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How To Bake The Perfect Cake... Every Time!

by: Amelia Carbine

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CakeFu presents How to Bake the Perfect Cake... Every Time!! www.cakefu.com

How To Bake The Perfect Cake... Every Time!Written by Amelia Carbine, CakeFu (www.cakefu.com)

This tutorial covers everything you need to know in order to bake a perfect cake. We cover the main types of cakes and when to use them.

With this tutorial you will be equipped with the knowledge you will need to add and change ingredients to a basic recipe allowing you to create endless

flavors of cake with very little trial and error.

Heres what youll learn: -What ingredients do

-Types of cake-Recipe variations

-Altitude adjustments and troubleshooting


What ingredients do:Butter/oil

Butter:Creates richness- This is an obvious characteristic of butter. What is more rich than butter? Although too much butter in a cake can actually dry it out.

Assists in leavening- Butter plays an important role in the leavening of a cake. In order for butter to help in leavening, you need to whip the butter with sugar which creates small air pockets.

Oil:Creates moisture- Oil in a cake recipe will make the cake very moist since oil never solidifies. The downside to oil is a lack of stability. Butter at room temperature is solid where oil is always liquid. Because of this, a cake made with butter will be more dense and stable than an oil based cake.

Does not assist in leavening- Beating oil with sugar will not create a light and fluy texture like butter and sugar does. Because of this, oil does not create leavening.


Sugar

Sugar:Creates sweetness- Of course we all know that sugar is sweet. So clearly, sugar creates the sweet flavor to cakes.

Assists in leavening- As stated in the butter section, when you whip butter and sugar together, it incorporates air into the batter. But sugar does not always assist in leavening as is the case with an oil based cake batter.

To properly incorporate sugar and butter, you want the butter to be room temperature. Whip the butter until it is light and fluy and then slowly add the sugar while still beating. Let this whip as long as you want but at least five minutes or until it turns into almost a buttercream frosting consistency.

Is considered a liquid- Sugar melts as soon as liquid is added to it. For that reason, sugar is categorizes as a liquid ingredient in most recipes instead of a solid. If there is ever a recipe that calls for mixing wet and dry ingredients, the sugar will be on the liquid ingredient side. The exception is if you are using the creaming method. This is very helpful information if you ever inherit a recipe without instructions.


Egg Yolk

Egg Yolk:Creates richness- As you see, I am separating egg yolks and egg whites into dierent categories. The reason for this is because egg whites and egg yolks do very dierent things. I never add a whole egg into a cake recipe without separating it first.

The egg yolk contains all of the fat of the egg. Because of this, it creates a richness to the cake, much like butter does.

Makes a more dense cake- Because of the fat content of an egg yolk, it makes a more dense cake. If you want a lighter cake you will want to remove the egg yolks. A wedding white cake is just a basic butter cake recipe without egg yolks.

If you chose to remove the egg yolks in a recipe, be sure to add more egg white to help stabilize the recipe.


Dry ingredients:

Flour:Flour creates stability in a cake. Without flour, a cake will never set. Not enough flour and the cake will fall, and with too much flour, the cake will be hard and chewy.

There are dierent types of flour that do dierent things. They vary by the amount of gluten that each type of flour produces. Gluten is the part of flour that binds. There are high gluten content flours that will create a tough, dense baked product. This is great for breads.

But the type of flour that is good for bread is not necessarily good for baking cakes. You dont want a chewy, tough cake. So the two main types of flour used in baking cakes are all purpose and cake flour which have less gluten.


All Purpose Flour- All purpose flour has a higher gluten content which will produce a tougher cake texture. This can be helpful if you need a cake that will be firm for sculpting. Just be careful. There is a line that you dont want to cross with firmness. Nobody likes a tough cake.

Cake Flour- Cake flour has much less gluten and creates a very light and airy cake. This is great if you are looking for a delicate cake or cupcakes. The downside is that you can create a cake that is too soft for sculpting or the added weight of fondant or gum paste decorations.

