Favorite Cake? Icing? Filling?

Well, this week I did something different. I polled my friends and followers to see their thoughts on their favorite cakes, icings, and fillings.

Now if I had asked this same question to myself a couple years ago, my answer would probably be similar to the answers I got.

People mostly stated that chocolate cake or red velvet cake, cream cheese icing or butter cream icing (not stating the difference in butter cream), no fillings.

<---Eros Torte: genoise, caramel nut filling, poached pears, caramel mousse, joconde

Now that I have been tasting and making different types of cakes, I, myself, have a different answer to give.

I would have, back then, said chocolate, chocolate, chocolate (cake, icing, filling). But now, I like more complex flavors, not overly sweet, but with an overall sweetness.

My chef instructor, Jackie T, loves the flavor of frangipagne, when I first heard of it, I was like, "eww, what is that?"

Then, after making it and tasting it, frangipagne (almond flavored cream), is pretty good. I love almond paste now, (laughing at myself very loud, if you only knew).

<---Apricot Cake with apricot mousse, vanilla Italian Meringue butter cream, apricot gelee, apricot sauce, candied almonds and diced apricots


In the direction of where I am going, with baking, etc., I love to see how people think in accessing flavors, but my new question is: do people ever want to try to extend their flavor palate or will they continue to be labeled as simple minded flavor lovers?

In saying that I mean, when looking at American cakes v. European cakes, Americans are seens as simplistic flavor lovers, while Europeans generally like complex flavors. Americans like higher fat, Europeans tend to like lower fat (with overall dessert being hih in fat, but the base cake not being high).

<<<----Opera Torte: coffee Italian Meringue butter cream, chocolate ganache, biscuit joconde cake, chocolate glaze.

Frazier Torte: ^
Sponge cake, diplomat cream, fresh strawberries, marzipan, strawberry coulis.

Frazier Torte------->>>

So after all this polling, and personal experience, I realized I dont have a favorite cake, icing or filling any longer. I have some not so favorites (i.e. bergamot), but I really enjoy tasting new things.

<<--- Palomo Torte: dacquoise, mascarpone mousse, genoise, strawberry insert, strawberry gelee, joconde

Carrot cake, caramel filling, Italian Meringue Butter cream (flavored)












So, if you are ever thinking of cake, think of what I learned... Stretch your mind and try something new!

Be on lookout for new topic next week with more questions of the day! Thanks for all the insight.

Jae