The Spanish word 'pastel' meaning 'cake' or 'pastry' has a fascinating journey that starts in Ancient Greek. It comes from the Greek verb 'passein' which meant 'to sprinkle', which led to the Greek word 'paste' referring to barley porridge. This evolved into the Latin word 'pasta' meaning 'paste' or 'dough', which then formed the diminutive 'pastellus' meaning 'small paste'. The word then entered Old French as 'pastel', where it was used to refer to both pastries and crayons (likely due to the paste-like consistency of early drawing materials). Finally, it made its way into Spanish as 'pastel', primarily meaning 'cake' or 'pastry'.

The Spanish word 'pasta' is a close relative of 'pastel', both sharing the Latin root 'pasta'. While 'pastel' evolved to refer to sweet baked goods, 'pasta' retained its meaning of 'paste' or 'dough' and is commonly used to refer to pasta dishes. Another related word is 'pastilla', which refers to a small tablet or pill, reflecting the same notion of a molded or formed paste.

English speakers can easily remember 'pastel' by connecting it to several related English words. 'Paste' and 'pasta' share the same Greek-Latin ancestry, all relating to moldable substances. The English word 'pastel' also comes from the same source, though in English it primarily refers to the color or crayon rather than a cake. 'Pastry' is another cognate that shares this root, and its meaning is quite close to the Spanish 'pastel'.