Let Them Eat Cake! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Angel Food Cake

To rise, an angel food cake depends on air beaten into egg whites. The fat which occurs in egg yolk will make the cake fall. The pan cannot be greased for the same reason. The other cakes mentioned could conceivably be made without egg yolks, but all of them depend on baking powder or baking soda for leavening.

Answer: Graham cracker crumbs

It's about the crust. A New York Cheesecake has a cookie dough crust (made with butter and flour) but never graham cracker crumbs. Some people may enjoy different toppings on their cheesecake, but graham crackers should never be on the bottom.

Answer: A small plastic baby

This cake is made to commemorate the three kings (magi) who went to see the newly born baby Jesus. The person who finds the baby receives certain privileges. The baby is added once the cake is done so it doesn't melt! Various forms of this cake are traditional in Latin America, France, and Spain.

It is also a feature of Mardi Gras in New Orleans. A coin or ring may be used as the prize in some cultures. If a metal trinket is used, it can be baked in the batter rather than added later.

Answer: True

Wacky cake is characterized by lack of milk, eggs, or butter. It is a chocolate cake made with cocoa powder and rises due to a chemical reaction between vinegar and baking soda. Food historians suggest that this recipe grew out of a time when sugar, butter and milk were rationed.

Answer: Johnny Carson

Fruitcake has a long history. Some trace it to Egypt (due to the prevalence of dried fruits and nuts in the Middle East.) Other authors comment on its durability which made it a good thing for medieval knights to pack on their quests. In the US, Southern teetotalers omitted the liquor often used as a preservative.

There is a tradition to use fruit cake as a wedding cake and to dispense it in small decorated boxes such that guests can put the cake under their pillow after the wedding to produce nuptial dreams.

Answer: Canned tomato soup

The website FoodTimeline.org by Lynne Oliver attributes the development of the Tomato Soup Cake to the Depression. The recipe appeared in the Los Angeles Times in the early 1930's and (like the Wacky Cake) used little sugar or butter.

Answer: Genoa, Italy

This simple sponge cake is used as a base for many more elaborate confections including the jelly roll and the "Buche de Noel."

Answer: Yeast

The Kugelhopf is a traditional Austrian or Alsatian sweet bread rich in eggs and butter and leavened with yeast. Raisins and nuts are additional ingredients. The Kugelhopf is usually baked in a high round tin mold.

Answer: Apricot jam

The Sacher Torte originated in the Hotel Sacher in Vienna who closely guards the recipe and the reputation of its cake by controlling its distribution. Luckily for those of us who live outside of Austria, recipes can be found.

Answer: Jamaica

This rich cake is made with bananas, walnuts and crushed pineapple with a cream cheese frosting.