Guide to Different Types of Cakes

Published on September 1st, 2023
Updated on June 11th, 2024

FIGURE OUT WHAT TYPE OF CAKE YOU LIKE WITH OUR MASTER LIST OF CAKES, INCLUDING LAYER CAKE, BUNDT CAKE & CUPCAKES

There’s no better way to complete a meal or a celebration than with cake. No matter the reason, a birthday or a wedding, or the season, cake is the one confectionary constant that bakes our day. 

Cakes are made of flour, sugar, and imagination. Some of these confections are a piece of cake to master while others are more complex. But how can you figure out what type of cakes you like with so many cake choices? Let us explain in bite-size pieces all you knead to know about the different types of cake, including what is in each cake and how each is made.

Different Types of Cake

Life is batter with cake and these different types of cakes are love at first bite:

• Bundt Cake
• Ice Cream Cake
• Crepe Cake
• Cupcakes
• Cheesecake
• King Cake
• Brooklyn Blackout Cake
• PieCaken

Bundt Cakes

One of the most beautiful cakes requires little to no decorating at all — just some icing or glaze will do. A Bundt Cake is a round, one layer cake with a hole in the middle.

What does a Bundt cake taste like?

Bundt cakes may have a funny sounding name but there’s nothing humorous about their taste. Bundt cakes are super tasty, sweet, and delicious. These dense single layer cakes are perfect with a cold glass of milk. 

It’s hard to determine the top three Bundt cake flavors, but some of our favorites include chocolate, red velvet, and lemon. No matter the flavor, Bundt cakes are drenched with glaze or icing.

Read More: What is a Bundt Cake: Everything to Know

Ice Cream Cakes

One of the coolest cakes — literally — is ice cream cake. We all scream for slabs of ice cream layered with crispy, crunchy cookie bits.

What is an ice cream cake?

An ice cream cake screams fun childhood memories, mostly at birthday parties. It’s a frozen cake made of layers of ice cream, but some more modern ice cream cakes contain layers of cake too.

The most common ice cream cakes are the store bought ones you probably remember eating as a kid. These iconic frozen treats are made with a layer of chocolate ice cream, a layer of crushed chocolate cookies, and a layer of vanilla ice cream. Then, the rectangular or circular cake is decorated with whipped topping that looks like frosting.

What is the crunchy stuff in an ice cream cake?

Ice cream cake wouldn’t be complete without a layer of crispy crunchies. The black crunchy stuff in an ice cream cake is hard, crispy chocolate cookies, like Oreo cookies, that have been crushed up. Sometimes, these delicious morsels are called chocolate crunchies.

Is there frosting on an ice cream cake?

Yes, of course! It wouldn’t be a cake without luscious frosting and ice cream cakes are no different. Ice cream cakes are topped with a whipped topping that looks like frosting. This delicious whipped topping is made with cream and sugar and tastes like vanilla.

Crepe Cake

Crepe cakes are cakes filled with a dozen or more paper-thin layers of crêpes. Crêpes are thin sweet or savory French pancakes. One bite and you’ll want a double stack!

What is a crepe cake made of?

Like their name suggests, crepe cakes are made of crepes! These cakes feature picture-perfect layers of crepes with cream in between each layer. When the cakes are sliced, you can see all the itty bitty layers. The cakes provide a wonderful melt-in-your-mouth mouthfeel that is light and airy.

What is the difference between crepe cake and regular cake?

There are so many differences between crepe cake and regular cake that it may seem like the only similarity in these desserts is the word “cake.” The ingredients are similar too. Both crepes and cake are made with butter, eggs, flour, milk, and sugar. Here’s how these popular treats differ:

• Shape: Crepe cakes are round and regular cakes are round, square or rectangular.
• Volume: Crepe cakes are delicate and airy while cakes are dense.
• Layers: Crepe cakes have 20 to 30 ultra thin layers of crepes and cream while cakes have one to 12 layers.
• Filling: Crepe cakes are filled with cream and cakes are filled with frosting, fruits, custards, or creams.
• Taste: Crepe cakes are creamy and light while cakes are moist and rich.

Cupcakes

As their name suggests, cupcakes are mini, round cakes. They are baked in paper-lined muffin tins and topped with frosting or icing.

What are the different types of cupcakes?

There are as many types of cupcakes as there are flavors in your imagination. Some of the most popular cupcake flavors are simple, like chocolate, vanilla, and red velvet. Any flavor that could be used for a cake could be made into a cupcake. 

From colorful tie-dye cupcakes to crave-worthy peanut butter and chocolate to creative dulce de leche, there are cupcake flavors to please every person.

