I have a recipe for a chocolate Bundt cake from Food 52, but I don't like the vagueness of the recipe and I don't bake frequently, so I'm unsure about some of the ingredients. It calls for Dutch-processed cocoa I have Ghirardelli natural unsweetened cocoa. Will that work? It calls for sour milk. I happen to have some 3% milk that has soured in the back of the fridge. Could I add some heavy cream to that to up the fat content? I have some even older buttermilk, does that spoil? How would I know? Is it a reasonable substitute? The directions say to cool to room temp on a wire rack--upside down? or right-side up? Thanks to all you expert bakers.
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Need baking advice!
- Thread starter pam
- Start date
Hi, Pam! I would turn the cake upside down on2 a pieces of waxed paper as soon as it comes out of
the oven. Then cool it upside down sitting on the waxed paper which is on a wire rack.
NOTE: I find that chocolate cakes are notorious for sticking to their pans so make sure you grease/butter & dust w/ flour (or cocoa powder) very well prior to filling the pan with batter. With Bundt pans I prefer to use the spray that has flour mixed into it so I am sure to miss none of the cracks/creases in the pan.
CHOCOLATE BUNDT CAKE
Food52 Review: If Betty Crocker had a sophisticated, seductive cousin, this would be her signature cake: it's pure deep, dark, fudgy goodness.
Yield: 1 bundt cake
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup dutch process cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup sour milk
1 cup freshly brewed strong black coffee
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a Bundt pan and dust the inside with cocoa powder, set aside.
2. Sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl. Set aside.
3. In a mixer on low setting add the milk, coffee, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla....eggs, one at a time. Mix until everything is incorporated. Then, with the mixer still on low speed, slowly add in the dry ingredients. Once all of the flour mixture is added, mix the batter for a full four minutes on medium speed.
4. Then, pour the batter into the Bundt pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool to room temperature on a wire rack. Then, dust with powdered sugar and serve.
Your Best Chocolate Cake Contest Winner!
PS: I assume my link is to the recipe above is the one you are using. Sounds delicious! Wigs
https://food52.com/recipes/2835-chocolate-bundt-cake
the oven. Then cool it upside down sitting on the waxed paper which is on a wire rack.
NOTE: I find that chocolate cakes are notorious for sticking to their pans so make sure you grease/butter & dust w/ flour (or cocoa powder) very well prior to filling the pan with batter. With Bundt pans I prefer to use the spray that has flour mixed into it so I am sure to miss none of the cracks/creases in the pan.
CHOCOLATE BUNDT CAKE
Food52 Review: If Betty Crocker had a sophisticated, seductive cousin, this would be her signature cake: it's pure deep, dark, fudgy goodness.
Yield: 1 bundt cake
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup dutch process cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup sour milk
1 cup freshly brewed strong black coffee
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a Bundt pan and dust the inside with cocoa powder, set aside.
2. Sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl. Set aside.
3. In a mixer on low setting add the milk, coffee, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla....eggs, one at a time. Mix until everything is incorporated. Then, with the mixer still on low speed, slowly add in the dry ingredients. Once all of the flour mixture is added, mix the batter for a full four minutes on medium speed.
4. Then, pour the batter into the Bundt pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool to room temperature on a wire rack. Then, dust with powdered sugar and serve.
Your Best Chocolate Cake Contest Winner!
PS: I assume my link is to the recipe above is the one you are using. Sounds delicious! Wigs
https://food52.com/recipes/2835-chocolate-bundt-cake
michael-in-phoenix
Well-known member
I toss buttermilk if it is more than a week out of code opened, or 2 weeks unopened.
Two teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice will sour one cup of whole milk. Place the lemon juice in the bottom of a measuring cup and fill with milk. Allow to sit, undisturbed while you mix your cake. Stir right before adding to dry ingredients.
I prefer to cool on a rack that has been sprayed with PAM (or similar).
When you turn a bundt cake out to cool, always put the flat side (the part that is open when baking) down on the rack, just like when you are serving it.
Dutched cocoa is processed to remove the natural acids that occur in natural cocoa. Your cake (assuming wigs posted the recipe you are making) is leavened with both baking powder and baking soda. The acid in regular cocoa will react with the baking soda. It would provide more leavening than dutched cocoa and might change the rise and/or the flavor ever-so-slightly. You could probably get away with using the natural cocoa.
Michael
Two teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice will sour one cup of whole milk. Place the lemon juice in the bottom of a measuring cup and fill with milk. Allow to sit, undisturbed while you mix your cake. Stir right before adding to dry ingredients.
I prefer to cool on a rack that has been sprayed with PAM (or similar).
When you turn a bundt cake out to cool, always put the flat side (the part that is open when baking) down on the rack, just like when you are serving it.
