Cake
Created | Updated Apr 5, 2002
Not as simple as it looks.
Foodstuff made from eggs (usually hen's), flour (usually self-raising) and butter (usually fattening). In polite society, cake is usually eaten in slices (often accompanying a really good cup of tea), although it may be eaten whole if it is very small or you are very hungry.
Despite its apparent simplicity, cake comes in many forms, and should be approached with caution. For instance, "fruit cake" does not usually contain apples, lemons or mangos, but generally includes raisins and, perversely, nuts (see "fruitcake, nutty as a").
"Chocolate cake" is cake which contains chocolate, but a "cake of chocolate" is all chocolate and no cake, which may or may not prove to be a disappointment.
Most importantly, if someone offers you a "cake of soap", do not eat it. Soap is intended to be applied to the outside of the body using a sponge. You may, however, eat a "sponge cake" with no fear of side effects, unless the cake is later found to have contained drugs.