What is the most popular cupcake?

Like the timeless debate over vanilla or chocolate ice cream, the most popular cupcake is subjective. It really depends on whom you ask. Chocolate, vanilla, and red velvet are the classic flavors you’ll likely see at any bakeshop or grocery store, but we have hundreds of flavors on Goldbelly, ranging from cookies & cream to mojito to toffee crunch.

Cheesecakes

Cheesecakes are baked or unbaked refrigerated cakes made with soft fresh cheese, eggs, and sugar. Whether you prefer classic New York Cheesecake, bouncy Japanese Cheesecake, or caramelized Burnt Basque Cheesecake, we have the perfect slice for you.

What is the most popular cheesecake?

Yes, you guessed it. New York-style cheesecake is the most popular cheesecake. This dense, plain cheesecake is usually the default cheesecake served at diners, restaurants, and coffee shops. Served plain or with toppings like strawberries, whipped cream or chocolate, New York cheesecake is a classic choice.

What is the difference between New York-style cheesecake and regular cheesecake?

There are a few differences between New York style cheese and regular cheesecake, including ingredients and texture. Both are made with cream, cream cheese, eggs, sugar and vanilla, but New York cheesecake is made with a larger portion of cream cheese while regular cheesecake has more cream.

New York cheesecake is rich and dense and regular cheesecake is creamier. No matter which style you prefer, both are dreamy desserts that we can’t get enough of.

Read More: Different Types of Cheesecake

King Cake

King Cakes are synonymous with Mardi Gras and New Orleans. King Cakes are a hand braided sweet brioche bread filled with cinnamon sugar and frosted in purple, green, and yellow icing. A small, plastic baby is placed inside the cake.

What is a king cake and why is it eaten?

The king cake is a round, braided, brioche sweet bread filled with cinnamon sugar. It’s decorated with sweet frosting and gold, green, and purple sugar. The cake is typically eaten on Three Kings Day, or Epiphany, in early January and during Mardi Gras season. 

This holiday cake is decorated with Mardi Gras colors: purple (symbolizing justice), green (for faith), and gold (for power). Tucked inside the cake is a small baby (called the fève), representing the Baby Jesus.

What does it mean if you get the baby in a king cake?

If you’re lucky, you’ll get the slice that has a hidden plastic baby. It represents the Baby Jesus, and the lucky recipient is said to get good luck.

What does king cake taste like?

King cake tastes like a really good danish or kringle (Scandinavian pastry). This sweet bread is topped with creamy glaze or icing. Whether you eat it at the start of your day, as a teatime treat, or for dessert, king cake is delicious anytime no matter the reason or season.

Read More: What is a King Cake, and Who Makes it Best?

Brooklyn Blackout Cake

The iconic Brooklyn Blackout Cake is a super chocolate-y cake with chocolate buttercream frosting and decorated with chocolate cake crumbs.

What is the story behind Brooklyn blackout cake?

The pitch black colored Brooklyn Blackout Cake was invented during World War II to acknowledge the crummy mandatory power blackouts that were necessary to support what was once the world’s busiest shipyard, the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

What is blackout cake made of?

Brooklyn blackout cake is chocolate on chocolate on chocolate! A chocoholic’s dream, blackout cake is layers of dense, rich chocolate cake frosted with luscious chocolate buttercream frosting. The cake is often sprinkled with chocolate cake crumbs.

PieCaken

The cake, the myth, the legend…there’s only one PieCaken. Zac Young’s layered cake-pie creation is a trio of desserts stacked into one tall tower of pie and cake enrobed in frosting. It has inspired other bakers to create sliceable multi-dessert creations.

What is a PieCaken?

PieCaken is something that needs to be seen and tasted. It’s a unique creation that is perfect for the indecisive as it’s three desserts in one. The original PieCaken flavor was created for Thanksgiving. 

The Original PieCaken features holiday-inspired desserts: pecan pie, pumpkin pie, and spice pie topped with cinnamon buttercream frosting and apple pie filling.

Read More: What is PieCaken and Where to Buy it?

Who invented PieCaken?

Zac Young invented the PieCaken. The New York pastry chef was inspired by turducken, the triple-meat classic of chicken-inside-a-duck-inside-a-turkey. What was meant to be a limited time holiday offering turned into an overnight Instagram sensation and a dessert that is enjoyed holiday after holiday.

Let them eat cake — all kinds of cake. It’s a piece of cake getting all different types of cake shipped straight to your door nationwide on Goldbelly!