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The Perfect Cake
by Diane Watkins
The perfect cake is easily recognizable. It’s shape is perfectly
symmetrical with a golden brown crust. It has a feathery velvet texture,
and is moist and light. The taste is pure heaven. You can certainly
recognize a perfect cake, but can you make one?
When making a cake it is important to follow the recipe exactly. If you
try to skip a step you may have less than desirable results. Skip the
sifting step and your flour will be heavier than it should be, creating
a heavy, dry cake. Over-mix and your cake will be tough and chewy, more
like a good bread.
So, what are the steps in making a good cake? Let’s explore these
separately.
The Right Ingredients: First, use the right ingredients and measure
carefully. If the recipe calls for cake flour, you will have best
results with cake flour. All-purpose flour can be substituted, but will
not make as tender a cake.
Mixing: Beat the liquid ingredients well before combining with the dry
ingredients. Once the dry ingredients are added, the cake should be
stirred gently, unless the directions tell you otherwise. If your cake
is course and dry, or has tunnels, you have probably over-mixed.
All-purpose flour has a higher gluten content, and this will affect your
results. Also realize that all-purpose flour varies according to the
region of the country it is produced. Southern brands of flour are a
softer gluten than those in the northern US. If you must substitute
all-purpose flour, either use a southern product, or use 2 Tablespoons
less per cup of flour suggested.
Leavening Agents: There are three different leavening agents used in
cake making. Baking powder, baking soda, and air. Occasionally, you may
see a recipe calling for yeast, but this is not the norm. If the recipe
does not call for either baking powder or baking soda, then your
leavening agent is air and your beating step is very important. Pound
cakes, sponge cakes, and angel food cakes all use air as their leavening
agent. Many cakes use a combination of leavening agents, including air.
Baking powder also comes in different varieties, including regular and
double acting. If your recipe specifies a variety, be sure to use the
one called for. Most recipes that call for baking soda require
buttermilk, lemon juice, or vinegar. Do not substitute regular milk for
buttermilk without adding acid, as it is necessary for the leavening.
Shortening: Oil, and Butter Again, using the correct shortening is
important. If substituting, be aware of the liquid content. Everyone is
aware of the need to decrease the liquid when using oil, but you may not
know that butter contains more liquid than shortening, requiring an
increase in volume and a decrease in the liquid added to the recipe.
Baking Pans: Choose the correct size and shape of baking pan. The batter
should almost fill the pan, without any spillage or bulging. Baking
times and temperature will be dependent on the pan size. A thinner pan
may need a higher temperature to bake the cake without drying it out.
Prepare the pan as directed. Most recipes call for the pan to be greased
and floured. A piece of waxed paper or parchment paper cut to fit the
bottom may be placed in the greased pan if desired. This will aid
removing the cake when done. If using the paper, grease the bottom and
sides, place the paper into the bottom and then flour the sides if
directed.
Baking: The Cake Preheat the oven as directed. Starting in a cold oven,
or too hot an oven will affect the rising and browning of the cake. A
cake started in a cool oven will not allow the cake to rise sufficiently
before the crust forms and the cake may fall. Too hot an oven may cause
a crack to develop, and the crust to harden and over-brown. The cake
should be placed in the center of the oven for best heat distribution.
Be aware of your oven, if there are hot spots in your oven you may need
to adjust.
The cake is done when it is lightly browned and it springs back when
lightly pressed with the fingertip in the center or when a toothpick
inserted into the center comes out clean and dry. The cake will have
begun to shrink away from the sides of the pan.
Follow the recipe on removing the cake from the pan. Some cakes can be
removed immediately, some need a 5 minute rest, and others must be
allowed to cool completely in the pan. Proper attention to this detail
will prevent repairs caused by the cake sticking to the pan and tearing.
Using the proper ingredients, mixing well at the proper time, and
careful baking will produce a light tender cake that you will be proud
to serve. Follow the recipe, understand the reasons behind the
directions, and you, too will have the “knack” for cakes.
About the author
Diane Watkins is a traditional southern style cook. She enjoys cooking,
teaching, and writing about good food and family. For more information
on southern cooking and recipes, visit her website Easy Southern
Cooking.
www.easysoutherncooking.com
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