What is the difference between a gateau and torte?

Answer 1

'un gâteau' is any sort of cake in French. 'Une tarte' is a tart (a very thin and flat cake with a layer of fruit above) and pies are likely to be called 'tourtes'. 'Une tourte' resembles a'tarte' but has an additional layer of dough, to cover the fruits(or the mix of fruits, eggs, veggies, as une tourte may also be a main course and non only a dessert)

The two terms are often used somewhat interchangeably, with one or the other given to specific recipes--usually a dessert which includes thin cake-like layers with some kind of creamy or jelly-like filling, along with icing and/or fruit or other toppings. Black Forest dessert is called both a gateau and a torte (and a cake); Sachertorte, on the other hand, is pretty much always called torte. The main idea, though, is that both gateaux and tortes are more than simple cakes.