic nature of the Angel Food Cake resides in its light, airy texture, made possible by a ridiculous amount of eggs. It is categorized as a "foam cake" because it derives its structure from heavily beaten egg whites.

Angel Food Cake is highly versatile. Although vanilla is the most traditional flavor, bakers can substitute citrus or almond extracts, as well as add unsweetened cocoa powder for a chocolate version. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves can also be used for a spiced undertone.

Devil's Food Cake

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On the other side of the spectrum, we find Devil’s Food Cake. This confection has a dense texture and derives its structure from vegetable oil. Unlike its angelic counterpart just mentioned, Devil's Food Cake uses leavening agents like baking soda and baking powder to rise.

There is evidence that shredded beets were added to the first Devil's Food Cake recipes to add moisture and sweetness, making it a precursor to the popular red velvet cake.

Pound cake

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A simple name for a simple cake, indeed. The Pound Cake’s origins stem from the 18th century British, illiterate home bakers who relied on simple memorized recipes to produce consistent bakes. A classic pound cake is made with a pound of each of the following ingredients: butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. While the recipe has been updated over time, its core ingredients remain the same.

Opera cake

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A cake as fancy as its name implies, the Opera Cake is a traditional French dessert with three layers: almond sponge, espresso buttercream, and chocolate ganache. This cake was named after French pastry chef Cyriaque Gavillion's wife, who remarked that his chocolate creation resembled the Paris Opera House.

The flour is traditionally made of a mix of almond flour and white pastry flour, and a layer of espresso-brandy syrup is soaked into the cake for flavor before the entire cake is covered in espresso buttercream and delicate chocolate ganache.

Chiffon cake

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In a similar style to the previously mentioned Red Velvet Cake, Chiffon Cake was named after a fabric. Chiffon is known for its lightness and the Chiffon Cake aims to recreate this texture with vegetable oil and soda for texture and rise. These ingredients give chiffon cake a comparatively heftier texture than a sponge cake.

Chiffon cake is most commonly associated with citrus flavors. Orange, almond, chocolate, and coconut are four of the most popular chiffon cake flavors; the citrus notes are accented by a light, fluffy batter.

Johnnycakes

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Quite similar to pancakes or hoecakes but not exactly the same, Johnnycakes are made with yellow or white cornmeal mixed with hot water and milk. They may be served slightly sweet or savory.

The origin of Johnnycakes is not entirely clear, but they likely have Native American roots, originating from what Pawtuxet Indians referred to as "Shawnee cakes." Johnnycakes can also be served with syrup and butter (a la pancakes) or fresh fruit.

Poke cake

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A more straightforward name than most of the ones found on this list (with the possible exception of the Pound Cake), Poke Cake is made by poking small holes in the top of a baked cake and adding a layer of flavored gelatin or pudding.

To make this cake, prepare the mix as directed on the box and bake. Then poke ½-inch holes into the cake and pour the prepared Jell-O mixture over. Once the cake has set, it is topped with whipped cream and served.

NOT EVERY ARTIST WAS BORN WITH A COOL NAME

What’s in a name? 10 famous artists who changed their monikers

Published on December 9, 2024

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Not every artist is born with a name that is destined for greatness. Not every artist has parents as cool as Prince did, who actually named their son Prince Rogers Nelson. Most of the famous musicians, actors, and actresses we know were born with normal, middle-of-the-road names, like the rest of us. And, while many have decided to keep their given names, some have changed their monikers to something better suited to their chosen identities. The following ten are examples of successful artists who made this bold move. Did you know already any one of these?

David Bowie

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Perhaps the greatest rock and roll star of all time, the Thin White Duke, reinvented himself and his whole style every few years. David Bowie’s name has become an icon in itself, but that wasn’t always the case.

Back in 1966, when the young David Jones was 18 and taking his first steps under the spotlight, he changed his name to avoid confusion with another British musician of the same name, Davy Jones, who later became the frontman for The Monkees. Bowie chose his moniker as a homage to the Bowie knife and James Bowie, a famous American pioneer.

Bob Dylan

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Another name that has long turned into an icon is Bob Dylan. Until 1962, his name was Robert Zimmerman and the most popular theory about why he chose Dylan was that it was done as an homage to poet Dylan Thomas. But the Nobel Prize winner has denied this a few times.

Apparently, the name came to him as a mixture of his own nickname, Bob, and the last name of jazz artist David Allyn. That same name, Allyn, sounded similar to Dylan, which the singer-songwriter preferred.

Lady Gaga

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While it may come as a surprise that some famous people’s names are not their real ones, others are quite obviously fabricated. Lady Gaga’s parents gave their daughter the more standardized name of Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta.

The young Stefani’s friends gave her the name Gaga after a lyric from the Queen song "Radio Ga Ga," which sounded similar to Lady Gaga.

Elvis Costello

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Elvis Costello may not have been born with that name but his parents gave him an even more flamboyant title: Declan Patrick Aloysius Macmanus. Granted, that name might have probably worked wonders for him in other endeavors, but in the realm of showbiz, shorter and easier-to-remember names are preferred.

And probably that is why ol’ Declan eventually chose a stage name after signing his first recording contract, combining ‘Elvis’ from Elvis Presley and his own father’s stage name, Costello.

Elton John

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Is Elton John an elegant name? You bet. Especially with the added "Sir." Is it real? Not a chance. Sir Elton was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight, a very British name indeed, but apparently not the one he wanted for his career.

The Rocket Man creator started going by the name "Elton John" in honor of saxophonist Elton Dean and singer Long John Baldry.

Cher

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A name so iconic that it doesn’t even need a last name, Cher is, in fact, short for the Pop Goddess's real name, Cherilyn, whose full birth certificate name is Cherilyn Sarkisian.

But before deciding to go with Cher, she recorded songs under the names Bonnie Jo Mason and Cherilyn. Even when she formed a duo with Sonny Bono, they went by "Caesar & Cleo," before landing on "Sonny & Cher."

Freddie Mercury

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When you sing as incredibly well as Freddie Mercury did, you can name yourself anything you want and people will come. But the man who gave us "Bohemian Rhapsody" thought that his birthname, Farrokh Bulsara, was not the best suited for his career.

The Queen frontman legally changed his name to Freddie Mercury around 1970, when the band was formed.

Stevie Wonder

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Stevland Hardaway Judkins was a wonder from a very early age. In 1961, 11-year-old Stevie was discovered by Ronnie White of the Motown group the Miracles. After a meeting at Motown Records, Berry Gordy renamed the young prodigy "Little Stevie Wonder," later dropping the "Little" as he matured.

Sting

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It probably won’t be a shock to know that Sting, the British musician, wasn’t born with that name. Instead, his parents gave him the most normal name of Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner.

While in school, Sumner played in local clubs as part of bands called Pheonix Jazzmen and Last Exit. It was one of his Pheonix Jazzmen bandmates who first dubbed Sumner, "Sting." The nickname stemmed from a black-and-yellow striped sweater he often wore while performing. And it stuck.

Bono

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Another rock star who decided that surnames were not a good look for him is U2’s frontman, Bono. Paul Hewson was born and raised in Ireland. While still in his teens, he was a member of a group called "Lypton Village."

One evening, hanging out on the street across from a local hearing aid shop called Bono Vox, his friends decided that such a name would be a good nickname for Paul because, in addition to being an Irish hearing aid company, "Bono Vox" means ‘good voice’ in Latin. At one point, Mr. Hewson dropped the "Vox," and from then on, became known simply as Bono.