There are various varieties of
coffee cake in the world. According to some countries, the term includes a
variety of cake varieties that go well with coffee, like streusel crumb cake.
Other regions, on the other hand, think coffee cake should include coffee in
some form, whether it be instant, brewed, or concentrated.
The History of Coffee Cake
Coffee cake,
according to many food blogs, is a cinnamon-infused sponge with a crumbly
streusel topping composed of flour, sugar, and butter. Others, on the other
hand, call coffee cake a coffee-flavored sponge, frequently accompanied by
coffee-flavored frosting and cream.
We must first
examine the history of coffee cake in order to comprehend how these disparate
definitions developed. The history of coffee cake is more complicated than we may
imagine. It is thought that the modern version of this cake originated from
honey cakes, which were popular in 17th-century northern and central Europe.
Since sweet
breads were popular in these regions at the time, it's probable that early
coffee cake varieties resembled bread in texture. Yeast, flour, eggs, sugar,
nuts, spices, and dried fruits were all included. At the time, it was also
thought that streusel crumb toppings were popular, but recipes quickly started
to evolve.
Germany is
thought to have been the very first country to serve coffee with cake.
Coffeehouses were
starting to appear in many German cities by the middle of the 20th century,
including Berlin, Hamburg, Dresden, and Nuremberg. By the 19th century, coffee
shops in Europe were serving sweet breads, little cakes, and cookies alongside
their coffees, frequently to counteract the coffee's bitterness.
Coffee cake
became considerably more popular as more of these coffee shops opened in
Germany, the Nordic countries, and cities like Vienna, Prague, and Budapest.
Regional and Cultural Variations
Many countries
started creating their own distinctive variations of coffee cake as coffeehouse
culture expanded throughout Europe in the 1800s. Known as kaffeekuchen (or
"coffee cake" in English) or kleine kaffeekuchen (or "small
coffee cakes"), these cakes were frequently served with coffee in Germany.
German coffee
shops also sold the gugelhopf ring cake, which resembled a Bundt cake, and the
crumb-topped streuselkuchen, or "streusel cake." Similarly, it has
long been common in Nordic nations to enjoy coffee and cake together. It's
called fika in Sweden, kaffee in Denmark and Norway, khavi in Finland, and
kaffi in Iceland.
They are still
common today and all mean "coffee" or "to have cake with coffee,"
depending on the situation. In Scandinavia, coffee is typically paired
with cinnamon or cardamom buns. These yeast-based sweet breads are frequently
covered with sugar syrup.
In Denmark, you
can also find the brunsviger, a yeast-based brioche-style cake covered in brown
sugar caramel, and cinnamon and cardamom buns glazed with brown sugar. Coffee
and Danish pastries are also well-liked.
Nordic countries
still use the terms "Viennese bread" or "Viennese pastry"
in their native tongues to describe the well-known Danish pastry, which was
initially adapted from Viennese pastry recipes.
In the 17th
century, French pastry chefs were influenced by Viennese cakes and pastries to
create croissant and brioche doughs, which swiftly gained popularity throughout
Europe, particularly when served with coffee for breakfast.
Savarin ring
cake, a yeast cake in the brioche style that is soaked in sugar syrup and
frequently infused with liqueur or rum, is another dish that the French eat
with their coffee.
In contrast, the
Netherlands is well-known for its appeltaart (apple pie), ontbijtkoek (spiced
breakfast cake, also called "pepper cake"), and boterkoek (butter
cake).
While
stroopwafels, a crunchy waffle filled with caramel that dates back to the early
19th century, were frequently placed over coffee mugs to soften before
consumption, zeeuwse bolus are comparable to cinnamon buns.
But as coffee
cake gained popularity in coffee shops across Europe, it also spread to North
America, where it took a different approach.
Coffee Cake in the US and the UK in the 20th Century and Beyond
A large number of
German and Dutch people immigrated to the US in the middle of the 1800s. As tea
houses gained popularity in the latter part of the century, European settlers
naturally introduced cakes and pastries from their native countries. But
as time went on, Americans started to modify these European recipes and add
coffee.
When coffee cake
was first mentioned in US cookbooks, the recipes were usually found in either
the bread or cake sections, depending on the type of batter or dough used. German
coffee cake began to appear in US cookbooks by the First World War, and by the
1920s, it was listed under separate headings in recipe books.
Some cookbooks
devoted exclusively to this kind of cake were published as early as the late
1960s, demonstrating its widespread popularity in the US. In its classic
form, coffee cake is a cinnamon-spiced sponge cake with a crumble topping, and
the original recipe hasn't changed much over the years.
The majority of
US bakeries and supermarkets sell these cakes. Starbucks even offers its own
take on "traditional" coffee cake across the country. Coffee cake,
also known as "coffee and walnut cake," has a unique twist in the UK.
Although the exact origin of the UK version is unknown, it is thought to have
first surfaced in cookbooks in the 1920s.
In the United Kingdom, coffee cake is usually a two-layered sponge cake infused with coffee, filled and topped with coffee buttercream, and garnished with walnuts. Across the country, it is now standard on afternoon tea menus and in supermarkets. In Australia, similar varieties of this cake are also commonly available.