In my cake recipes, I like to use half all purpose flour and half cake flour as it creates the texture and density that I prefer.

Baking Powder/ Baking Soda:Leavens the cake- Baking soda and baking powder create lift and ensure a lighter cake. Baking powder and baking soda are not interchangeable. They both leaven but they also do dierent things.

Baking Powder is double acting- Baking powder is considered a double acting leavener. There is a chemical reaction that happens when you add liquid to baking powder which creates pockets of air inside the cake. But then there is a second reaction that happens to baking powder when it comes in contact with heat which creates more lift during the baking process.

Baking Soda neutralizes acidity- Baking soda is a single acting leavener. It reacts to liquid but not to heat. Use baking soda whenever you have a recipe that has an acidic ingredient like chocolate or an acidic fruit. Acidic ingredients break down the gluten in flour and cause the structure of the cake to give out. Baking soda neutralizes the acidity and prevents the cake from falling.

Salt: Enhances flavor- Salt is a flavor enhancer. Salt brings out flavors and allows you to taste the cake and cut the sweetness a little bit.


Liquids and Extracts:

Milk/Fruit purees/Other liquids:Creates moisture and flavor- Milk or other liquids are necessary to create moistness to a cake. Other liquid ingredients like fruit purees add a flavor to the cake. This is where a lot of flavor variations are achieved.

Vanilla/Almond/other extracts:Adds flavor- Vanilla and other extracts are such a small but major part of a cake. They add flavor and interest to a cake. You want to use an ingredient that has an intense flavor so you dont have to add a lot which can change the consistency of your cake.


Egg Whites:

Egg Whites:Assists in leavening: Egg whites, when whipped to a medium to sti peak, assist in the leavening of the cake. Some recipes will tell you to add whole eggs after creaming the butter and sugar together. This is something that should be avoided. Egg whites when added without being whipped defeat the whole purpose of the white and will just dry out the cake.

If you whip the eggs and fold them in at the end, it will create a lighter cake with a much better crumb.


Types of Cake:When I started baking, I would look for recipes that I could use and it was so hard

because the recipes were a! so dierent. It was hard to figure out which recipes would work structura!y for a tiered or sculpted cake.

I did a lot of studying on the dierent types of cakes that are out there. So I have put them into dierent categories and wi! teach you which types are best for cake decorating.

Pound Cake:A true pound cake does not contain chemical leavenings like baking powder or baking soda. It rises purely by the creaming of the butter and sugar and folding in the egg whites. This is a major reason why pound cakes are so dense.

Traditionally, pound cakes are baked in a loaf or bundt pan. But a pound cake can be baked in any shape of pan that is needed. A pound cake will need to bake at a lower temperature for a longer period of time due to the density of the batter.

Baking times vary by size of pan and volume of batter but a basic bundt would bake at 325 degrees for 55-65 minutes.

Basic Pound Cake Ingredients1 lb of each: butter (2c)sugar (2c)flour (3.5-4c)eggs (8-10)

Pound cakes are really great for sculpting. You can add flavorings to this basic recipe and I would highly recommend adding salt (about a 1/2 teaspoon) to enhance the flavors.


Butter/Layer/1-2-3-4 Cake:A butter cake is a mix between a pound cake and a sponge cake. I like to call it a hybrid. There are several dierent names for this kind of cake. It can be called a butter cake, layer cake, or a 1-2-3-4 cake. Why 1-2-3-4? Because the basic recipe calls for 1 cup of butter, 2 cups of sugar, 3 cups of flour, and 4 eggs.

If you can remember this basic 1-2-3-4 recipe, the sky is the limits to what you can create. You can pull together a cake at any time without needing a recipe and you can make any kind of variations you want.

Along with those 4 basic ingredients, you include the liquid, extract, baking powder, and salt in the amounts that are right for the variation that you choose. I personally tend to take out a little bit of the butter since I find it to dry out the cake with the entire cup of butter.

