The Delicious Difference Between Snack Cakes And Snacking Cake

It's the middle of the afternoon and you're in need of a sweet treat, your hand reaches for your snack cake ... or is it a snacking cake? Is there a difference? According to some folks, there is. Snack cakes and snacking cakes are both great ways to satisfy your sweet tooth, but there are subtle differences between the two. Don't fear. The differences are mainly based on opinion rather than the law of Merriam-Webster, but there are still some key points of agreement.  

Snacking cakes are essentially homemade cakes that you can whip up with little effort. This sheet-cake-style treat can be thrown together quickly, using just one bowl, from either a box or with a few pantry-staple ingredients, says baker Yossy Arefi (via Washington Post). You can forgo the topping or add a simple frosting or glaze (and maybe some sprinkles). Nothing fancy is going on here – it's a dessert that favors convenience. The cake stays on the counter and you can cut little slivers off of it every time you pass by.

Snack cakes, on the other hand, are typically portioned into single servings instead of being baked as one large rectangle. Bite-sized tea time treats fall into this category, but it also encompasses the individually packaged cakes sold in grocery stores, like Hostess snack cakes. Some people believe that muffins, donuts, and fruit pies can be included in this category.

While the differences between snack and snacking cakes may seem clear to some, the lack of precise definition has left the baking community to come up with its own parameters. Food & Wine interviewed three baking professionals on this subject and each had their own opinions: Rebecca Masson (pastry chef) says that snacking cakes are simple and easy to make. Chris Wilkins (business founder) differentiates the two based on what time of day they're baked (snack in the morning, snacking in the afternoon) and mentions that snack cakes are smaller, like madeleines and financiers. But Bobbie Lloyd (Magnolia Bakery's chief baking officer) uses the terms interchangeably. With such uncertain terms, there's bound to be some overlap. For example, cupcakes could be classified as snack cakes or snacking cakes.

One point is clear: Ease and simplicity are important. Some cakes (i.e. elaborate birthday cakes) call for too many frills that eat up the time you need to spend doing other things, like working. Multi-layered masterpieces or labor-intensive fillings and frostings are best left for special occasions when you have the time and motivation to clean a bunch of kitchen tools. But, as soon as your fancy cakes turn to leftovers, they can become snacks. Before you spend too much time worrying over the nuances, take a deep breath and remember: Cake is cake, and as long as it tastes good, who cares?