The History of Cake Essay examples -- Food and Drink

The history of cake is a very long and complicated history and the origins of it are not known by many people. How did all of the traditions related to cake start? Why is cake round? What were the first cakes made of? Cakes have been discovered and recorded throughout history. To find the true ancestors of the cake as we know it, one would have to look back to before modern civilization to when people were still mostly traveling nomads. Their main source of sustenance had always been meat. However, people could not rely on meat alone to keep them alive since that depended upon always being surrounded by animals. When farming was started man began growing many different types of produce, one of which was wheat and grains. The most primitive people in the world began making cake shortly after learning how to make flour. In fact, the remains of their cakes have been found in the ruins of Neolithic villages. â€Å"The cakes found there were extremely simple and consisted of crushed grains that were moistened, compacted, and probably cooked on a hot stone.† (Stradley, 1) The cakes then were closer to crackers though than the cakes we know of now, but they were definitely the beginning of the id ea. The word cake is said to have been used as early as the 13th century and is derived from the word â€Å"kaka†, an old Norse word for a baked flour confection sweetened with sugar or honey. According to food historians, the first people to show modern baking skills were the Egyptians, who started the concept of filling their breads with nuts and fruits. (the History of Birthday Cake, 1) After the Egyptians, the Greeks and Romans both started their concept of cake, which will be discussed later. After them the English and their neighbors began... ...chy and can never be known for certain due to their long history but they have definitely helped with many celebrations throughout the years. Works Cited "History of Birthday Cake." Birthday Gifts,Anniversary Gifts,Send Flowers to India,Rakhi Gifts, Diwali Gifts,Send Gifts to India. Web. 16 Jan. 2012. . Lynne, Oliver. "Cake History Notes." Food Timeline: Food History & Vintage Recipes. Foodtimeline. Web. 14 Jan. 2012. . Stradley, Linda. "Cakes-History of Cakes." What's Cooking America, Cooking Recipes, Food History, Dinner Party Menus and Recipes, Health and Beauty Articles, Culinary Dictionary, Baking Hints, Cooking Tips. Web. 15 Jan. 2012. . Krondl, Michael. "Let Them Eat Cake!" Sweet Invention: A History of Dessert. Chicago, IL: Chicago Review, 2011. Print.