Cake: Vanilla, Chocolate, or Carrot – Which Is Your Favorite?
November 26 is National Cake Day, and as a flavor company, we just couldn’t let this one pass by unacknowledged. Not that you need a reason to celebrate cake – for any occasion, in any shape, with buttercream or fondant, with ice cream or berries – and with countless possible flavors. Standby favorites such as chocolate, vanilla, and carrot cake will always be front runners, but what about all the other flavors in the cake world? Let’s look at some of the latest trends.
Passion fruit, guava, and orange
These light, sweet, and exotic fruits make for an amazing confection when baked into layers with moist, delicious cake. Tropical flavors are also being seen often in other baked goods, such as cookies. The baking industry is one that has been taking more risks in recent years as consumers become more and more adventurous. Tropical fruit flavors could also be a lovely choice for a wedding cake, perhaps topped with sweet, lightly whipped cream.
Lemon
Citrus flavors have been huge this year, and the cake category is no exception. Its blend of sweet and sour flavors and its irresistible brightness make it a shoo-in for birthday cakes, wedding cakes, or even just a refreshing dessert for a summer barbecue. Lemon offers a lighter switch from the extreme sweetness of chocolate for any occasion. It can be filled with lemon curd, berries, frosting, or anything else that complements the fruity lemon flavor.
Matcha
Matcha is everywhere this year – even on the list of the latest trends in cake flavors. Both amateurs and connoisseurs are favoring this unique flavor. To be sure, it’s an acquired taste – slightly bitter and a bit vegetal, but also smooth and somewhat creamy – but it’s gaining fans in droves, as its unique taste grows on you. We expect to see plenty of matcha-flavored cakes in the upcoming seasons.
Red velvet… and green, and blue
Red velvet is a classic, and it’s also one of the top wedding cake trends as of late. This cake features a unique flavor, a blend of chocolate, cocoa powder, vinegar, and buttermilk. The vinegar and buttermilk make red velvet cake moist, light, and fluffy, featuring a delicate taste with light chocolate notes. The latest twist, however, is the color of the cake – today’s “red velvet” cakes are just as likely to be blue or green or any color the cake maker chooses to make it stand out.