The liquid amount usually adds up to about a cup worth of liquid. The baking powder or baking soda varies depending on acidity. Usually it is 1 tablespoon of baking powder or with an acidic recipe it would be around 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda.

Basic Butter Cake Ingredients1 cup butter2 cups sugar3 cups flour4 eggsadd liquid, extract, baking powder, and salt

Butter cakes are the perfect cake for tiered cakes and work well for sculpted cakes as well. I use this type of cake for all of my cakes. It has a nice moist, dense texture but is lighter than a heavy pound cake.


Chion Cake:The main dierence between a butter cake and a chion cake is the type of fat used. A butter cake obviously uses butter where a chion cake uses oil. The oil is going to create a lighter texture and a more moist cake because oil never solidifies.

The chion cake is acceptable for a layer cake. It isnt ideal but it will work. I would not recommend this type of cake for a sculpted cake. It is just too soft and will not hold up to the carving and added weight of modeling chocolate or excess fondant. Chion cakes make excellent cupcakes.

Basic Chion Cake Ingredients4 eggs1 cup sugar1 cup flour1/4 cup oilpinch of saltadd baking powder, water, and extracts

The method used for mixing a chion cake is dierent from a pound or butter cake. It is mixed more like a sponge cake. You separate the eggs and whip the egg whites. In a separate bowl, you will whisk the egg yolks, oil and sugar together creating a smooth creamy mixture also called a ribbon stage. Then you fold the dry ingredients in and then fold the egg whites in.


Sponge Cake:A sponge cake is very similar to a chion cake. The main dierence is that a true sponge cake does not have oil added to the recipe. And like the pound cake, a true sponge cake doesnt have added chemical leavening. It relies on the ribbon mixture and the egg whites to create all of the lift.

I believe that the lack of baking powder and baking soda in these traditional recipes comes from a time when chemical leavening wasnt around. The only way that you could create lift and lightness in a cake was by incorporating all of the air that you could into the batter before baking it.

Basic Sponge Cake Ingredients4 eggs1 cup sugar1 cup flourpinch of salt

Like the chion cake, you whisk the egg yolks and sugar to the ribbon stage then fold in the flour and egg whites. The sponge cake and the chion cake are ideal for pairing with fresh fruits and creams. These cakes have a good texture at a colder temperature because they dont have butter that solidifies at cold temperatures. A good example of this is an angel food cake or a strawberry shortcake.


Amelias Butter Cake Recipe: This recipe is my go-to recipe for a basic cake as we! as the base for most of my cake variations.

3/4 cup butter, softened2 cups sugar3 cups flour (I prefer to use 2 cups all-purpose and 1 cup cake flour)4 eggs, separated1 tablespoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 cup whole milk or sour cream1/2 cup water1 teaspoon vanilla1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:Measure your flour by stirring to loosen it up. Scoop up the flour and sprinkle it into the measuring cup. Then scrape o the excess flour with a flat edge tool like a knife or bench scraper. This gives you the best chance of getting a correct measurement without weighing the flour. If you would rather measure by weight, it is about 13 ounces of flour for this recipe.


In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.

In another bowl, combine milk or sour cream and water. Set both aside.


Place the butter in a stand mixer with a beater attachment and beat it for about 4 minutes.

The butter will almost double in size and will turn a very pale yellow.

Slowly add the sugar while still whipping the butter.


Beat for 7-10 minutes until smooth and fluy. The mixture will look like a grainy buttercream frosting.


Add one egg yolk at a time until incorporated.

Lower the speed on the mixer to low. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. The best way to do this is:1/3 flour mix, 1/2 liquid, 1/2 flour mix, 1/2 liquid, 1/3 flour mix. Then add the vanilla and almond extract.

In a GREASE FREE bowl, beat the egg whites until sti peaks form.


