How does one "lightly scent" a cake? I see cake flavors listed as "lightly scented citrus cake", etc.

Also~ if you have a basic white or yellow cake ~ what is the best way to vary the flavor with extracts? Would I simply substitute (or add) a flavor for the vanilla (measure for measure)?

Can anyone please explain this?

Thank you!

I've never had a bride ask for a cake that "smelled" good.

Rose Water..

Debi~ it sounded odd to me too, but I thought maybe they were using it as a fancy way to mean "flavor". ??? I keep encountering descriptions that throw me...

at school when we make lemon cake, it is a chiffon cake with lemon zest.. not extract so the flavor is lighter, more natural (to me) maybe thats what they mean by lightly scented

the only extract i have is vanilla. for a citrus cake, i simply add the zest of the fruit to the cake mix, and the juice to the icing. for chocolate i replace some flour with cocoa.
i did read on here that its a good idea to leave the vanilla in, because it helps the added flavours to come through, but i have yet to try this tip.
and i would say lightly scented is code for a gentle flavour too. just a fancier way to put it!
xx

Hi K2Cakes,
You can also blitz fresh lavender in a kitchen whiz and add that along with some petals to a cake - that also will add a scent.

Fresh violets add a scent to cakes and muffins - altho the taste isn't that noticable.


As well as Lemon zest as said above - you can do the same with Oranges.

Its like blitzing fresh herbs and adding them to savoury muffins.
Not only can you taste - but the aroma is there as well.

Hope this helps.
Bh