Cakes are a common desert worldwide. But, for typical American-style cakes that are solid throughout, drying can take place along the exposed slice. A new analysis re-discovers a classic way of cutting cake that leaves the desert fresh, even after several servings.
Numberphile, a group of mathematicians and researchers studied cakes, looking for a scientific method of slicing the deserts. Alex Bellos found that once a wedge is cut from a cake using the traditional technique, both inner sides are exposed. If a second slice is then taken from the cake, it will have one degraded side, and one freshly-cut side.
Mathematicians sought to discover a method to maximize freshness, and found a technique developed in the Victorian Era.
For maximum freshness, cakes should be sliced with a pair of cuts, all the way across its face, with each cut slightly off-center. A quick poke at right angles through the middle of the sweet treat divides this strip into two pieces. These can then be removed, and the cake pushed back together to preserve quality. When you wish to take a second piece, repeat the process, with slices made at a different angle than the previous cut.
This intriguing method was first devised by Francis Galton more than 100 years ago. He is better-known for being the first to recognize the uniqueness of human fingerprints. Galton also created the world's first weather map and coined the phrase "Nature versus nurture."
Numberphile recommends holding the cake together with rubber bands. However, mathematical ideals could fall short in the face of engineering problems as elastics may cause the loss of significant quantities of frosting. Bellos claims his testing showed little damage to icing.
There are also challenges presented by cakes with fillings, like fruit or ice cream. If these are not evenly distributed through the cake, diners can receive uneven amounts of the treat. Slices cut this way would also become smaller as time goes on.
"We instinctively see the circle as a wheel, which is a point going around another fixed point, but if we stop and try to see it in a completely different way, then that's when you come up with this other solution. Just be careful to make sure that you don't get a bit of rubber band in your mouth," Bellos told the press.
The same technique could also be applied to other pastries and breads, according to the group.
Explanation of the cake-cutting method was provided in a video, produced by Numberphile, and available on their YouTube page.
