Might it taste of soap? (4)
I believe the answer is:
cake
'taste of soap?' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both man-made objects as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps there's an association between them I don't understand?
I don't understand the rest of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for cake that I've seen before include "Compact mass of something" , "Sweet food; become encrusted" , "Eg, gateau" , "Item of food or soap" , "Eg, Battenberg, Genoa" .)