Chapter 13 Cakes and Icings

Cakes Are created from liquid batters with high fat and sugar contents. Ingredients are classified by function: Tougheners Tenderizers Moisteners Driers Leaveners Flavorings

Cake Mixing Methods The goal of mixing cake batter is: to combine ingredients uniformly incorporate air cells develop proper texture Cake Mixing Methods are divided into two categories: High fat, whose structure relies on creamed fat and includes butter cakes and high-ratio cakes Egg foam, whose structure relies on whipped eggs and includes genoise, spongecakes, angel food and chiffon cakes

Types of Cakes Insert Table 13.1 p. 444

Specific Gravity The amount of air incorporated into a batter relates to the quality, volume and appearance of the finished cake. Too little air make a cake with tight grain and low volume. Too much air and the grain may be coarse. Specific gravity will indicate if a cake batter is properly mixed. It is a measurement of the weight of a mixture in relation to the weight of water. Weight of ingredient / weight of water = specific gravity

Panning Cake Batter Most pans must be greased or lined to prevent cakes from sticking. Fill pans no more than one half to two thirds full. Insert Table 13.2 p. 457 under the bullet point

Baking and Cooling Always preheat the oven before preparing the batter. Test for doneness: Appearance – light golden brown; edges pull away from sides of the pan. Touch – Springs back when lightly pressed Cake tester – Comes out clean when inserted in center of cake. Generally allow a cake 10 to 15 minutes in its pan set on a cooling rack after taking it out of the oven. All cakes should be left to cool away from drafts or air currents that might cause them to collapse.

Insert Table 13.4 p. 459

Icings Or frostings, are sweet decorative coatings used as filling between layers or, as coating over the top and sides of the cake. There are several types: Buttercream Foam Fudge Fondant Glaze Royal icing Ganache

Types of Icing Insert Table 13.5 p. 460

Troubleshooting Icing Insert Table 13.6 p. 460

Assembling and Decorating Cakes Before a cake can be decorated it must be assembled and coated with icing or frosting. The goal is to fill and stack the cake layers evenly and apply an even coating of icing that is smooth and free of crumbs. Consider the flavor, texture and color of the components used as well as the number of guests served when designing a cake and selecting the filling and icing.

Cake Decorating Techniques Side masking with nuts, crumbs or crushed cookies Stencils – creating a design on top of a cake with confectioner’s sugar or cocoa powder. Piping on icing in decorative patterns Learning how to make a disposable icing cone from parchment-paper is a great time saver. Covering cake with rolled fondant

Storing Cakes Plain cake layers or sheets can be stored for 2 or 3 days at room temperature when well wrapped. Iced or chilled cakes are usually refrigerated. Any cake containing custard filling, mousse or whipped cream must be refrigerated. Although cakes can be frozen with great success, icings and fillings do not freeze particularly well.

Convenience Products Packaged cake mixes are tremendous time savers. Results are consistent, although usually softer and more cottony than scratch cakes. Flavor also tends to be more artificial than scratch cakes. Icings, glazing and toppings are available. Icings are often exceedingly sweet and overpowered by artificial flavors and chemical preservatives. The products save time and have consistent results but are more costly than scratch products.