Is pastry the same as cake?

No. Pastry is usually made with flour and fat, and it can be flaky or crisp.

Can pastry mean the dough itself?

Yes. It can mean the dough used for pies and tarts.

Is pastry countable or uncountable?

Both. You can say 'a pastry' or 'some pastry'.

Is pastry used in formal writing?

Yes, especially in food, cooking, and restaurant contexts.

← Dictionary

pastry

/ˈpeɪ.stri/

IELTSAcademic

noun

1.
A type of sweet baked food made from flour, fat, and water. It is often used for pies, tarts, and cakes.
- She bought a cream pastry for breakfast.
- The bakery sells fresh pastries every morning.
2.
The dough used to make pies and similar baked foods. It can be rolled, filled, and baked.
- Roll the pastry thinly.
- Chill the pastry before baking.

Adinary Nuance

Pastry is a broad word for sweet baked items and the dough used to make them. It is more specific than cake, because not all pastries are cakes. It is also different from bread: pastry is usually richer, flakier, and often sweeter.

In other languages

Vietnamese: bánh ngọt
Spanish: pastelería
Chinese: 糕点
Japanese: ペストリー
Korean: 과자

Etymology

Pastry comes from Old French pastisserie, from paste, meaning 'dough' or 'paste'. It entered English in the Middle Ages.

Common phrases

fresh pastrypuff pastryshortcrust pastrypastry chef

Synonyms

baked good sweet roll

Related words

pie tart dough bakery

Frequently asked questions

Is pastry the same as cake?: No. Pastry is usually made with flour and fat, and it can be flaky or crisp.
Can pastry mean the dough itself?: Yes. It can mean the dough used for pies and tarts.
Is pastry countable or uncountable?: Both. You can say 'a pastry' or 'some pastry'.
Is pastry used in formal writing?: Yes, especially in food, cooking, and restaurant contexts.