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Making Cakes
My reputation for bad cake making is legendary amongst my friends – they used to come armed with a defrosted Sara Lee when invited round for dinner! 2 extremely bad efforts spring to mind – one a Danish Layer Cake that could be likened to a tyre inner tube and a Swiss Roll that was more like a Norwegian Snap! My husband used to plead with me not to make him a cake for his birthday – and it’s really not nice to see a grown man cry, but I used to go at it with such determination that I was going to succeed only to be disappointed with the outcome. And then I discovered knowledge! We hope that this information will give you the confidence to have a go at baking if you haven’t before and enjoy the experience of successful food!
CAKE MAKING
The basic ingredients for cake making are FAT, FLOUR, RAISING AGENTS, EGGS and SUGAR. However, there are some cakes that are made with fat and there are some that are not.
FAT
Butter is best for making cakes, but a good quality margarine will suffice. The fat should be at room temperature before use.
FLOUR
Plain flour and Self Raising flour can be used, depending on the type of cake method which we’ll talk about later.
RAISING AGENTS
It is usual to use Baking Powder as the main raising agent. This is a combination of Bicarbonate of Soda and Cream of Tartar. When mixed together they form Carbon Dioxide. When flour is wet the gluten has the capability of suspending this CO2 in the form of tiny bubbles. As gas expands when heated the bubbles become larger which in turn causes the cake to rise. However, it must be said that (and this is the reason for my block of flats in the oven imploding to the height of a cowpat) the mixture can only hold a certain amount of Carbon Dioxide. If too much raising agent is used the cake will rise well and then collapse!
EGGS
Eggs are important as they expand when heated and will trap the air beaten into the mixture. If a cake has a lot of eggs in it, it is unlikely that it will need much of a raising agent.
If the cake mixture is whisked, it will not generally require a raising agent, but if the mixture is beaten, it will.
SUGAR
Caster sugar is usually used in cake making as it’s finer than granulated and therefore gives a better texture.
ADDED EXTRAS
Dried fruit, banana, coffee, vanilla extract – all sorts of extras can be used in cake making – there are many recipes around for all different types.
TYPES OF CAKE METHOD
There are 4 different types of cake method which will dictate what flour and raising agent is used.
RUBBED IN CAKES
This method is used in recipes for cakes like shortbread, when the fat and flour are literally rubbed together to form fine breadcrumbs. It is important not to handle the mixture too much as it will become clumped. All the other ingredients are then added. The liquid is added slowly to ensure that the mixture is the right consistency (too much will make it too gluey and too little will make it too dry). As there is no air being whisked into the mixture, this type of cake will require a raising agent.
CREAMED CAKES
This method is used for sponge cakes like Victoria Sponge. It is based on combining the fat and the sugar together initially. This mixture is beaten very well to incorporate some air. After beating for about 10 minutes, the mixture should become paler and should have increased in volume. The eggs and flour are added afterwards. Self Raising Flour is usually used for these types of cakes.
WHISKED CAKES
These cakes are extremely light and airy (not in the case of my Swiss Roll!) which comes from the eggs. This is a fatless cake mixture and is made in a completely different way to other cakes and sponges. The eggs and sugar and placed in a bowl and whisked over a saucepan of hot water. The mixture should be whisked until it is thick enough to hold it’s own weight. The flour should be sifted 2-3 times and is folded in very gently so that the mixture maintains the air that has been whisked in. A metal spoon or a spatula is used in a figure of 8 movement to maintain the air content.
This type of cake does not require a raising agent as the air whisked into it will do the job!
MELTED CAKES
Melted cakes, like gingerbread, have a dense consistency and are a little like a thick batter mix. Treacle or syrup is used in these types of cake primarily which is accompanied by Baking Powder and Bicarbonate of Soda as the raising agent.
EQUIPMENT
The following are essential for good cake making:
Mixing Bowls with stay put rubber bottoms.
Weighing Scales. It is very important that quantities are correct as this will ensure success.
Whisk
Wooden Spoon
Metal Spoon
Greaseproof Paper
Cake Tins
Muffin Tins
Spatula
Palette Knife
Cooling Tray
PREPARING CAKE TINS
It is very important to bake cakes in well prepared baking tins which means that they have been greased and floured or have been lined with greaseproof paper. This will prevent the cake from sticking to the tin which will be a disaster! Preparation is key, unfortunately, but it will pay off!
As a general rule, the following is used:
Rubbed in mixtures use melted butter and greaseproof paper.
Whisked sponges use melted butter and dust with flour or sugar.
Small buns or cakes – used cakes.
COOLING CAKES
Cakes should be thoroughly cooled before being cut and they should be left to settle for about 10 minutes prior to turning out of the tin onto a cooling tray.
To turn out run a small palette knife around the edge of the cake. Place a wire cooling tray on top of the cake tin and turn both the cake tin and the cooling tray over so that the cooling tray is now underneath the cake. Remove the cake tin and peel away the greaseproof paper if it is being used. Turn the cake over so that the top is uppermost. Leave to cool thoroughly before cutting.