Scone vs. Cake: What's the Difference?
Edited by Aimie Carlson || By Harlon Moss || Updated on November 3, 2023
A scone is a small, lightly sweetened biscuit-like pastry, often served with tea, while a cake is a sweet, baked dessert typically made from flour, sugar, and eggs, and often frosted.
Key Differences
A scone is a single-serving baked good, often lightly sweetened, and sometimes glazed. It is usually made of wheat, barley, or oatmeal with baking powder as a leavening agent and baked on sheet pans. A scone is often plain or may contain raisins, currants, cheese, or dates. On the other hand, a cake is a sweet baked dessert made from a more varied mixture that often includes sugar, flour, eggs, and fat. Cakes are typically soft and sweet, and come in many varieties from layer cakes to sheet cakes, with possible fillings and icings.
Scones are traditionally served with tea and are a staple in British cuisine. They are quick bread, which means they can be made quickly without yeast, making them a convenient option for a quick snack or breakfast. Cakes, however, are the centerpiece of many celebrations like birthdays and weddings. Unlike scones, they are often elaborately decorated and can take hours to prepare, bake, and decorate.
The texture of a scone is denser and can be crumbly, and they are not as sweet as cakes. Scones can be eaten warm or cold and are often served with jam and cream. Cakes, by contrast, have a lighter, airier texture due to the beating of the eggs and are designed to be rich in flavor. They are typically eaten as a dessert or a treat.
Regarding preparation, scones are mixed until just combined to avoid overworking the dough, which can lead to toughness. They are then cut into shapes and baked. Cakes, however, often involve creaming butter and sugar together to create a fluffy mixture before folding in other ingredients. This process introduces air into the batter, resulting in a soft, well-risen cake.
Scones fall under the category of quick bread and pastries, while cakes are categorized as a form of sweet baked goods. While both are enjoyed worldwide, the scone is more commonly associated with the British 'cream tea', whereas the cake is found in a vast array of international traditions and cuisines.
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Comparison Chart
Leavening Agent
Baking powder, quick bread
Baking powder/soda or eggs, sometimes yeast
Sweetness
Lightly sweetened
Typically very sweet
Serving
Often with tea, jam, and cream
Often as a dessert with frosting or fillings
Texture
Denser and can be crumbly
Soft, airy, and moist
Occasion
Casual, breakfast, or afternoon tea
Celebrations, special occasions
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Scone and Cake Definitions
Scone
A baked good often eaten with tea.
We had scones at the afternoon tea.
Cake
A mixture of flour, sugar, and eggs.
She measured out the ingredients for the cake.
Scone
A quick bread lightly sweetened.
She split the scone and slathered it with butter.
Cake
A layered dessert often frosted.
The vanilla cake had buttercream icing.
Scone
A small cake of Scottish origin.
He chose a scone from the bakery display.
Cake
A sweet treat served on special occasions.
He blew out the candles on his birthday cake.
Scone
A biscuit-like pastry.
The cranberry scone was freshly baked.
Cake
A sweet baked dessert.
The chocolate cake was rich and moist.
Scone
A quick snack made from flour, fat, and leavening.
She baked scones for breakfast.
Cake
A celebratory confectionery.
They cut the wedding cake together.
Scone
A small, rich, biscuitlike pastry or quick bread, sometimes baked on a griddle.
Cake
A sweet baked food made of flour, liquid, eggs, and other ingredients, such as raising agents and flavorings.
Cake
A flat rounded mass of dough or batter, such as a pancake, that is baked or fried.
FAQs
Are scones considered a dessert?
Scones can be a dessert but are typically served as part of breakfast or tea.
Are scones always sweet?
No, scones can be savory with cheese or herbs.
Can cake be served with tea?
Yes, cake can be served with tea, especially in a casual setting.
Can scones be made with fruit?
Yes, fruit like raisins or blueberries can be added to scones.
Is frosting common on cakes?
Yes, many cakes are frosted, unlike scones.
Do cakes use yeast?
Some cakes, like yeasted coffee cakes, do use yeast.
Can scones be frozen?
Yes, scones can be frozen and reheated later.
Is cake batter supposed to be runny?
Cake batter varies in consistency but is generally more liquid than scone dough.
Can cake be savory?
There are savory cakes, such as cornbread and quiche.
Are cakes served at afternoon tea?
Cakes can be served at afternoon tea, but it is more common to serve scones.
Do scones contain eggs?
Some scone recipes include eggs, but not all do.
What makes a cake moist?
Moisture in cakes comes from ingredients like butter, oil, and eggs.
Is it traditional to put cream on scones?
In British tradition, scones are often served with clotted cream.
How long does cake last?
Cake can last up to a week if stored in an airtight container.
Can you make cake without sugar?
Yes, there are recipes for cakes with alternative sweeteners or less sugar.
Are scones served warm?
Scones are best served warm, often right after baking.
Can dairy be omitted from scones?
Yes, there are dairy-free scone recipes available.
Is it necessary to refrigerate cake?
It depends on the cake; those with perishable frostings should be refrigerated.
What is the shelf life of scones?
Scones are best eaten fresh but can last a couple of days if stored properly.
Are gluten-free scones possible?
Yes, gluten-free scones can be made with alternative flours.
About Author
Written by
Harlon MossHarlon is a seasoned quality moderator and accomplished content writer for Difference Wiki. An alumnus of the prestigious University of California, he earned his degree in Computer Science. Leveraging his academic background, Harlon brings a meticulous and informed perspective to his work, ensuring content accuracy and excellence.
Edited by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
