Flour is used to give mass to cakes. They can be made with plain white flour, or whole-wheat flour with the general understanding that the finer the flour used, the lighter the cake will be.
Eggs are used to a cake’s ingredients and help set the cake in its shape as it bakes. Eggs are also used to provide nutrition, and enhance the cake’s flavour.
Not only does sugar provide the sweetness that cakes are so well known for, but can also act as an agent in the creaming process and help to make the cake’s crust a golden colour. Many cakes use sugar alternatives – from sweeteners to honey, maple syrup and molasses.
Cake mixtures require a certain amount of moisture in order to bake successfully. In most cases, a small amount of water is used, but full-cream milk (which is high in fat and therefore contributes to the cake’s shortening) can be added, if the eggs and fat do not provide enough moisture by themselves.
Fat or oil – usually butter or a good quality margarine - used in baking is commonly referred to as shortening. Shortening provides the cake mixture with moisture and contributes to a fuller flavour. It also helps keep the cake fresh for a longer period after it has been baked.
Cakes, unlike bread products which rely on (a raising agent) for providing volume, are usually made with either a chemical raising agent (like baking powder or soda, which releases carbon dioxide) or a physical raising agent (where steam is produced from the moisture in the mixture being heated; or air is incorporated into the mixture through the act of sifting flour, creaming fats and sugars, whisking eggs or folding-in ingredients).