What cake flavors go with chocolate frosting?

In the realm of food and cookery, when combining wine with cheese or food, you normally aim for one of two things: a taste that complements or contrasts.

Might this method be used to match cake tastes with fillings and frostings?

It turns out that it works fairly well! Many of the cakes we consider classic actually (inadvertently, we suppose) adhere to the “complement or contrast” guide. It’s a fun way to consider the success of classic pairings, and ponder new flavors to try.

Yellow or vanilla cake

A fluffy, delicate, and mild vanilla-scented cake is often used as the foundation for decorating cakes and is well suited to a variety of flavor combinations.

Complements:

Since vanilla comes from a flower, it makes sense that it sings in harmony with floral herbs or extracts, such as lavender, mint, rose or rosemary. Vanilla cakes with violet buttercream, for example, are delicate, sweet, and elegant.

If it works in a vanilla latte, it probably works in a cake filling or frosting. Sweet spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves are examples.

Moderate fruit tastes like fig, pear, and strawberries will enhance vanilla. Lady Baltimore cake, for instance, is made with a light vanilla cake paired with a fig and fruit filling topped with a fluffy cloud of meringue buttercream.

Deep, dark chocolate is probably the most famous contrast to this light vanilla cake — there’s a reason why yellow cake with fudge frosting is a classic. Is there too much contrast? It’s also good as a filling, as in the recipe featured in Craftsy course The Wilton Method: Baking Basics.

Tart, strong-flavored fruits may also work well with moderate vanilla. Tart cherries or blueberries, as well as citrus fruits like lemons or limes. A vanilla cake filled with a lemon-thyme curd, as taught in Creative Flavors for Cakes, Fillings & Frostings, is a study in beautiful contrast.

Chocolate cake

A rich, chocolate cake deserves a topping that honors its primary element.

Complements:

Chocolate goes well with…well, chocolate. Pairing a chocolate cake with a chocolate filling and/or frosting is never a bad decision.

Espresso or coffee may enhance the taste richness of chocolate. This harmonious duo can work together in contrast, too — consider how coffee and chocolate flavors contrast the creamy vanilla and sponge cake flavors in tiramisu.

You sometimes feel like a lunatic. Just about any type you can think of works well with chocolate, from almonds to macadamias to pecans. German chocolate cake, for instance, features chocolate, pecan, and coconut, which all come together with delicious results.

Contrasts:

The same way that vanilla cake with chocolate icing is a classic, the same idea works when the tastes are reversed. A chocolatey cake is wonderfully met with a sweet, mild vanilla filling or frosting.

Tart, vibrant fruits like orange, lemon, or raspberry may combine well with chocolate.

Very salty flavors, such as salted caramel, pretzels, peanuts, or perhaps all three, will act as a fine counterpart to the rich sweetness of chocolate. To be sure, it’s an addictive combo.

Carrot cake

A sweet, spice-rich cake that is earthy and cozy may be paired with a variety of cuisines.

Complements

Sweet fruits, such as pineapple and raisins, work well with carrot cake; they’re even added to the batter fairly frequently. Why not include them into a filling or icing as well?

The nutty tastes complement the spicy sweetness of carrot cake. You can add a buttercream infused with the nut of your choice, or create a buttercream or filling with browned butter, which has a naturally nutty flavor.

Contrasts

There’s a reason why carrot cake is so frequently paired with cream cheese frosting: the slightly sour quality of the cheese works wonderfully against the mild sweet and spiciness of the cake. Fillings and frostings with sour cream are also a wonderful option.

Increasing the spice content might provide a welcome contrast to the carrot cake. For instance, ginger’s strong and assertive flavor adds a new dimension to the sweetness of the carrots.

Lemon cake

Bright and zippy, lemon cake enlivens the taste buds. But what animates lemon?

Complements

Bright fruit flavors, such as tart berries, work well with lemon, adding flavors and colors that look pretty and meld well with lemon. Lemon-blackberry cupcakes are both beautiful and tasty.

Assertive spices and herbs, such as lemongrass, ginger, or mint, may stand up to the vivacious lemon taste and provide a new depth to it.

Contrasts

Lemon with chocolate? Consider it. The dark sweetness of chocolate works surprisingly well with the light sweetness of lemon.

Earthy spices and herbs, such as thyme and basil, may function in contrast to the brightness of lemon to provide an earthy touch to cakes.

Vanilla flavors can mellow out lemon’s assertiveness, but also make a sweet-tart combination that keeps you coming back for more. Lemon-poppy-seed cake with vanilla buttercream or glaze, for example, might be a delectable combination.

As you’ll learn in the Craftsy course Creative Flavors for Cakes, Fillings & Frostings, the sky’s the limit when it comes to delicious and interesting flavor combinations.