Frog cake facts for kids
A knot of brown, pink and green frog cakes
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| Course | Dessert |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Australia |
| Region or state | South Australia |
| Main ingredients | Sponge cake, jam, cream, fondant |
The frog cake is a super cool Australian dessert! It looks just like a frog's head. This yummy treat is made from sponge cake and cream, all covered in sweet fondant.
The Balfours bakery first created the frog cake in 1922. It quickly became a favorite snack in South Australia. At first, you could only find green frog cakes. But later, brown and pink ones were added too! Today, there are even special versions for holidays, like snowmen for Christmas or "chicks" for Easter.
People often say the frog cake is "uniquely South Australian." It has even been used to help promote the state! Because it's so important to the local culture, the National Trust of South Australia named the frog cake a South Australian Heritage Icon in 2001.
Did you know there's a similar cake in Denmark? It's called a Kajkage ("Kaj cake"). It's named after a character from a Danish children's TV show called Kaj & Andrea. These cakes are a bit like the "French Fancies" made by the British company Mr Kipling.
What is a Frog Cake Made Of?
A frog cake is a small dessert shaped like a frog with its mouth open. It has a base of soft sponge cake with a sweet jam center. On top, there's a layer of cream, and then the whole thing is covered with a thick layer of fondant icing.
The way frog cakes are made today is exactly the same as when they were first created in the 1920s. Big sheets of sponge cake are put together and then cut into the frog shape by machines. After that, they are covered in fondant. A hot knife is used to make the frog's mouth. Finally, small fondant eyes, usually a different color, are carefully added by hand. Each finished cake is placed in a paper patty-pan.
The fondant is usually brown, green, or pink. But for special events, you might see frog cakes in other colors like red or yellow!
The History of the Frog Cake
The idea for the frog cake came from Europe. In the early 1920s, Gordon Balfour, whose uncle helped start Balfours Bakery, traveled to France. He saw different kinds of European confectionery (sweets) and was inspired.
When Gordon came back to Adelaide in 1922, Balfours Bakery introduced the frog cake. This was a time when tearooms were very popular in the city. The frog cake quickly became a symbol for Balfours. For a long time, it was mostly sold only in South Australia. But now, you can find them in other Australian states like Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland too!
The first frog cakes were green, and green is still the most popular color. But later, Balfours added chocolate and pink versions. While the frog shape is the most common, special times of the year bring different designs. For example, during Christmas, you might see Father Christmas or Snowman cakes. Around Easter, there are "Chick" cakes. Frog cakes have even been made in the colors of the Adelaide Football Club!
Frog cakes have been seen as a special symbol of South Australia for a long time. They've even been used to help promote the state. For instance, in 2001, frog cakes were given to judges when Joan Hall was trying to get Adelaide to host the 2007 World Police and Fire Games. Her bid was successful!
In 2001, the National Trust of South Australia chose the frog cake as one of the first "South Australian Icons." This happened during the state's 165th anniversary. The frog cake was added to the National Heritage Listing as a "movable asset," which means it's a culturally important item that can be moved.
The frog cake has always sold well for Balfours. Sometimes, sales have even gone up a lot because of things happening with the company. In 2000, when the company faced financial trouble, a newspaper writer named Rex Jory asked people to buy the cakes to support Balfours. Sales then doubled to a record high! Similarly, when the frog cake became a South Australian icon in 2001, sales increased again. Because the frog cake is so popular, other companies tried to copy it. So, in 2001, Balfours officially registered both the name and the unique shape of the frog cake as a trademark.
See also
In Spanish: Frog cake para niños
