374 C H A P T E R 16 CAKE MIXING AND BAKING

occasions. With only a few basic formulas and a variety of icings and fillings, the chef or
baker can construct the perfect dessert for any occasion or purpose.

The formulas at the end of the chapter will give you practice with all major cake-mixing
methods. Many popular North American cake types are included, sometimes in the
form of variations on the basic cake types. These variations show that by making small
changes in flavoring ingredients, you can make many different cakes from the same
basic recipe. Adding new flavorings sometimes requires other ingredient changes. For
example, in the case of the Strawberry Cake (p. 398), the flavoring ingredient is high in
sugar, so the amount of sugar in the formula is reduced.

In this chapter, we focus on the procedures for mixing and baking the basic types
of cakes. In Chapter 17, we discuss how to assemble and decorate many kinds of cake
desserts.

PRINCIPLES OF CAKE MIXING

THE SELECTION OF high-quality ingredients is, of course, necessary to produce a high-quality
cake. However, good ingredients alone do not guarantee a fine cake. A thorough understanding
of mixing procedures is essential. Slight errors in mixing can result in cakes with poor texture and
volume.
The mixing methods presented in this chapter are the basic ones used for most types
of cakes prepared in the modern bakeshop. Each of these methods is used for particular
types of formulas, as listed here:

• High-fat or shortened cakes

Creaming method
Two-stage method
One-stage (liquid shortening) method
Flour-batter method
• Egg-foam cakes
Sponge method
Angel food method
Chiffon method
Combination creaming/sponge method

We discuss these methods and their variations in detail beginning on page 380. You should
learn these methods well. They are not repeated for each of the formulas later in this chapter, but
page references in the formulas enable you to review the appropriate method as necessary before
beginning production.
The three main goals of mixing cake batters are:

• To combine all ingredients into a smooth, uniform batter.

• To form and incorporate air cells in the batter.
• To develop the proper texture in the finished product.

These three goals are closely related. They may seem fairly obvious, especially the first one.
But understanding each of the goals in detail will help you avoid many errors in mixing. For exam-
ple, inexperienced bakers often grow impatient and turn the mixer to high speed when creaming
fat and sugar, thinking high speed will do the same job faster. But air cells do not form as well at
high speed, so the texture of the cake suffers.
Let’s examine these three goals one at a time.
 PRINCIPLES OF CAKE MIXING 375

Combining Ingredients into a Homogeneous Mixture

Two of the major ingredients in cakes—fat and water (including the water in milk and eggs)—are, by
nature, unmixable. Therefore, careful attention to mixing procedures is important to reach this goal.
As you recall from Chapter 4 (p. 67), a uniform mixture of two unmixable substances is called an
emulsion. Part of the purpose of mixing is to form such an emulsion. Properly mixed cake batters
contain a water-in-fat emulsion; that is, the water is held in tiny droplets surrounded by fat and other
ingredients. Curdling occurs when the fat can no longer hold the water in emulsion. The mixture then
changes to a fat-in-water mixture, with small particles of fat surrounded by water and other ingredients.
The following factors can cause curdling:
1. Using the wrong type of fat. Different fats have different emulsifying abilities. High-ratio
shortening contains emulsifiers that enable it to hold a large amount of water without cur-
dling. You should not substitute regular shortening or butter in a formula that calls specifi-
cally for high-ratio, or emulsified, shortening.
Butter has a desirable flavor but relatively poor emulsifying ability. Butter is, of course,
used in many cake batters, but the formula should be specifically balanced so it contains no
more liquid than the batter can hold. Also, remember that butter contains some water.
Egg yolks, as you will recall, contain a natural emulsifier. When whole eggs or yolks are
properly mixed into a batter, they help the batter hold the other liquids.
2. Having the ingredients too cold. Emulsions are best formed when the temperature of the
ingredients is about 70°F (21°C).
3. Mixing the first stage of the procedure too quickly. If you do not cream the fat and sugar
properly, for example, you will not form a good cell structure to hold the water (see “Forming
Air Cells,” below).
4. Adding the liquids too quickly. In most cases the liquids, including the eggs, must be added in
stages—that is, a little at a time. If they are added too quickly, they cannot be absorbed properly.
In batters made by the creaming method (p. 377), the liquid is often added alternately
with the flour. The flour helps the batter absorb the liquid.
5. Adding too much liquid. This is not a problem if the formula is a good one. However, if you
are using a formula that is not properly balanced, it might call for more liquid than the fat
can hold in emulsion.

