The Subtle Difference Between Snack Cake And Snacking Cake

Among the plethora of desserts to choose from in the world, there's just something about a traditional cake that keeps many of us craving its moist layers and spongey texture. While the cakes we've come to enjoy in the 21st century have come a long way from their far-off beginnings in Ancient Egypt (per Food Timeline), they remain a tried and true staple enjoyed by many dessert lovers around the world. According to a study conducted by SLH of 6,000 adults in the United States, Europe, Singapore, and Australia, among the nations' lists of their top 50 simple pleasures in life, "cake" claims a spot on each one.

In present-day America, there are even certain cakes that U.S. states prefer more than others. In 2021, Shane Co. (via The Loupe), conducted a study over a 12-month time frame using Google trends to determine the most popular cake flavors in the country. While ice cream cake took the top spot, garnering the most searches across 10 consecutive states, other top contenders were strawberry cake, chocolate lava cake, and angel food cake. And with Statista claiming 51% of Americans frequently consume snack foods during the week while 24% eat snacks every single day, there's no doubt snack-lovers munch on cake from time to time. However, can cake enjoyed as an indulgent snack be labeled a snacking cake?

According to a 2019 "Global Indulgence Study" (via SF&WB), U.S. consumers may not frequently order dessert at restaurants, but 59% of Americans admit to enjoying a sweet treat between meals. Whether you're choosing a Little Debbie snack cake, whose humble beginnings started in the early 1930s, or happen to have a leftover piece of chocolate cake from your friend's birthday party, truly any cake can be a snack, but not every cake can be deemed a snacking cake.

Snacking cakes are a particular confection that rests on the characteristic of homemade convenience. The Washington Post notes how the term "Snackin" cake" was purchased and used by the General Mills brand in 1971 in promotion of the company's easy-to-make cake mixes that required just a few kitchen utensils and one pan. Click Americana showcases the 1970s Betty Crocker advertisements, touted as "something special to eat" and "nothing much to clean up." While the Betty Crocker Snackin' cake mixes are now a product of the past, foodies in modern America are adapting the notion of a snacking cake to fit a little indulgence into everyday life.

What defines a snacking cake in 2022 varies depending on who you're asking. While the founder of the Former Root Baking Co., Chris Wilkins told Food & Wine a snacking cake is one baked early in the day, pastry chef, Rebecca Masson believes snacking cakes are typically made with little frosting sheet pan style, and can usually be consumed with just your hands.

Yossi Arefi, author of "Snacking Cakes: Simple Treats for Anytime Occasions" defines the particular indulgence as a moist square cake, easy to prepare with just a few everyday kitchen staples and one which can be transformed daily with a multitude of add-in options (via The New Yorker). Arefi divulged to The Washington Post that all of the cake recipes listed in her book "use as little equipment as possible: you can make all the batters, icings, and frostings with a whisk and a bowl" and "you don't need a stand mixer or even a hand mixer." Beyond the typical ingredients in a basic cake recipe, Arefi and baker, Jessie Sheehan both agree that oil and yogurt help keep these dense cakes moist and counter-friendly. While you can choose to snack on red velvet cake at any time, the snacking cake is a confection resting on the notions of convenience and simple unrestricted indulgence.