Scone vs. Cake — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on October 30, 2023
Scones are a baked, lightly sweetened, often biscuit-like treat, while cakes are sweeter, moister desserts often layered with frosting or fillings.
Difference Between Scone and Cake
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Scones and cakes, while both baked goods, offer distinct culinary experiences. Scones are typically less sweet, denser, and have a crumbly texture. Cakes, on the other hand, are known for their sweetness, lighter texture, and moist crumb.
When considering scones and cakes, their origins are worth noting. Scones hail from Scotland and are often associated with British tea culture. Cakes, with a broader and more diverse history, are present in various forms across cultures.
The ingredients in scones and cakes differ notably. Scones are made with flour, butter, and a leavening agent, often resembling a quick bread. Cakes, however, include a greater proportion of sugar, eggs, and often milk, contributing to their distinctively soft and fluffy texture.
Scones are typically enjoyed with tea, often accompanied by clotted cream or jam. Cakes, in contrast, are central to celebrations like birthdays and weddings, often elaborately decorated with frosting or fondant.
In preparation, scones are usually shaped into rounds or wedges and baked until slightly golden. Cakes, conversely, are baked in various shapes and sizes, and layers can be stacked with fillings and icings to create elaborate desserts.
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Comparison Chart
Texture
Crumbly, dense
Soft, fluffy
Sweetness
Less sweet
Very sweet
Occasion
Tea time, casual
Celebrations, parties
Ingredients
Less sugar, butter
More sugar, eggs, often milk
Preparation
Shaped into rounds/wedges
Baked in various shapes, often layered
Compare with Definitions
Scone
A biscuit-like treat, sometimes including fruits or nuts.
The blueberry scone was a perfect accompaniment to her herbal tea.
Cake
A sweet baked dessert, often layered with frosting or filling.
They served a three-tiered chocolate cake at the wedding.
Scone
A traditional British snack, commonly served with tea.
During her visit to London, she tried a traditional scone with clotted cream.
Cake
A baked good made from a batter containing flour, sugar, and eggs.
For his birthday, his mother made a vanilla cake with strawberry icing.
Scone
A quick bread, typically made with flour, butter, and a leavening agent.
He baked fresh scones for the afternoon tea gathering.
Cake
A dessert central to celebrations, like birthdays or weddings.
Every year, she looks forward to her personalized birthday cake.
Scone
A small, lightly sweetened baked good, often round in shape.
She enjoyed a cranberry scone with her morning coffee.
Cake
A sweet treat, varying in flavor, size, and decoration.
The bakery displayed an array of cakes, from red velvet to lemon drizzle.
Scone
A baked item, originating from Scotland, and integral to British cuisine.
For the British-themed party, she prepared homemade scones.
Cake
A moist, fluffy dessert, often enjoyed with coffee or at parties.
At the office party, everyone enjoyed the rich, moist carrot cake.
Scone
A scone ( or ) is a baked good, usually made of either wheat or oatmeal with baking powder as a leavening agent, and baked on sheet pans. A scone is often slightly sweetened and occasionally glazed with egg wash.
Cake
Cake is a form of sweet food made from flour, sugar, and other ingredients, that is usually baked. In their oldest forms, cakes were modifications of bread, but cakes now cover a wide range of preparations that can be simple or elaborate, and that share features with other desserts such as pastries, meringues, custards, and pies.
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.
Scone
(Utah) Yeast bread dough, deep-fried and served with honey and butter or with a savory filling.
Cake
A flat rounded mass of dough or batter, such as a pancake, that is baked or fried.
Scone
A small, rich, pastry or quick bread, sometimes baked on a griddle.
Cake
A flat rounded mass of hashed or chopped food that is baked or fried; a patty.
Scone
Frybread served with honey butter spread on it.
Cake
A shaped or molded piece, as of soap or ice.
Scone
The head.
Cake
A layer or deposit of compacted matter
A cake of grime in the oven.
Scone
To hit on the head.
Cake
To cover or fill with a thick layer, as of compacted matter
A miner whose face was caked with soot.
