They both contain essentially the same ingredients (eggs, sugar, baking soda, etc.). And “because it’s tradition” is not an acceptable answer.
Carrot cake is usually baked in a cake pan, whether sheet-cake or a round layer pan, and frosted. Banana bread usually isn’t.
So if I bake my banana bread in a cake pan I should call it banana cake?
You can call it whatever you want.
IANA chef but I always assumed bananna bread was made with bread flour- that is flour containing gluten
Bread is usually dense, cake is usually light.
Technically, zucchini bread is cake.
The recipes I’ve seen say to use AP flour. Except for the fact that banana bread is usually baked in a loaf pan, it doesn’t have the consistency of bread. It’s really a cake that’s typically made in a bread pan.
It alliterates better that way.
If monkey bread were named monkey cake would it be any less delicious?
IMO bread is denser than cake. But I doubt that’s a hard and fast rule.
Mostly the frosting, I think.
Huh. I’m confused then.
ETA
And what is the difference exactly between cupcakes and muffins then???
Frosting and eating after noon.
I frost my banana bread. It’s the only bread I frost for what it’s worth. What if I make my banana bread into rolls? Are they banana rolls, like cinnamon rolls, banana cake rolls, or banana bread rolls? Since I’m using a square cake pan they must be banana cake rolls.
Cupcakes and muffins have different textures. Cupcakes are lighter and fluffier than muffins. Carrot Cake and Banana Bread have the same texture.
I’m going to start calling my Banana Bread Banana Cake and see if it catches on. Who cares what pan you used to bake it? That’s arbitrary and nonsensical. If it looks like a cake and tastes like a cake…
A lot of people have frosted raisin bread, verdad?
So go, dolphinboy, go!
I suppose you can frost any bread, but it doesn’t make it right.
For some breads, maybe not. Still, something about that savory bread juxtaposed with sweetness can be such a home run. Remember these?
This is the only correct answer.
Well here’s a recipe for Cucumber Bread, or as you would rather call it, Cucumber Cake.