A cake is a sweetened baked food, usually made with flour, eggs, sugar, and a leavening agent. Shortening may or may not be used. Shortening is a fat or oil of animal or vegetable origin, such as butter, lard, vegetable oils, processed shortenings, and margarine. Cake or pastry flours give lighter, finer grained, and more tender cakes than do stronger flours, which are used for breadmaking. Flavoring, such as vanilla, chocolate, or mint, is often added to cakes. Additional ingredients, such as nuts or fruits, add to the texture and taste. A cake is usually shaped by the tin in which it is baked.
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