Loaf Cakes

A loaf cake is a rich, moist and dense cake baked in a rectangular loaf pan. Rooted in traditional 17th-century pound cakes, these simple treats are popular for easy slicing, snacking and traveling without needing complex frostings or layers.

The humble loaf cake dates back to the early 1700s when they were once known as “pound cakes”, given that they were made by using a pound of each ingredient (sugar, flour, butter) in the recipe. But as recipes and taste preferences evolved, today’s “pound” cakes tend to have different ingredient ratios than before. And it’s not just the recipe that has changed since then, but also the name, as this deliciously moist cake is now referred to as a loaf cake in Canada and the UK thanks to being traditionally made in a bread shaped loaf tin. Loaf Cakes are presented here as both savoury and sweet.