History of Coffee Cake

 

History of Coffee Cake

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


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


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.

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