CAKE MAKING

A cake is a baked sweet/ dessert and shares the same features with other sweets such as pastries,
meringues, custards and pies. Basic cake ingredients are flour, sugar, eggs, and butter or oil, with
some recipes also requiring additional liquid (for example milk or water) and leavening agents
(such as yeast or baking powder). Common additional flavourings include dried, candied or fresh
fruit, nuts, cocoa or extracts, and numerous substitutions for the primary ingredients are possible.
Cakes are also designed to different shapes and sizes, and their uses range from ceremonial to
sweets served after a meal though particular types of cake may be associated with particular
festivals.

The method of adding fat and sugar usually distinguishes the type of the cake. Methods used in
cake making include:

a. Rubbing-in method

The sum total of fat and sugar to that of flour is ¾:1 respectively e.g. assuming that the
amount of flour used is 200 grams, then the quantities of sugar and fat should be 75
grams each.

Procedure for making rubbed- in cake mixtures

- Sieve the flour in to a mixing bowl;

- Add the fat and rub it into the flour to form a sandy texture;
- Add the sugar and mix well;
- Make a well at the centre of the bowl and gradually fold in the well beaten
eggs;
- Into a greased baking tin, put in the mixture (batter) and load into the pre-
heated oven;
- Bake at 180°C for 25-30 minutes.

b. Creaming method
 In this method the sum total of fat and sugar to that of flour is 1:1 respectively e.g.
assuming that the amount of flour used is 200 grams, then the quantities of sugar and fat
should be 100 grams each.

Procedure for making creamed cake mixtures

- Into a clean mixing bowl put the fat and sugar and cream using a cooking
stick till fluffy soft and white;
- Add the well beaten egg gradually as you whisk the mixture;
- Fold-in the sifted flour gradually to make a batter with a dropping
consistency;
- Into a greased baking tin, put in the mixture (batter) and load into the pre-
heated oven;
- Bake at 180°C for 25-30 minutes.

c. Whisking method

In this method, usually no chemical raising agent is used; trapped air acts as the raising
agent for whisked mixtures. Also fat is excluded in whisked cakes. The ratio of sugar to
flour for these mixtures is usually 1:1 respectively.

d. Melting method

In this method, bicarbonate of soda is used as a raising agent and the fat is normally
melted first before using.

Hints on cake making

a. The oven must be pre-heated to the right temperature for the cake before putting the cake
mixture in to it.
b. Baking tins must be prepared before mixing the cake. The lining, or greasing and dusting
of the tins must be carefully done otherwise the shape of the cake may stick and be spoilt.
 c. Correct ingredients and of good quality must be used:

 Flour- should be dry and soft for best results

 Sugar- should be of fine grains for creamed and whisked mixtures, fine sugar
gives cakes with better texture.
 Fat- should be soft and have good flavour
 Eggs- should be fresh, capable of entrapping and holding air
 Raising agent- must be carefully measured
 Fruit- must be clean and dry before using

d. The ingredients must be accurately weighed otherwise the right kind of cake will not be
obtained.
e. The method used for making the mixture must be appropriate and the procedures well
followed in order to obtain the right texture and kind of cake intended.
f. The mixture should be baked immediately before any of the raising agents is allowed to
escape and the temperature must be correct for the cake.
g. During baking, the oven door should not be opened before the cake sets otherwise it will
sink.
h. Test the cake for readiness before removing it from the oven or tin.
i. Turn carefully and allow the cake to cool on a wire-rack before storing or using.
j. Cakes to be iced must be completely cold before any icing is attempted.

Most common faults and their causes

a) Cake sunk in the middle

Most of the causes for a sunken cake are concerned with recipe imbalance. Too much of a certain
ingredient can cause the cake to rise quickly but then collapse (too much baking powder) or can
result from an imbalanced recipe preventing sufficient air being beaten into the mixture (flour
too soft, too much fat). The most common causes are as follows:

i) Too much baking powder,

ii) Too much sugar (this will be apparent if the cake also has a crisp, sugary crust),
 iii) Too much Fat/Margarine,
iv) Flour too soft,
v) Oven door was knocked before the cake had set,
vi) Over creaming,
vii) Too much liquid,
viii) Opening the door of the oven before the cake is set; it allows air in causing it to sink,
ix) The cake was removed before it had cooked.

b) Cake collapsing at the sides

This is also called the 'X' fault on account of the shape of the cake after it is baked. Most often
the cause is too much liquid in the batter inhibiting the batter from rising evenly.

