Some Hints About Cakes
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Years ago, the cook whose cake always came from the oven light, fluffy, and delectable was a village heroine, very much in demand when it came time for church fairs or town picnics. But today, when modern ovens have become so completely dependable that every batch of baked goods can be uniformly successful, it is possible for every woman to be a heroine in her own kitchen. Nowadays, we cannot blame a faulty or tempermental oven if our baking fails but must admit that we ourselves have made some error in measuring or mixing. 

It's a smart idea to read your recipe over carefully, then get all ingredients out and have them ready. It is difficult to be halfway through a cake and discover you are minus something.

Measure all ingredients accurately. Always sift flour before measuring. Be sure to use cake flour if recipe calls for it. The phrase "dry ingredients" means the flour, baking powder or soda, salt, etc.

Be careful not to overbeat after flour and leavening agent are added to batter.

Shortening is a very important ingredients in successful baking. Wherever butter or margarine is indicated in a recipe, be sure to use these, because there is a reason for it. If shortening only is indicated, use whatever you prefer - butter, margarine, or any of the homogenized fats.



LAYER-TYPE

Cakes that depend on shortening, margarine, butter or cooking oil and baking powder or soda for their fine texture. These rich cakes are tender but don't crumble excessively when you slice them. Layer-type cake batter can be shaped into circles, rectangles, squares, loaves, and cupcakes. These cakes can be made in a variety of flavors, such as white, yellow, chocolate, and spice. Also, commercial mixes are sold. Pound cake and fruitcake are a part of this group.



BAKING HINTS

In general, a layer-type cake is done when its top is domed, it starts to pull away from the sides of the pan, and it springs back when lightly touched.  To be sure a cake is baked, insert a toothpick near the cake center.   It should come out free of wet batter.



HOW SHOULD CAKES BE COOLED?

Cool a layer-type cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes.   Then remove the cake from the pan and cool completely.



STORING

To freeze an unfrosted layer-type cake, place it on a baking sheet and put it in the freezer until firm.  Then place the cake in a plastic freezer bag or an airtight container, seal, and return to the freezer.   Unfrosted layer-type cakes can be frozen for up to 6 months.   Fruitcakes can be frozen for up to 12 months.



CAKE-MAKING HINTS

1.   Have all the ingredients at room temperature unless the recipe directs otherwise.   (Eggs should only be left out about 30 minutes before using them.)  This makes ingredients easier to combine and gives cakes better volume.

2.   If a recipe calls for cake flour, but you don't have any on hand, use 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour for each cup of cake flour.  Some cake recipes call for cake flour because it produces a slightly more tender cake, but you'll find all-purpose flour make a good cake, too.

3.   Be sure to preheat your oven before baking; otherwise your cakes won't rise properly.

4.   Once the batter is in the pan, tap a layer-type cake on a countertop to release any large air bubbles in the batter.



CAKE PROBLEMS

  • Your cake has a coarse texture: It might be that you didn't beat the sugar and shortening, margarine or butter long enough. For a fine, even cake texture, be sure to beat these ingredients together thoroughly.

  • Your cake is heavy and compact: Perhaps you didn't beat the sugar and shortening, margarine, or butter long enough. For a light texture, beat these ingredients together well.

  • Your cake is dry: You might have overbaked the cake. Remember to check doneness after the minimum baking time.

    Or, you might have ovebeaten the egg whites, if they were used. Stiffly beaten egg whites should stand in straight peaks but should look moist or glossy. When the egg whites have a "curdled" appearance, they are overbeaten. Start again with fresh egg whites instead of folding the ovenbeaten one.

  • Your cake has elongated, irregular holes: You may have overmixed the batter when the flour was added. Mix until the ingredients are just combined.



    • FROSTING A CAKE

  • Let the cake cool completely before frosting (about 4 hours). After frosting the cake, let it stand at least 1 hour before slicing it.

  • Always sift the powdered sugar so the frosting won't have any lumps.

  • Spread the frosting with a narrow-blade flexible spatula using light back and forth strokes. Try not to lift the spatula because it will pull the crust away from the cake.

  • If the frosting becomes too thick to spread easily, stir in a few more drops of the liquid.

  • Make 2 cups frosting to frost 24 cupcakes, the tops and sides of two 8 or 9-inch cake layers, or the top of one 13 x 9 x 2-inch cake. Allow 1/2 cup frosting for between layers.



    • FOR A SUCCESSFUL CAKE ROLL

    The ingredients must be measured accurately. For dry ingredients use a measuring cup or spoon that is the exact capacity you wish to measure. For liquids, use a glass or clear plastic measuring cup on a level surface. Be sure your eye is level with the mark you wish to read.

  • There's no need to sift the flour before measuring it, but stir the flour to lighten it before spooning it gently into a dry measuring cup.

  • Egg yolks should be beaten with an electric mixer on high speed until thick and a pale lemon color.

  • It is important to roll the cake when it is still warm. Start at a short side and loosely roll up the cake and towel together. The towel keeps the cake from sticking to itself as it cools. The powdered sugar sprinkled on the towel prevents the towel from sticking to the cake.

  • When the cake has cooled on a wire rack, gently unroll it. Spread cake with desired filling. Roll it up again without the towel.



    • PAN SIZE AND ESTIMATED BAKING TIME IN A 350 DEGREE OVEN

    Fill the baking pans no more than half full, and use any remaining batter to make cupcakes.  Baking times given are approximate and may vary from cake to cake.

  • Two 8 x 1-1/2 inch round baking pans - 35 to 40 minutes

  • Two 9 x 1-1/2 inch round baking pans - 30 to 35 minutes

  • Two 8 x 8 x 2 inch baking pans - 25 to 35 minutes

  • Two 9 x 9 x 2 inch baking pans - 25 to 35 minutes

  • One 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan - 30 to 35 minutes

  • One 15 x 10 x 1 inch baking pan - 25 to 30 minutes

  • Cupcakes (half full of batter) - 18 to 23 minutes


    • ANGEL FOOD CAKE TIPS

  • These cakes primarily rely on air bubbles trapped in the beaten egg whites to reach their lofty heights and just one speck of egg yolk or any other fat in the egg whites ruins their beating quality.

  • Use a glass or metal bowl that is wide enough to keep the beaters from becoming buried in the egg whites as they fluff.  Make sure the bowl is clean.

  • Separate egg whites from the egg yolks as soon as you take the eggs out of the refrigerator.  They are easier to separate when cold.   Then let the whites stand at room temperature for 30 minutes along with the other ingredients.   They will reach their full volume if allowed to warm up before beating.

  • Always separate eggs one at a time into a small bowl.  Transfer each egg white to the large glass or metal bowl in which the whites will be beaten.  If any yolk gets mixed in with an egg white, refrigerate that white for another use.

  • The cream of tartar is added to stablize the egg whites and to produce a whiter cake.

  • Do not over or underbeat egg whites. They should be stiff but not dry, or your cake will fall.