Cake Tips and Recipes!

[Gayla]

Although I enjoy cooking, I have never been very good at baking cakes. For some reason all the cakes I make from scratch taste good but turn out heavy like pound cake and the texture is slightly course. I have checked my oven temperature. Does anyone know how people get those light fluffy cakes??

[Denirae]

Hi Gayla, make sure your eggs are fresh and don't overmix. Also, make sure your baking soda & baking powder are fresh. It's best not to bake on a rainy day, because of the humitity. Some cakes call for self-rising flour. Just a thought. btw, what kind of cake did you make?

[Brenda]

I agree with Denirae on the suggestions.
Could you post one of the recipes that did
this so we could see?

[Gayla]

I really appreciate any insight you may have into my concrete cakes. The following recipe is one I made for a 50th wedding anniversary party. It tasted good but I thought I might have to hire piano movers to get it to the party. Two recipes make two 12"layers, two 8" layers and two 6" layers.

Almond Butter Cake (one recipe)
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbs. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups cold water
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
9 egg whites
Grease bottoms of one 12", one 8" and one 6" round cake pans. Do not grease sides. Line bottoms of pans with wax paper: grease and flour wax paper. Set aside.
Cream butter & shortening in large mixing bowl, gradually add sugar, beating well. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alterately with cold water, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix well after each addition. Stir in flavorings.
Beat egg whites until soft peaks form; fold into batter. Pour 1 3/4 cups batter into 6" pan, 2 3/4 cups batter into 8" pan and remaining batter into 12" pan. Bake layers at 325 for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans, peel off paper and cool on wire racks.

[Brenda]

It looks like a great recipe, so I have NO
idea. First of all, do you live in high altitude?
That is suppose to make a diffrence. Do you
remember if it was really humid that day?

I'm thinking when you beat egg whites there
is a trick to the eggs being room temp but the
bowl being chilled? Does anyone else remember?

I've also read using unsalted butter is better
for baking.


What kind of shortening did you use?

[licia]

I don't make many cakes where the egg whites must be folded in because I have had a problem in that area. I would suppose that step is the hangup. The batter before that seems to be a heavy one and the beaten egg whites are the trick to lightening the batter. I don't know if I don't have the patience or what, but the folding must be done right or the cake will be heavy. I've made pound cakes where the yolks are used first then the beaten whites later and if not folded in exactly right, the cake comes out heavy. I do mine the "chicken" way. I use a different recipe that tastes about the same. This may not be any help, but thought I would tell my experience. Will keep reading to see if someone comes up with the answer.

[Gayla]

Let's see..... I believe I used salted butter and Crisco shortening. I did use room temp. eggs but did not chill the bowl. Is north metro-Atlanta high altitude?? I may be over-processing the flour. Most recipes say mix "well". What is "well"? I also might be "egg white folding challenged".
Another cake I made that did the same thing was a Black Walnut Cake but the recipe called for buttermilk (which I think is heavy). That recipe didn't call for beaten egg whites though. On my oven... I've noticed that things always take a little longer to cook than the recipe states. I'll try to verify my oven temp. again this weekend with a different thermometer than I used last time.

[Denirae]

Hi Gayla, one other thing, did you use a plastic mixing bowl? To mix well just means until everything is all mixed in. It might just be your recipe. Sometimes, just one ingrediant gets listed incorrectly and that will mess it up. I have cut recipes from the paper/magazines only to have them come back the next week and reprint showing their error. Just a thought. Isn't it beautiful out today? Enjoy! = )

[Brenda]

Well, I agree the egg white thing can be
tricky and I don't do it all that often. I made
a "wacky cake" last week with the vinegar in
it? Have you tried these? My husband talked
me into it "Oh, it won't hurt-have a little chocolate".
I'm trying to limit my sweets!

I'll post it and the frosting. It turned out rich
but not heavy.


Yes, overmixing might be a problem too-good
point!

Haven't been able to figure out how to ask a question, so I have hit reply in desperation!

[Abigail]

Everyone of you have made excellent suggestions. I love baking cakes and began competing in cake baking contest since my 4-H days. I am a witness that the one thing that MUST BE OVER-BEATEN is the butter and sugar. Whip it! Whip it good!

After being certain that all ingredients are at room temperature, cream the butter (or other fat) and sugar till it's almost white and looks like a bowl full of summer clouds. Smoothe, light, and little or no grit from the sugar. It may take about 5-7 minutes, and will be the longest part of mixing a scratch cake. Complete your directions quickly, lightly mixing remaining ingredients.