Forming Air Cells

Air cells in cake batters are important for texture and leavening. A fine, smooth texture is the
result of small, uniform air cells. Large or irregular air cells result in a coarse texture. And recall
that air trapped in a mix helps leaven a cake when the heat of the oven causes the air to expand
(p. 94). When no chemical leavener is used, this trapped air, in addition to steam, provides nearly
all the leavening. Even when baking powder or soda is used, the air cells provide places to hold
the gases released by the chemical leavener.
Correct ingredient temperature and mixing speed are necessary for good air cell formation.
Cold fat (below 60°F/16°C) is too hard to form good air cells, and fat that is too warm (above
75°F/24°C) is too soft. Mixing speed should be moderate (medium speed). If mixing is done on
high speed, friction warms the ingredients too much. Not as many air cells are formed, and those
that do form tend to be coarse and irregular.
Granulated sugar is the proper sugar for creaming-method cakes. Confectioners’ sugar is too
fine to produce good air cells.
In the case of egg-foam cakes (sponge, angel food, chiffon), the air cells are formed by whip-
ping eggs and sugar. For the best foaming, the egg and sugar mixture should be slightly warm
(about 100°F/38°C). Whipping may be done at high speed at first, but the final stages of whipping
should be at medium speed in order to retain air cells.

Developing Texture
Both the uniform mixing of ingredients and the formation of air cells are important to a cake’s
texture, as we discussed in the preceding sections. Another factor of mixing that affects texture is
gluten development. For the most part, we want very little gluten development in cakes, so we
376 C H A P T E R 16 CAKE MIXING AND BAKING

use cake flour, which is low in gluten. Some sponge cake formulas call for cornstarch to replace
part of the flour, so there is even less gluten (the high percentage of eggs in sponge cakes provides
much of the structure). In contrast, some pound cake and fruit cake formulas need more gluten
than other cakes for extra structure and to support the weight of the fruit. Thus, you will some-
times see such cake formulas calling for part cake flour and part bread flour.
Recall from Chapter 5 that the amount of mixing affects gluten development. In the cream-
ing method, the sponge method, and the angel food method, the flour is added at or near the end
of the mixing procedure so there is very little gluten development in properly mixed batters. If the
batter is mixed too long after the flour is added, or if it becomes too warm during mixing, the
cakes are likely to be tough.
In the two-stage method, the flour is added in the first step. However, it is mixed with high-
ratio shortening, which spreads well and coats the particles of flour with fat. This coating action
limits gluten development. It is important to mix the flour and fat thoroughly for the best results.
Observe all mixing times closely. Also, keep in mind that high-ratio cakes contain a high percent-
age of sugar, which is also a tenderizer.

M I X I N G H I G H - FAT O R S H O R T E N E D C A K E S
Creaming Method
The creaming method, also called the conventional method, was for a long time the standard
method for mixing high-fat cakes. The development of emulsified, or high-ratio, shortenings led
to the development of simpler mixing methods for shortened cakes containing greater amounts
of sugar and liquid. The creaming method is still used for many types of butter cakes, however.
The fat specified in creaming-method formulas in this book is butter. Butter cakes are highly
prized for their flavor; shortening adds no flavor to cakes. Butter also influences texture because
it melts in the mouth, whereas shortening does not.
Nevertheless, many bakers may prefer to substitute shortening for all or part of the butter in
these formulas. Shortening has the advantages of being less expensive and easier to mix. In
creaming recipes, use regular shortening, not emulsified shortening. Regular shortening has bet-
ter creaming abilities.
It is usually a good idea not to substitute an equal weight of shortening for butter. Remember
that butter is only 80% fat, so you will need less shortening. Also, butter contains about 15% water, so
you should adjust the quantity of milk or water. The Procedure for Substituting Butter and Shortening
in Creaming-Method Batters (p. 378) explains how to adjust formulas for these substitutions.

Two-Stage Method
The two-stage method was developed for use with high-ratio plastic shortenings. High-ratio
cakes contain a large percentage of sugar, more than 100% based on the weight of the flour. Also,
they are made with more liquid than creaming-method cakes, and the batter pours more freely.
The two-stage mixing method is a little simpler than the creaming method, and it produces a
smooth batter that bakes up into a fine-grained, moist cake. It gets its name because the liquids
are added in two stages.
The first step in making high-ratio cakes is to blend the flour and other dry ingredients with
shortening. When this mixture is smooth, the liquids (including eggs) are added in stages.
Throughout this procedure, it is important to follow two rules:

• Mix at low speed and observe correct mixing times. This is important to develop proper texture.
• Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl frequently during mixing. This is
important to develop a smooth, well-mixed batter.
Note the variation following the basic procedure. Many bakers prefer this variation. It is
somewhat simpler because it combines steps 2 and 3.
The two-stage method can sometimes be adapted to butter cakes, especially those high in
fat. As an experiment, try making a butter cake formula with the creaming method and the two-
stage method and comparing the texture of the finished cakes.