The primary distinction between a shortcake and a regular cake lies in their textures and ingredients used. A regular cake tends to have a softer, more delicate crumb due to its specific proportion of flour, sugar, fat, eggs, leaveners (such as baking powder), and liquid like milk or buttermilk. It often boasts various flavors and can be layered with fillings such as frosting or fruit preserves. In contrast, a shortcake typically has a denser texture and somewhat crumbly consistency due to its higher ratio of fat (such as butter) compared to flour and smaller amount of liquid used in its preparation. Shortcakes are often intended as bases for desserts like strawberry shortcake rather than standalone treats like regular cakes designed for slicing into pieces.