The results are noticebly wonderful.
KEEP US POSTED.

[Abigail]

Hey, just a reminder. Sift your flour, sodas, salts, and baking powders together very well and handle gingerly.

Air is what makes cakes light. Incorporate lots of air.

[KRISTEN]

Hi all,
I know i probally spelled petifores wrong but it has been a long day...

anyhow, here is an easy shortcut

take a ready made poundcake
cut it into sheets (layers) 3/or 4
put wax paper between layers
place in freezer

after it freezes

take it out and remove wax paper and between layers put jam or frosting or cream cheese /whatever

re freeze/ until cold

take out
cut into squares

and frost
chil

decorate

wella
mmmmmmmmmm


best of luck
kristen

[Gayla]

Thanks everyone for all the advice. I have seen a couple things I might try...creaming butter & sugars well and sifting flour, soda and salt well. I will be making a cake for my SIL's birthday this weekend and will report Monday. Thanks again!

[licia]

I thought about the post on children's tea parties as I was looking thru the new Southern Living. There is a section on Easter parties that would be great for children. Also, there was something else that brought the site to mind, but I can't remember what it was and I couldn't remember what the title of the post was on children's tea. I guess I need a rest. Anyway the March edition is great for several reasons - and nobody paid me to say this. I have about 30 years of S/L in the garage - the only magazine that I keep. Hope this helps someone. Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

[Gayla]

Ok..here's the deal. I baked my SIL's favorite Black Walnut cake for his birthday. I used fresh stuff, whipped like crazy, sifted carefully, folded gently and it was the best I've ever made. I know I had been under-creaming the butter and sugar (thank you, Abigail) and I may also have been guilty of not mixing the flour and sodas together well enough before blending them with the butter and sugar mixture. Thanks again everyone!!

[Abigail]

GAYLA, YOU GO GIRL! It was a pleasure being a part of the sisterhood which helped you out.

[Denirae]

Gayla, we knew you could do it. Glad it came out and wish I could have been there for a piece. Sounds like a very yummy cake. Have a great day. Waving to you from cold, cold Lawrenceville.

[CulinaryJen]

Hello,

I am late at reading this.

I, also, have entered baking in various competitions, and I agree with Abigail. That creaming of the butter (or fat) and sugar is crucial, and a lot of people miss that. And definitely sift.

The only other thing I would suggest, is have someone re-caliberate your oven, just in case. In baking, it is crucial that the right environment be created.

Jen

I was just at this webpage for some tips and happend to read your post afterwards. Maybe you have figured out the problem already but if not here are some great tips that have helped me!

Taken from: Http://www.chefrick.com

CAKES THAT USE SEPARATELY-BEATEN EGG WHITES AND YOLKS
If the cake is dense and heavy:
The eggs were too small. Always use large eggs when baking.
Insufficient air was whisked into the egg and sugar mixture.
The flour was not folded in gently. Always mix in the flour at the lowest speed.
The melted butter was too hot when added, causing it to sink down through the whisked foam.
The oven temperature was too low.
If the top of the cake dropped:
The oven temperature was too hot.
The cake was not cooked long enough.
The oven door was opened too soon, which created a draft.

CAKES THAT USE CREAMED BUTTER AND SUGAR MIXTURES
If the batter curdles and separates:
The ingredients were not at room temperature.
The butter and sugar were not creamed together well enough before adding the eggs.
The eggs were added too quickly.
If the cake's texture is too heavy:
The butter, sugar and eggs were not beaten together long enough.
The flour was beaten at too high a speed.
Too much flour was added to the creamed mixture.
The oven temperature was not hot enough.
If the top of the cake peaks and cracks:
The oven temperature was too hot, causing the outside of the cake to bake and form a crust too quickly. As the mixture in the center of the cake continued to cook and rise, it burst up through the top of the cake.
The cake wasn't baked on the center rack of the oven.
If raisins, dried fruit and nuts sunk to the bottom:
The pieces of fruit were too large and too heavy.
The sugary syrup on the outside of the fruit was not washed off- this caused the pieces of fruit to slide through the mixture as it heated.
The washed and dried fruit was not dusted with flour before being added to the mixture.
The cake mixture was over beaten or was too wet so it could not hold the fruit in place.
The oven temperature was too low, causing the mixture to melt before it set to hold the fruit in place.