National Raspberry Cake Day

July 31st is National Raspberry Cake Day in the United States.

A raspberry cake will encompass pretty much any cake that has been made with raspberries. Cakes are, these days, normally sweet baked desserts that are related to bread, although in the past this was not the case. Determining whether a dish is a cake, bread or pastry, though, can be more of a matter of opinion.

Raspberries are an edible fruit, of which there are a number of different varieties, with the red Eurasian raspberry being one of the most common, and certainly one that many people will picture when thinking of the fruit.

A raspberry cake could be made using whole raspberries or preserved ones. Raspberries, in the form of jam, could be used in a sponge cake to separate two layers of sponge. The fruit could also be added to the cake mix directly; for example, by blending the fruit into the cake mix, which will cause the raspberries to permeate the cake and will often give it a pinkish-red colouration. Alternatively, the raspberries could simply be used to decorate the top of a cake. The raspberry cake is therefore quite a versatile creation.