Dutched cocoa is processed to remove the natural acids that occur in natural cocoa. Your cake (assuming wigs posted the recipe you are making) is leavened with both baking powder and baking soda. The acid in regular cocoa will react with the baking soda. It would provide more leavening than dutched cocoa and might change the rise and/or the flavor ever-so-slightly. You could probably get away with using the natural cocoa.
Michael
michael-in-phoenix
Well-known member
Here's another piece of wisdom I've used, even if the recipe doesn't call for it.
I cut circles of wax paper using the cake pans as templates.
Grease, spray, butter, or whatever you like to do to the pan. Flour the pan.
Drop the circle of waxed paper into the bottom of the pan. Then grease, spray, butter, or whatever you like to do, right on the wax paper.
Pour in the batter and bake.
Works like a charm, and the cake never sticks to the pan. Just run a knife around the edges (if necessary) and turn out the cake. Peel off the waxed paper.
Michael
I cut circles of wax paper using the cake pans as templates.
Grease, spray, butter, or whatever you like to do to the pan. Flour the pan.
Drop the circle of waxed paper into the bottom of the pan. Then grease, spray, butter, or whatever you like to do, right on the wax paper.
Pour in the batter and bake.
Works like a charm, and the cake never sticks to the pan. Just run a knife around the edges (if necessary) and turn out the cake. Peel off the waxed paper.
Michael
Great to do for cake pans but bundt pans are a challenge as mentioned--notorious for
sticking when I make chocolate or hummingbird cakes. For bundt cakes, I have found that after cooling 15 minutes upside down (not too much longer), I rap/drop the pan sharply on the counter top a few times to loosen it from its "ridges". I think the spray is also key.
sticking when I make chocolate or hummingbird cakes. For bundt cakes, I have found that after cooling 15 minutes upside down (not too much longer), I rap/drop the pan sharply on the counter top a few times to loosen it from its "ridges". I think the spray is also key.
yep
I made it this morning and now remember why I don't like baking.Old fashioned sifter that doesn't like to have much in it, so I switched to shaking large sieve --flour and cocoa all over floor. But otherwise without incident. When I turned cake upside down over wire rack it fell out. Hmm. Will probably stick to rack. Will let you know how it tastes later.
I made it this morning and now remember why I don't like baking.Old fashioned sifter that doesn't like to have much in it, so I switched to shaking large sieve --flour and cocoa all over floor. But otherwise without incident. When I turned cake upside down over wire rack it fell out. Hmm. Will probably stick to rack. Will let you know how it tastes later.
Sounds like my bundt pan: heavy aluminum, teflon coated, have to butter/grease completely. . .
Of course greasing it completely is the kicker. I love tunnel of fudge cake, but I seem to always mist a spot when greasing and flouring. I am to the point where I might just consider using a bakers spray to finish up after I hand grease. Maybe that way I will grease up ALL of the spots!
Of course greasing it completely is the kicker. I love tunnel of fudge cake, but I seem to always mist a spot when greasing and flouring. I am to the point where I might just consider using a bakers spray to finish up after I hand grease. Maybe that way I will grease up ALL of the spots!
mariadnoca
Moderator
I always just spray pans with Pam or now Coconut spray oil from TJ's
It's all I ever do, no flour, no fuss and knock on wood, it works like a charm. The key for me is remove from pan after cooling for no more than 10 mins.
It's all I ever do, no flour, no fuss and knock on wood, it works like a charm. The key for me is remove from pan after cooling for no more than 10 mins.
The biggest reason I have not used release sprays is that both my husband . . .
and I can detect an off, fishy flavor when the sprays are applied to a heated pan; it stinks.
I think though since the spray would be applied to a cold pan, we would not have that problem with baking. BUT since my husband has now trained himself to hate the *sight* of the can, I will need to be sneaky to use the spray. Dang man has the nose of a bloodhound. . .
and I can detect an off, fishy flavor when the sprays are applied to a heated pan; it stinks.
I think though since the spray would be applied to a cold pan, we would not have that problem with baking. BUT since my husband has now trained himself to hate the *sight* of the can, I will need to be sneaky to use the spray. Dang man has the nose of a bloodhound. . .
I looked at the recipe and since it is an oil cake it could have that "pudding" feel. You may
have overbaked it, if not. It should have been real moist. And also, not surprised it popped out of the pan--those cakes bake well on the edges and release, IME.
A flourless cake won't have that "pudding" quality, to me, either, however.
have overbaked it, if not. It should have been real moist. And also, not surprised it popped out of the pan--those cakes bake well on the edges and release, IME.
A flourless cake won't have that "pudding" quality, to me, either, however.