c) Fruit sinking in the cake

This is a very common problem and one which can have a number of causes, either to do with
the fruit or the batter. The most common causes are:

i) The flour is too soft

ii) The batter is too soft
iii) The batter is too lightly aerated (either from over-mixing or from too much baking
powder)
iv) Fruit are wet and therefore heavy (especially cherries)

d) Cakes too small

A very common problem, and again one with a number of potential causes, the most common of
which are as follows:

i) Insufficient aeration (from under-mixing or not enough baking powder)

ii) The batter is too stiff
iii) Flour is too strong
iv) Batter toughened (from over-mixing or from recipe imbalance)
v) Oven too hot (which leads to the cake being 'gripped' and stunted)
 e) Badly cracked tops

The cause of this is that the oven is too hot, and the crust of the cake forms while the cake is still
rising, leading to the crust 'bursting'

f) Peaked top

Usually caused by:

i) A tough batter, which is caused by over mixing, and is often accompanied by a long hole
in the cake. Also,
ii) When the heat in the oven is too hot, or
iii) When the cake is placed to high in the oven.

g) Wet streak at the base of the cake

This is caused by too much liquid, with the excess liquid in the recipe left as residue at the base

h) Cake staling quickly

This has a number of causes:

i) Oven too cold so the cakes are in the oven too long, and the crumb dries out
ii) Too much baking powder
iii) Not enough liquid in the batter to keep the cake moist

i) Sugary tops or white spots on cakes

The causes are as follows:

i) Too much sugar

ii) Not enough liquid (to dissolve the sugar)
iii) Sugar too coarse (to be fully dissolved)
iv) Cakes standing too long before going in the oven. This allows moisture to escape from
the top of the cake, and leaves sugar residue in the batter.
 v) Insufficient creaming/rubbing-in.

j) Curdled cake batter

Fat and water do not mix normally, and in a cake batter which contains fat and water (in the
eggs) there is a natural tendency for curdling, the breaking down of the emulsion of fat and eggs.
If a cake batter curdles, then the cakes are often still acceptable, though smaller than usual.
Curdling will occur if:

i) The eggs are added too soon before the fat and sugar have been creamed
ii) The eggs are added cold, as this causes the fat to harden again, and accept no more eggs.
Egg temperature should be approximately 72F (21 Centigrade)
iii) The eggs are added in too large amounts. Eggs should always be added slowly and
gradually.

k) Open and coarse texture

This happens because of four reasons: too much baking powder, wrong portion of fat to sugar or
the flour to the liquid, insufficient creaming or the heat in the oven was too much.

l) Dry and crumbled texture

Curdled mixture, too much baking powder or the cake cooked slowly.

m) Large hole in the cake

This commonly occurs when there was inadequate mixing of the flour or when the mixture was
poured into the baking tin little portions at a time thus forming air pockets.

n) Heavy and close texture

This happens for several reasons:

i. Insufficient creaming of fat and sugar or during the addition of eggs

ii. Insufficient raising agent used
 iii. Too much liquid
iv. Low heat from the oven
v. High heat from the oven thus forming a hard crust from the mixture before the air expands.
vi. Insufficient cooking.

Faults in whisked cake mixtures

a) The texture is close and heavy

i. The eggs and sugar were insufficiently beaten,
ii. The eggs and sugar were overheated while whisking,
iii. The flour was carelessly folded-in thus breaking down the albumen and loosing air which
had been trapped,
iv. The flour was added too quickly thus crushing the air,
v. Too much flour was used,
vi. The oven was too hot during baking, the air had not expanded before the gluten and the
albumen set.

b) The crumb is moist and heavy

i. Too much sugar was used,
ii. Insufficient cooking,
iii. The oven was too hot therefore the air expanded too quickly and the gluten and albumen
collapsed,
iv. Too cool an oven therefore insufficient heat to expand the air.

c) A Swiss-roll cracks badly when rolled

i. The texture too close,
ii. Overcooking
iii. Hard edges not trimmed before rolling
iv. It was not rolled on top of a damp cloth
v. Not rolled quickly enough before it cooled.

d) Genoese has a heavy layer at the base

 i. The fat was not of the same temperature as the other ingredients,
ii. Too much fat was added at the same time
iii. The fat and flour were insufficiently folded in.

Raising Agents

These are the 'Agents' which gives lift to your Baking. Raising agents fall into three specific
categories:

 Chemical,
 Mechanical and
 Natural

i) CHEMICAL RAISING AGENTS

The main two Chemical Leaveners used in baking are:

a) Baking Powder and

b) Baking Soda.

a) Baking Powder

Is a blend of acid (most commonly calcium acid phosphate, sodium aluminium sulphate or cream
of tartar) and alkali – (baking soda/sodium bicarbonate). These create carbon dioxide bubbles
when liquid and heat are added.

Commercial baking powder uses several compounds which gives it a double action. It acts when
liquid is added and once again when heat is added after you put your product in the oven.

b) Baking Soda (Bicarbonate of Soda)

Is used when there is already an acid ingredient in the recipe such as: Apple sauce, buttermilk,
brown sugar, chocolate, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, honey, lemon juice, molasses, vinegar.
When baking soda comes in contact with an acid and liquid is added, carbon dioxide (CO2),
water and a neutral salt are produced. Care must be taken with how much baking soda is used. If
too much - a ‘soapy’ aftertaste remains and the product bakes darker. If not enough is used - an
acid flavour remains.

Baking soda is much stronger than baking powder. The general rule is to use 1 to 1-1/4 teaspoons
baking powder per half cup of flour, (4ozs/100g). Baking soda should be added at 1/4 teaspoon
per half cup of flour, (4ozs/100g).

How do these chemical leaveners work?

When carbon dioxide is released by either baking soda and/or baking powder, it first dissolves in
the liquid. When this becomes saturated, the carbon dioxide produced turns into the air bubbles
which expand. Towards the end of baking the bubbles set. You have a well risen product
showing tiny air holes when cut.

Nb. At higher altitudes less baking powder/soda is required. Low pressure has an effect on
carbon dioxide and makes it expand more.

ii) MECHANICAL ACTIONS as Raising Agents:

The physical actions of creaming, kneading, beating, and whisking will incorporate tiny air
bubbles which expand when heat is added. The addition of flour gives structure for the air
bubbles to work against - you get rise. This structure is fixed in the oven by heat.

a) Creaming Method:

Fat and sugar are creamed together until the sugar crystals melt and the whole mass takes on the
consistency of whipped cream. Use of castor sugar which has a small crystal size is more
appropriate. It will combine with the fat far easier than granulated sugar, which has a larger
crystal. The creaming method incorporates air into the mixture which is held in place by the
semi-solid fat. These bubbles expand during baking allowing the batter to rise. The flour should
be folded in carefully to avoid development of the gluten lattice structure.
 b) Kneading:

Is a process used in bread making. Yeast liquid is dispersed into high gluten flour to make
dough. The mechanical action of kneading the dough, either by hand or machine develops the
gluten strands which form into a lattice structure. As gentle warmth is applied, carbon dioxide is
released by the yeast and is trapped in pockets, These continue to expand until heat is applied
during baking. Heat kills the yeast off and fixes the gluten's lattice structure in place, which
leaves you with a well-risen, light, product.

c) Beating:

Certain procedures in baking require the use of ‘beating’ method – generally where heat is
involved. E.g the principal applies when making Choux Pastry. Flour is added to a hot
water/butter mixture. Raw egg is then beaten in. The egg gives the rise with this pastry.
Swissrolls are also made using this method.

d) Whisking:

When volume has to be added then the whisking method is used. Meringues are made by
whisking egg whites with sugar until the volume is six to eight times more than you began with.
Gentle heat applied over several hours dries out the meringue and leaves a crisp, sweet
confection. Fatless sponge cakes e.g. Swissrolls require whole egg and sugar to be whisked
together to achieve a high volume. Cake flour is gently folded in. Air incorporated into the egg
gives volume and lightness to the cake.

iii) NATURAL LEAVENERS as Raising Agents:

a) Yeast

Is a natural leavener. Give it food, moisture, warmth and air and it will grow. During this
‘fermentation’ process the carbon dioxide gas released by it is trapped in tiny air cells. These
continue to expand and push up against the latticed gluten structure and you have rise! The
baking process stops the action of yeast cells by killing them and fixing the lattice structure of
the wheat protein (gluten).

b) Eggs

The white of egg (albumen) or the yolk of the egg is whisked up with sugar until it is six to eight
times its volume. Again, the addition of heat causes the albumen to coagulate and fixes the
structure in place. The addition of flour gives the structure which holds the air bubbles in place.

c) Steam

Is the most basic of raising agents, but also the most complex in technique. In cake making,
steam is released from the wet batter when heat is applied. The steam pushes up against the
gluten lattice and you get a puffed up pastry, again, fixed by the heat of the oven.

Note: All raising agents (leaveners) work on the same principal, be it Chemical, Mechanical
or Natural. Gasses expand, push up against a structure, you get rise, which is fixed by the
heat of the oven. It is by using ingredients and baking techniques in the correct manner which
ensures success when you Bake.