C AKES AND F ROSTINGS

C ATEGORIES OF C AKES Shortened (Butter Cakes) Tender, moist and velvety Contains fat (butter, shortening) Uses chemical leavening agents Ex. Red velvet, hummingbird cake Unshortened Light and fluffy Contains NO fat Leavened by the egg whites (air) Ex. Angel food cake Chiffon (Foam Cakes) Large volume but not as light as unshortened Cross between unshortened and shortened cake Ex. Lemon chiffon

P REPARING S HORTENED C AKE Use the Conventional method Cream the fat and sugar together until light and fluffy Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one Alternately add the flour mixture and the liquid

P REPARING U NSHORTENED C AKES Beat the egg whites (no yolks!) Gradually add the sugar as you whip the eggs into stiff peaks Carefully fold in the flour mixture Bake in an UNGREASED tube pan

P REPARING C HIFFON C AKES Combine the egg yolks, fat, liquid and flavoring with the dry ingredients. Beat mixture until smooth. Beat egg white with sugar and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the other mixture

G ENERAL C AKE B AKING T IPS Bake cakes immediately after mixing Oven too hot= peaks and cracks Oven too cool= less leavening and browning Check for doneness Tooth pick comes out clean Top of the cake springs back when lightly pressed Cake pulls slightly away from the sides of the pan

Icing/Frostings High in fat, sugar and calories Use pastry bags and icing tips Some alternatives for frosting are: Making a glaze Putting a cut out paper design on top of the cake (ex. snowflake) then sift confectioners sugar over the cake. F INISHING T OUCHES

T YPES OF B UTTERCREAM F ROSTING Simple buttercream- Made by combining butter, shortening, powdered sugar and vanilla Very sweet French buttercream- Made by combining simple syrup, beaten egg yolks and butter Very rich and light Italian buttercream- Made with Italian meringue (simple sugar and beaten egg whites) and butter Very smooth and rich