Which Is Better: Cookies or Cake? Which Is Easier to Make?
If you want to experiment in the kitchen with your baking skills, you might constantly find yourself with the desire to bake some new type of cake or some new delicious cookies. However, those who are not so experienced in cooking and baking skills would definitely want to opt for something that is easier to make. So, how can you determine which ones are better and easier for making between cookies and cakes?
Cookies are considered the better snack due to their portability feature as well as the flavor variety along with a lot of combinations. In addition, cookies and cakes have a lot of things in common considering they have a lot of the same ingredients, and the way of preparation is quite similar.
I have written this article to make a clear comparison between cookies and cakes, so you could easily determine by yourself which of these sweet desserts is better. I have provided their differences, especially in the ways they are made, so you could see which one is easier to make. You will also read about the calories they carry in themselves and a lot of other features that these snacks include.
What Are the Differences Between Cookies and Cake?
If you know a little bit more about baking recipes, you are probably already aware that cookies and cakes have a lot of similarities when it comes to their ingredients. It is no secret that sugar, eggs, fat, and flour are the things that cookies and cakes have in common. Without these ingredients, these sweet snacks would not be as delicious as we know of.
However, it is obvious that they have a lot of differences as well, or otherwise, they would not be separated into two groups of desserts. Some of their differences are quite obvious, while some might be surprising since you were not aware of them in the first place. Therefore, even though they can be quite similar, it is important to understand how a cookie is different from a cake.
Firstly, the most obvious difference is the size. Cookies are regarded as finger food due to their size, and they are easily eaten with hands without the usage of any utensils. In addition, their size allows them to be portable, so you can easily take your cookies in your bag and eat them wherever you want.
Secondly, cookies can include different flavors and ingredients, i.e. you can add fruit, nuts, chocolate, or grains since their dough allows that. That means you do not need to change the recipe of the dough if you want to add a different ingredient instead of the classic one – chocolate chips. This also means that you can select your preferred ingredients according to your needs, and you do not have to worry about ruining the dough.
Furthermore, cookies are crunchy and solid, while cakes are usually soft and fudgy. Therefore, cookies can be a great type of snack that will satisfy your hunger easily when you are in a hurry and you have to ingest something to regain your energy. On the other hand, the cake is most commonly regarded as a dessert, and you cannot eat it at any time you want.
Lastly, cookies are the better option when it comes to maintaining balance in your diet. They are small in size and you can quite control the intake of calories, as well as the selection of ingredients. When it comes to cake, while you can also properly select the ingredients, the control of calories will be much more difficult.
How Is Cookie Dough Different From Cake Batter?
Cookies are made from dough, while the cake is made from batter, meaning they instantly have a difference in the process of making, even if they include the same ingredients. In other words, both cookie dough and cake batter have eggs, sugar, fat, and flour as their main ingredients. However, they form quite different consistencies when it comes to baking cookies and cakes.
Liquid
The first difference comes from the usage of liquids in the dough or the batter. For instance, cakes contain a lot more liquid in their batters, such as milk and water. The liquid inside the batter is responsible for the formation of bubbles, which make the cake fluffy and fudgy. Also, water and milk help the ingredients to blend well and hold together while creating thin layers.
On the other hand, cookies do not require as much liquid in their dough. They rely on fat for binding and holding the ingredients together, and they have a quite thicker texture. Cookies are supposed to be crunchy and solid, so they do not need any fluffiness as their end result.
Ingredient Ratio
The ratio of ingredients is maybe the most important factor when it comes to baked goods. How you select your ingredients and in which amounts dictate how your baked good will look in the end. Since we are talking about two different textures, it is obvious that cookies and cakes have totally different ratios, although they include the same ingredients.
For instance, the recommended ingredient ratio for cookie dough is three parts flour, two parts fat, and one part sugar. This ratio will give the perfect thickness of the tough, so you could produce some amazing cookie shapes characterized by crunchiness and crispiness.
When it comes to cake batter, the recommended ratio of ingredients is two parts liquid, two parts flour, one part eggs, one part sugar, and one part fat. In addition, the cake batter requires the presence of one part baking powder. Following this ratio, you will surely obtain a fluffy cake once it is baked.
Cookies vs. Cake: Which Is Easier to Make?
Following recipes seems easy, but it can actually be very tricky. For instance, when you see the recipes of cakes and cookies, you might think that they are quite simple and easy to be followed, especially since they include some basic ingredients. However, we are talking about two different structures here – one thin and the other one thick.
This means that working with two different textures is not always easy and involves some discipline in order to obtain the desired result. Therefore, for those who are not so experienced in the kitchen, it might be easier to follow a cake recipe rather than a cookie one. Since the cake batter is more liquidy, it is easier to work with it.
The cookie dough is thick, and you have to stir up the mixture quite well, so you would get some proper cookies. This might sometimes be difficult because it is a little bit difficult to determine whether the cookie dough is thick enough for baking.
Final Thoughts: Which Is Better, Cookies or Cake?
This is a matter of taste, so it is not possible to stick with only one answer and claim it as universal truth. However, there are some benefits that might put cookies in an advantageous position. Again, determining which is better would mostly depend on personal taste, but the following things might suggest that cookies are better in some way.
Portability
Cookies are considered finger food, meaning they are eaten with hands. In addition, they are quite small, so you can carry them whenever you want and always have a ready snack in your bag. Since you do not need any utensils for eating them, you can consume them whenever and wherever you want.
Variety of Options
You can include in your cookies different types of ingredients that will give your cookies a different flavor. Therefore, you can choose from chocolate chips, nuts, fruit, or grains. Whatever seems more suitable for your needs can be added to your cookies and make them more delicious and more nutritious.
Simplicity in Portion Control
When trying to maintain a balanced diet, you have to limit your snacks in some way. In this case, cookies are the perfect snack that gives you the ability to control your snack intake in a very simple way. You just have to know the number of calories each cookie contains, and you will know how many cookies you could eat at once.
While it is difficult to determine which is better between cookies and cakes, some facts put cookies in an advantageous position. Therefore, it might be better to opt for cookies as your snack, but you should be aware that the process of making the cookies might be more difficult than the one suitable for cakes.