Scone
A cake, thinner than a bannock, made of wheat or barley or oat meal.
Cake
To become formed into a compact or crusty mass
As temperatures dropped, the wet snow caked.
Scone
Small biscuit (rich with cream and eggs) cut into diamonds or sticks and baked in an oven or (especially originally) on a griddle
Cake
A rich, sweet dessert food, typically made of flour, sugar, and eggs and baked in an oven, and often covered in icing.
Cake
A small mass of baked dough, especially a thin loaf from unleavened dough.
An oatmeal cake
A johnnycake
Cake
A thin wafer-shaped mass of fried batter; a griddlecake or pancake.
Buckwheat cakes
Cake
A block of any of various dense materials.
A cake of soap
A cake of sand
Cake
(slang) A trivially easy task or responsibility; from a piece of cake.
Cake
(slang) Money.
Cake
Used to describe the doctrine of having one's cake and eating it too.
Cake
(slang) A buttock, especially one that is exceptionally plump.
Mmm, I'd like to cut me some of that cake!
Cake
(pyrotechnics) A multi-shot fireworks assembly comprising several tubes, each with a fireworks effect, lit by a single fuse.
Cake
(transitive) Coat (something) with a crust of solid material.
His shoes are caked with mud.
Cake
(transitive) To form into a cake, or mass.
Cake
(intransitive) Of blood or other liquid, to dry out and become hard.
Cake
A small mass of dough baked; especially, a thin loaf from unleavened dough; as, an oatmeal cake; johnnycake.
Cake
A sweetened composition of flour and other ingredients, leavened or unleavened, baked in a loaf or mass of any size or shape.
Cake
A thin wafer-shaped mass of fried batter; a griddlecake or pancake; as buckwheat cakes.
Cake
A mass of matter concreted, congealed, or molded into a solid mass of any form, esp. into a form rather flat than high; as, a cake of soap; an ague cake.
Cakes of rusting ice come rolling down the flood.
Cake
To form into a cake, or mass.
Cake
To concrete or consolidate into a hard mass, as dough in an oven; to coagulate.
Clotted blood that caked within.
Cake
To cackle as a goose.
Cake
A block of solid substance (such as soap or wax);
A bar of chocolate
Cake
Small flat mass of chopped food
Cake
Made from or based on a mixture of flour and sugar and eggs
Cake
Form a coat over;
Dirt had coated her face
Common Curiosities
Can cakes be savory?
Yes, while less common, there are savory cakes such as cornbread or vegetable-based cakes.
What is a scone?
A scone is a small, lightly sweetened baked good, often biscuit-like and served with tea.
What is a cake?
A cake is a sweet, moist dessert, often layered with frosting or fillings, and central to celebrations.
Are scones served warm?
Yes, scones are often served warm, sometimes with butter, jam, or clotted cream.
Can cakes be frozen?
Yes, cakes can be frozen for later consumption, though frosting and decoration may be affected.
How long does a cake stay fresh?
A properly stored cake can stay fresh for several days, though it varies based on ingredients and storage.
Can scones be gluten-free?
Yes, scones can be made gluten-free using alternative flours like almond or coconut flour.
Is a scone similar to a biscuit?
Yes, scones are similar to American biscuits but are slightly sweeter and often include fruit or nuts.
Do scones contain yeast?
No, scones usually use baking powder or baking soda as a leavening agent, not yeast.
Is cake decorating a professional skill?
Yes, cake decorating is a professional skill, often requiring training and practice.
Are cakes suitable for breakfast?
While not typical, certain cakes like coffee cakes can be enjoyed for breakfast.
Are scones considered healthy?
Scones can be part of a balanced diet but are not typically considered health food due to butter and sugar content.
What's the difference between cream scones and regular scones?
Cream scones use heavy cream for richness, while regular scones typically use milk or buttermilk.
Are scones and crumpets the same?
No, scones are baked and often sweet, while crumpets are griddled and more similar to English muffins.
Can cakes be vegan?
Yes, cakes can be made vegan by substituting eggs, dairy, and other animal products.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
