Today, November 26th, is National Cake Day.

Cakes have a long history, although what we largely consider to be cakes today are different from those of the past.

The word "cake" itself dates back to Viking times from the Old Norse "kaka." Many older cake styles were such things as cheesecakes - which date back to Ancient Greece - and fried breads.

The modern cake is usually a baked, sweet dessert, although the lines can blur between cakes, breads and pastries. Modern cakes often contain flour, sugar, eggs and butter (or a substitute) but many more ingredients can be added.

Two of the most common types of modern cake are sponge cakes and the fruit cakes, but even here there is enormous variation. Cakes are a traditional dish at many celebrations, such as weddings and birthdays, and on certain holidays.

Image: By Scheinwerfermann (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons