jimtrue.com : school : CUL249 : Week 4 - Cakes

Posted by Jim True on February 5, 2010 2:55 PM. Last Updated February 5, 2010 2:55 PM

Disclaimer for all material noted here is at the bottom of this web page.

Week 4 - Cakes

6 Functions of Cake Ingredients

1. Leaveners
• Natural: Air and Steam
• Chemical: Baking Soda & Baking Powder
• Cakes rise because gases in the batter expand when heated
• Cakes are leavened by:
• the air trapped when fat and sugar are creamed together
• by Carbon dioxide released from baking powder (moisture needs to be present) and Baking Soda (moisture and an acide needs to be present)
• and by air trapped in beaten eggs
2. Tenderizers
• Sugars, fats & egg yolks interfere with the development of the gluten structure when cakes are mixed
• They shorten the gluten strands, making the cake tender and soft
• These ingredients also improve the cake's keeping qualities
3. Flavorings
• Extracts, cocoa, chocolate, spices, salt, sugar and butter provide cakes with the desired flavors
• Acidic flavoring ingredients such as sour cream, chocolate, fruit also provide the acid necessary to activate baking soda
4. Driers
• Flour, starches and milk solids absorb moisture, giving body and structure to the cake
5. Moisteners
• Liquids = water, milk, juice and eggs bring moisture to the mixture
• Moistener is necessary for gluten formation and starch gelatinization, as well as for improving a cake's keeping qualities
6. Tougheners
• Flour, milk & eggs = protein
• Protein provides structure and strengthen the cake once it is baked
• Too little protein and the cake may collapse
• Too much protein and the cake may be tough and coarse

Whipped Egg Whites

• Egg whites are often whipped into a foam that is then incorporated into cakes, custards, souffles and other products. The air beaten into the egg foam, which gives products lightness and assists with leavening
1. Use fresh egg whites that are completely free of egg ylk and other impurities. Warm the egg to room temperature (70ºF) before whipping, to help form a better foam
2. Use a clean bowl and whisk, even a tiny amount of fat or yolk can prevent the egg whites from foaming properly
3. Whip the whites until very foamy, then add an Acid, cream of tartar, dried egg whites or powdered meringue. 1 Tsp Cream of Tartar for each 8 oz of egg whites
4. Continue whipping until soft peaks form, then gradually add granulated sugar
5. Whip until stiff peaks form. Properly whipped egg whites should be moist and shiny; overwhipping will make the egg whites appear dry and spongy or curdled
6. Use the whipped egg whites immediately. If liquid begins to separate from the whipped egg whites, discard them, they cannot be rewhipped successfully

Creaming Method

• Softened butter or shortening are creamed to incorporate air cells
• Because of their high fat content these cakes usually need the assistance of a chemical leavener to achieve the proper rise
• Creaming fat mechanically leavens the cake and creates a mixture in which fats and liquids are trapped
• Fat should be creamed at low to moderate speeds to prevent raising its temperature
• An increased speed on the mixer could cause a loss of air cells
• All ingredients should be at room temperature, 70ºF
• When the fat is too warm, it will resist forming air cells
• Eggs should be added slowly to keep the emulsion formed when mixed into the creamed mixture
• Flour is added alternately with the liquid to prevent development of gluten and to preserve the emulsion
• Flourless Chocolate Cake: Sacher Torte and Carrot Cake. Egg whites form the structure for Flourless chocolate cake
• When mixing a cake batter, uniformlycombine the ingredients, incorporate air cells in the batter and develop a proper texture in the finished product

Cream

• Is a rich, liquid milk product containing at least 18% fat
• Must be pasteurized or ultra pasteurized and may be homogenized
• Light Cream - more than 18% but less than 30% milkfat
• Whipping Cream - contains between 30% and 36% milkfat
• Heavy Cream: contains not less than 36% milkfat, holds its whipped texture longer than other creams, must be pasteurized but rarely homogenized

Ganache

• A blending of pure chocolate (bittersweet, semi-sweet and dark chocolate) and cream
• Butter, liqueur or other flavorings can be added
• Can be used as a candy, filling, icing or glaze type coating on cakes, cookies, brownies or pastries
• Equal parts chocolate and cream is great for icings and fillings; to thin ganache, add more cream and to thicken, add more chocolate

Pan Preparations

• Greased and papered: used for high fat cakes, sponge and sheet cakes
• Greased, floured and lined with paper: used for cakes containing melted chocolate, fruit chunks or fruit or vegetable purees

After the Cake is Mixed

• Fill the pans
• Pans should be filled no more than 1/2 to 2/3rd full
• Cake batter should always be spread evenly in the pan
• Do not overwork the batter when spreading into a pan or it will destroy the air cells and prevent from rising
• Baking
• Preheat the oven
• The temperature must be high enough to create steam within the batter and cause that steam and other gases in the batter to expand and rise rapidly
• Determining Doneness
1. Appearance
• The cakes surface should be light to golden brown
• The edges should just begin to pull away from the pan
• The cake should not jiggle or move beneath the surface
2. Touch
• The cake should spring back quickly when touched with your finger, without the feeling of sogginess or leaving an indentation
3. Cake Tester
• Inser a toothpick, bamboo skewer or metal cake test into the center of the cake: should come out clean
• Cooling
• Cool for 10-15 minutes in its pan set on a cooling rack after taking it out of the oven
• Cooling in the pan helps prevent the cake from cracking or breaking when it is removed from its pan
• Run a thin knife between the pan and the cake to loosen it
• Crumb Coat
• A thin underlayer of icing
• Used to seal loose surface crumbs before a final decorative layer of icing is applied
• Use a turntable to apply this icing
• Side Masking
• The technique of coating only the sides of a cake with garnish
• Apply the garnish while the icing is still moist enough for it to adhere

Disclaimer: These are MY notes taken from classroom lectures while I'm in the classroom. While I'm perfectly happy to share my notes with my classmates and I know I take very good notes, you should still make every effort to attend the class and TAKE YOUR OWN NOTES. I will not transcribe everything the instructor says in the classroom, and I will NEVER post pre-exam reviews. My notes will not replace the value of actually attending class and taking your own class notes.I also cannot attest to their accuracy, other than they are what was provided in the lecture; you should not reference my notes as "expert opionion" by any means, and if you notice an error or omission, please do me the favor of e-mailing me with the correction and I will re-post my notes. End of Disclaimer.