Southern Cakes

By Mollie Cox Bryan
Published on April 9, 2009
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Delectable Red Velvet Cake makes any occasion a special one.
Delectable Red Velvet Cake makes any occasion a special one.
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Coconut Cake is delicious whether it's one- or two-tiered.
Coconut Cake is delicious whether it's one- or two-tiered.
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A bit of baking flour never hurt anyone.
A bit of baking flour never hurt anyone.
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Chocolate cakes have nothing on Mrs. Rowe's Brownstone Front Cake.
Chocolate cakes have nothing on Mrs. Rowe's Brownstone Front Cake.
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Lemon Pound Cake is just one of the variations for a versatile cake recipe.
Lemon Pound Cake is just one of the variations for a versatile cake recipe.
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Our pal Gritty was all smiles until the wax began to drip.
Our pal Gritty was all smiles until the wax began to drip.

While it’s enjoyed all over the world, cake is heartily embraced by Southerners who, of course, have added unique and delicious twists to the historical glory of the sweet treat. Old-fashioned Southern cakes have become a part of the American canon of cake baking.

Cake boasts a long lineage stretching back to the ancient Egyptians – the first civilization to show any skill in baking, sweetening much of its bread with honey. The actual word “cake,” however, is traced back to Viking origins. The Norse word “kaka” means a baked flour confection sweetened with sugar or honey, mixed with eggs and often, but not always, with milk and fat.  

The histories of cake, bread, biscuits and buns are indistinct. The beginnings of all would be bread in its simplest form. As techniques for baking and leavening developed and eating patterns changed, what were originally regarded as forms of bread came to be seen as categories of their own and named accordingly. 

During the 19th century, technology made the cake baker’s life much easier. The chemical raising agent bicarbonate of soda, introduced in the 1840s, followed by baking powder (a dry mixture of bicarbonate of soda with a mild acid such as cream of tartar ), replaced yeast, providing a greater leavening effect with less effort. Another helpful breakthrough was the development of ovens with more accurate temperature control.

Cake sustains a celebratory reputation. They are a must-have at birthdays, weddings, graduations and wakes. There’s no need to wait for those occasions, though, to enjoy one of these special Southern cakes. 

Coconut Cake

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