Etymology Dictionary

CAKE,  a small mass of dough baked, &c.  (Scand.,—L.)   In prov. E., cake means 'a small round loaf;' see Chaucer, C. T. 4091.   In early use.   Spelt cake in Hali Meidenhad, ed. Cockayne, p. 37, last line.—Icel. and Swed. kaka, a cake; found in O. Swedish; see Ihre. + Dan. kage. + Du. koek, a cake, dumpling. + G. kuchen, a cake, tart.   B. The change of vowel in the Scandinavian forms, as distinguished from the Dutch and German ones, is curious, and must be regarded as due to corruption; the connection between all the forms is otherwise clear.   The word is not Teutonic; but merely borrowed from Lat.   We cannot separate G. kuchen, a cake, from G. küche, cooking, and kochen, to cook.   All from Lat. coquere, to cook; see Cook.