Fold the whites into the batter a little at a time. First, add a dollop and mix it in well to even out the consistency between the batter and the whites. Then add dollops and fold them in gently, adding more before the whites disappear into the batter. Continue folding until the whites are all incorporated but be careful to not over mix.

Pour into greased and floured cake pans to about 1/2 to 2/3 full.


Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes then turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely. And DONE!

Just a note on releasing cakes: There is a magic window for taking cakes out of the pan. that magic window is 10-15 minutes. If you take the cake out before the 10 minutes, you run a risk of the cake falling apart. The cake needs time to set.

If you wait until after the 15 minutes, you will probably run into the problem of the cake sticking to the pan. This happens because the grease and flour that are there to help release the cake, cool down and solidify which creates a glue that holds the cake in place.


Variations:Now that I have shared a basic recipe, here are some variations that you can use. These

are just some su&estions to help get your juices flowing. I have given you a! of the information that you need so you can create your own unique flavor variations.

White Cake:This make a great wedding white cake and is a very simple variation. Just omit the e& yolks for a whiter color and add in a couple more e& whites to stabilize.6 egg whites remove yolks

Lemon Cake:This is an easy way to get a lemon flavored cake. If you want a more intense lemon flavor you can add in lemon juice but then you wi! need to use buttermilk in place of the milk and replace some of the baking powder with baking soda (see Chocolate Cake variation).1 teaspoon lemon extract2 tsp lemon zest

Spice Cake:This is the easiest of a! of the variations. You simply add spices.1 tsp cinnamon tsp nutmeg tsp allspice tsp ginger tsp cloves1 tsp cocoa

Chocolate Cake:Chocolate cake can be made with cocoa or melted chocolate or both. If choosing one or the other, I would su&est cocoa as a cake would dry out quite a bit with the amount of melted chocolate that would need to be added. I like to use both. replace 1/2 cup flour with cocoa4 oz bitter-sweet chocolatereplace 1 tsp baking powder with tsp baking sodaremove 1/2 cup sugar


Troubleshooting and Altitude Adjustments:So, you've been given a recipe 'om a 'iend who lives in a dierent part of the country. You've tasted their cake before and know that it is an amazing cake. But then you try it yourself. A(er the cake fails miserably, you wonder what you did wrong and that you're

clearly not cut out for baking.

We!, Im here to help you overcome these problems. Usua!y the problem is in altitude. There are things that you can do to adjust cake recipes to make them work for you

depending on where you live.

These are common problems that you might have with your cake baking and solutions to some of the problems. I would recommend trying one fix at a time until you are

comfortable and understand how things work.

Troubleshooting:

Cake is too dry Decrease butter, decrease baking time

Cake sinks in the centerIncrease baking temperature,

decrease baking powder, beat eggs less

Over baked exterior, Under baked interior

Decrease baking temperature, add an egg, increase liquid

Cake cracks Decrease baking time


Altitude Adjustments:

Baking Powder Sugar Liquid Flour Temp.

3000 ftDecrease

1/8 teaspoon for each teaspoon

Decrease 0-1

tablespoon for each cup

Add 1-2 tablespoons for each cup

Increase 0-1 tablespoon

for each cup

Increase temperature

by 25 degrees F

5000 ft

Decrease 1/8-1/4

teaspoon for each teaspoon

Decrease 0-2

tablespoons for each cup



for each cup


by 25 degrees F

8000 ftDecrease

1/4 teaspoon for each teaspoon

Decrease 1-3 tablespoons for each cup



for each cup


by 25 degrees F

So there you have it! This is pretty much everything you need to know in order to make a great cake. You know what each ingredient does, how to combine them, how to bake, how to make adjustments when you run into a problem, and how to make your own variations.

Now its time for you to go try this recipe and create your own. The sky is the limit! Id love to hear your feedback on how you liked the tutorial and what kinds of new recipes you have been able to create.

Send me an email at [email protected]


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