Cakes and pudding cakes are both delicious baked desserts, but they have some key differences in terms of ingredients, texture, and preparation method. Here’s a quick overview of how cake compares to pudding cake:
Ingredients
The main ingredients in most standard cakes are flour, sugar, eggs, butter, baking powder, and milk or water. Pudding cakes, on the other hand, are made with a batter that contains flour, sugar, eggs, milk or cream, and sometimes chocolate or cocoa powder. Unlike typical cakes, pudding cakes do not contain butter or baking powder. The liquid-to-dry ingredient ratio is also higher in pudding cake batters.
Texture
Cakes are usually light and airy in texture with a tight crumb thanks to the creaming method used which incorporates air into the batter. Pudding cakes have a very soft, smooth, creamy, pudding-like texture. The high ratio of liquid to dry ingredients and absence of chemical leaveners like baking powder prevents the formation of an airy crumb.
Preparation
To make a cake, the common method is creaming butter and sugar together first, then adding eggs, dry ingredients, and liquids. The batter is usually poured into cake pans and baked. Pudding cakes are often made by whisking all the ingredients together until smooth, then pouring the batter into a baking dish before baking. The ingredients are not creamed together.
Cooking Method
Cakes are usually baked in a moderate oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30-40 minutes. Pudding cakes are designed to be underbaked in a very hot oven for a shorter time, usually 15-25 minutes. This allows the inside to remain thick and creamy while the outside sets.
Serving
Cakes are typically removed from the pan, cooled, and frosted or glazed before serving. Pudding cakes are often served warm directly from the baking dish they were cooked in, sometimes with a sauce or ice cream on top. They can also be chilled and served cold.
Examples
Some examples of popular cake varieties include:
- Sponge cake
- Pound cake
- Angel food cake
- Bundt cake
- Sheet cake
- Cupcakes
Well-known pudding cake recipes include:
- Lemon pudding cake
- Chocolate pudding cake
- Banana pudding cake
- Pineapple upside down pudding cake
- Caramel pudding cake
Nutrition
In general, cakes tend to be lower in protein and higher in fat compared to pudding cakes. Pudding cakes also contain more liquid, so they can have a higher moisture content. Here is a nutritional comparison:
| Nutrition Facts | Cake (1 slice) | Pudding Cake (1 serving) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 245 | 170 |
| Fat | 12g | 7g |
| Carbs | 36g | 28g |
| Protein | 3g | 5g |
Conclusion
While both delicious, cakes and pudding cakes have distinct ingredients, textures, preparation methods, and nutritional profiles. Cakes are light and fluffy thanks to creaming and leaveners while pudding cakes are dense and creamy. Pudding cakes are made with a high liquid-to-dry ratio and baked briefly to keep the interior fudgy. So the next time you’re craving a decadent dessert, decide whether you want the delicate crumb of a cake or the rich, pudding-like quality of a pudding cake!