Pound Cake

• Originally comprised of a pound each of butter, eggs, flour and sugar, pound cake originated in England. Most current recipes still use the original four ingredients but ratios have changed to create a bit of a lighter texture since there is no leavening agent used. Vanilla extract or lemon zest is often added for flavor. While it can be enjoyed on its own, it can also be toasted or grilled and served with ice cream and fruit or used as the cake of choice for trifles.

Yellow Cake

• Yellow, or golden cake, is a classic American cake that is most commonly used for layering in special occasion cakes. While the ingredients for this cake are similar to pound cake, baking powder is used as leavening and milk is added to create a lighter crumb in the finished cake. For layering, these cakes are typically made in multiple round or square cake pans. If baked in a large rectangle, they are referred to as sheet cakes.

Brittany Butter Cake

• Gateau Breton, or Brittany butter cake, is a traditional cake from the Brittany region in the northwest corner of France. It is very dense with a texture more closely resembling shortbread than cake. Egg yolks are used instead of whole eggs, and there is a higher ratio of butter to flour than in traditional butter pound cake. It is commonly served with a fruit sauce.

Butter Kuchen

• Butter Kuchen is a rich, yeasted cake with a topping of butter cubes and sugar. Literally "butter cake" in German, it is in the family of cakes called Blechkuchen because it is baked in a rectangle or sheet, which is "blech" in German. Sometimes topped with sliced almonds and cinnamon in addition to the butter and sugar, it is typically served with tea or coffee as a mid-afternoon snack.