10 Most Popular Cakes of the World

Whenever anyone thinks about planning a birthday party, the first thing that is arranged is a cake! Even if there is no time for anything else, a cake is the very minimum which makes the day qualify as a true celebration. Such is the power of this baked product, usually made of flour, eggs, sugar and butter. To watch these simple yet disparate ingredients come together and rise to form the most beautiful and delicious thing that can have you forgetting all about your intentions to eat healthy.

If you're wondering why we're suddenly focusing on cakes today, it's because it's Cake Day! And since there are just too many kinds of cakes in this world, we've decided to focus on the 10 most popular varieties, that never seem to go out of fashion. Warning: put a waterproof cover over your keyboard to catch all the drool!

10 Most Popular Cakes of the World

1. Victoria Sponge Cake

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We begin with one of the most common cakes ever - the sponge cake, specifically the Victoria sponge cake also called the Victoria sandwich cake. Named after Queen Victoria, this cake consists of layers of sponge cake sandwiched together with fruit jam and whipped cream. Sometimes, cut fruit like strawberries or raspberries are also placed in the filling as well as used to decorate. This is one of those cakes that stand out for their simplicity, and don't require any additional decoration!

2. Cheesecake

A cheesecake has a more pudding-ish texture when compared to the traditional idea of a cake, but that doesn't mean it's any less delicious! Made of a biscuit or cracker base, and topped with a cream cheese mixture, cheese cakes are available in a wide variety of flavors, although the New York Cheesecake is probably the most popular. Many also have different toppings like jelly or ganache which add another layer to this delectable dessert. 

3. Angel Food Cake

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You've often heard of the term 'food of the Gods'; well, this one is one for angels! This cake is so soft and light, that you can't stop at one slice. The airiness is achieved by beating egg whites stiff, and without using any butter. These cakes are usually baked in tins with a hole in the center to ensure that the cake rises well, giving it that pillowy soft texture. 

4. Devil's Food Cake

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When you speak of angel's food cake, can the devil's version be far behind? And yes, this cake is so sinfully delicious, that the name is just perfect for it! This cake is considered different from your average chocolate cake because of all the chocolate - in both the cake as well as the ganache and filling. These cakes are a deep, dark brown, and just a small slice can take you to chocolate heaven!

5. Pineapple Upside Down Cake

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Most cakes are served the way they came out of the oven, but this cake is served upside down! Slices of pineapple are arranged at the base of the cake tin, usually with cherries filling in the gaps. Batter is then poured over this and baked, after which the cake is upturned to get a beautiful pineapple topped dessert! As you can imagine, this cake requires absolutely no frosting or accompaniments, it's perfect just the way it is!

6. Black Forest Cake

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This is probably the most sought after cake for birthday parties! A black forest cake is also called a black forest gateau, and is actually a German production. It consists of layers of chocolate cake, usually soaked in some sort of liquid, whipped cream, cherries and chocolate shavings. The cake is set apart from other chocolate cakes because of the moistness from the syrup and the tartness from the fruit, making it a true explosion of flavors!

7. Pound Cake

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No, this cake doesn't cost a pound; it is called so because of the ingredients - a pound each of flour, sugar, butter and eggs. However, a scaled down version with an equal ratio of these ingredients also qualifies as a pound cake. This cake is a little denser than the airy sponge, and nuts or chocolate chips are often added to the batter. This is the perfect cake to accompany your afternoon tea!

8. Tiramisu

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The Tiramisu is much more than just a cake; it is an experience! An Italian dessert, it consists of ladyfinger biscuits with a good amount of coffee, cocoa as well as mascarpone cheese. The result is a rich cake, usually cut into square slices and served at the end of an elaborate meal. This is not your everyday coffee cake!

9. Fruitcake

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This kind of cake starts getting popular around this time of year, and is a common fixture during Christmas feasts. This cake is usually quite dense and is filled with different kinds of nuts, dry fruit and spices, many of which are soaked in a mixture of liquids for several days before baking. A popular variation of this cake is the Plum cake, often seen in Christmas celebrations in Kerala.

10. Red Velvet Cake

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This cake is not for the faint-hearted; but don't let that fiery red color fool you! This is one of the most popular cake recipes on the planet, and in no small account to the contrast of the deep red cake against the white frosting. This is actually a kind of chocolate cake, which uses buttermilk to keep the cake moist and soft. The color is usually due to food coloring or beetroot juice, and is what gives the cake its distinct look!

Besides being informative, let this article be a bucket list of sorts - for the cakes to bake if you're a baker, or the ones to eat if you're a foodie! Do let us know if we've missed out on your favorite kind of cake!

6 Ways to make the Men in your Life feel special this International Men’s Day

If this is the first time you’re hearing about International Men’s Day, then you’re not alone. While International Women’s Day gets a lot of press and publicity, there is hardly a whisper and a nod to the male equivalent of the day. Now if you’re wondering why men need a special day seeing that they don’t need to fight for their rights as women do, well that’s not what this day is about!

International Men’s Day was created as a day to focus on men’s and boy’s health as well as to improve gender relations. In this world of changing gender roles, this day actually achieves more significance as the years go by. When women’s roles are being put in the spotlight (and rightly so), sometimes we tend to forget that the men do work hard for their families too!  This day attempts to focus on a man’s contribution to his family too, which goes a long way in fostering good gender relations, especially among boys.

So this Men’s Day, make it special for your Dad, brother, husband and son, and let them know that you acknowledge their efforts!  Here are a few ways you can make this day special for them.

6 Ways to make the men in your life special this International Men’s Day

1. Adventure Date

Plan a special adventure sports date for your husband, brothers and sons (if they are old enough) and your father and father-in-law (if they are active enough). They probably have fun in their own circles, but not with each other, so this will be a perfect opportunity to have some fun!

2. Laze-around Day

Let your husband have a day to himself. Okay, you probably think that he does have days to himself, but let this one not include any nagging about dirty coffee cups or wet towels! A no-nagging day will be super-appreciated by anyone, and you might just find that you enjoy it too!

3. Grocery Trip

Take a family trip to the supermarket, but let your husband and son take the lead. Let them check out the pantry and fridge, make a menu, list out groceries and get them. Let them do it the way they like and you can sit back and have fun clicking pictures! This is also a great way to get them more involved in the behind-the-scenes process.

4. Gifting Options

Get them gifts!! Women often tend to get men more ‘utilitarian’ gifts, but this time go for something whacky, but something that they’ll love – like a bobblehead of their favorite TV show character or a gun that makes fart noises!! Let all the women go shopping for this together – it’s a win-win situation for everyone!

5. Grooming Special

This month is also called ‘Movember’, a month-long event that promotes growing moustaches to focus on men’s health. Whether the men in your life have moustaches or not they can still enjoy a good grooming session! Book one at a luxe men’s salon and let them enjoy some well-deserved pampering.

6. Health Checkup

The best gift you can give anyone is of course, the gift of good health. Since the intention of this day is also to focus on men’s health issues (which many men ignore), gift your loved ones a full checkup at a reputed hospital. Make sure it’s tailored to their age, so that they’re up to date with all the requisite tests.

So there’s actually a lot you can do, from a simple supermarket visit to an elaborate adventure date. Pick one that’ll work for you and your family and don’t forget to tell everyone how much you love them!