Cake for Dessert

[Dani Mc]

Poorly remembered Eddie Izzard routine on the premise of the Spainish Inquisition as done by the Anglican Church:

'Cake or death?'

'Cake, please.'

'Cake or death?'

'Ummmmmm, cake.'

'Cake or death?'

'Death. I mean cake, CAKE!'

'At this rate we're going to run out of cake.'

[bloviatrix]

How do I feel about cakes? I love that they can be simple or extravagant, but have the same fundamental form. They're sort of like hats--there are the demure ones, like tea cakes, and then there are the ostrich-and-peacock-feathered ones..........i.e., peach layer cake with toasted-coconut frosting.

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Love the hat comparison. I already know that I'm going to be looking at my hats and comparing them to cakes.

The thing I love about cakes is that there are so many types. There are the simple, homey pound cakes and coffee cakes. And then there are the elaborate contructions designed by Herme, Payard, etc. Each is good and brings a smile. I know that whenever I serve a cake to guests (especially if it's homemade) every will be happy. If you can't be happy when someone serves you a piece of cake there's something fundamentally wrong with you.

[*Deborah*]

I am the office birthday cake-maker, and bake something over a dozen each year. We have had the gamut in the 8 years I've been doing it, from simple yellow cakes to carrot cakes with lemon cream cheese icing to all kinds of cheesecakes (best way to make a cheesecake, if you're single: have your company pay for the ingredients and you only get/have to eat one slice!! I can't bake for myself or I'd never fit my clothes).

The ones with the most repeat requests: chocolate (or other) layer cake with an Epicurious milk chocolate icing (I think it was Bon Appetit's cover recipe last Fabruary, it includes a custard, and is sweet but SO worth the effort); a fresh banana layer cake with cream cheese/butter icing; key lime mousse cake with a gingersnap crust; English toffee cheesecake; and the new less-sweet fave: Gramercy Tavern Guinness Cake, also off epicurious.com. That is a rich Bundt cake, very very moist, very spicy, not very sweet, and served with a nice spoonful of unsweetened whipped cream (which you can add vanilla to, or a capful of whiskey).

Yum!

[JennyUptown]

I so love cake. Just tonight I posted about the cake I had for dessert tonight in the DC area forum (see Buck's Fishing & Camping, or whatever it's called). Tonight's cake was Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake - chocolate cake, chocolate icing, fresh whipped cream. Divine.

I have fond memories of birthday cakes my aunt used to bring to me (in Taylor, PA) from her hometown bakery (in Parsippany, NJ). Vanilla cake, whipped cream icing, layers of fresh strawberries and custard in between. I ate it once a year until the year she died. I was just 16 at the time, and haven't had that particular variety since.

Never was much a fan of ice cream cake. Blech. Especially the one my neighbor friend Sherry liked with the big dark plasticky cherries on top. Blech again.

Now I make cake every chance I get. Yellow with mocha frosting for my (now ex)boyfriend's birthday. Pineapple upside down every time I see my mother's brother because he goes crazy for it.

[foodie52]

Oooooo.......Tres Leches cake! Doesn't get any more satisfying than that. (Or any sweeter for that matter...)

[redfox]

I also adore cake. It's true, though I never thought about about it, that I prefer it in the afternoon with tea or coffee, rather than after dinner. I don't know why that should be! But then, we don't have dessert after dinner very often in these parts anyway, so perhaps it is just my feeling about sweets in general. When better to have them than 4 in the afternoon? Unless it is for breakfast...