Question for any cake bakers...

A

andreaindc

Well-known member
I only bake a real cake with frosting about two time a year, maybe three. I have always made cakes from scratch, but never the same recipe twice because I am always convinced there is a better one out there.

For Easter, I was pushed for time, so I resorted to a modified cake mix. My daughter kept saying, "This cake is so light, Mom." It made me question whether I should keep making cakes from scratch. The part of me that loves to cook and usually avoids using mixes/pre-prepared food says no.

But I am left with the question - Can you only get that cake mix texture - really moist and tender and light - from a mix? Or does anyone have a good basic recipe or two that duplicates that type of crumb that they would be willing to share?

Thanks!

 
some thoughts

that wonderful light texture from the box cake mix is brought to you by the wonderful world of chemicals and additives. Most people are accustomed to this taste but I cannot even eat a bite of boxed cake mix (and other chemically enhanced commercial doughs/baked products) because of the horrible taste of the chemical additives, especially the aftertaste after the sweet taste subsides. (And just try and slip a pea under MY mattress--LOL)

I equate the boxed cake lightness to the cotton candy fluff texture of wonderbread, the king of chemical baked goods.

For me, the substantial crumb and texture of real homebaked cake is such a treat. I guess that is an acquired taste. But there are scratch cakes that are light as well. Have you tried a chiffon type batter?

 
REC: Yellow Chiffon Cake

6 egg whites

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup water

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

3 tsp. baking powder

dash salt

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Generously butter two round 8 inch cake pans.

You will need three bowls (two large, one small).

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar while continuing to beat until very stiff in large bowl of mixer.

Mix egg yolks, oil, water, and vanilla together in a small bowl.

Sift together the dry ingredients into the other large bowl - 1 cup sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add the yolk mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix well.

Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites and gently incorporate.

Pour into prepared pans.

Bake at 350ºF for about 25 minutes, until sides shrink and top springs back in the center.

Turn onto a rack immediately and let cool

 
Thanks, Richard. That was my thought too. Actually I didn't care for the taste.

It was more the lightness I was after. I thought the taste was chemical-ish. It's more the not-dry, light crumb I'm after. You could have knocked me over when my daughter asked me to make that cake again for her birthday instead of her usual request - a home-made chocolate cake, so I'd like to be able to repeat the texture she liked with a better-tasting cake. (Interestingly, she didn't even comment on the taste, which was supposed to be - but didn't taste like - orange.)

I haven't tried the chiffon batter. Will do that one for father's day (the next cake I bake.)

 
Andrea, something I've been doing for several years now

with my cakes is using a syrup before I frost. This makes them extra moist.

Just make a simple syrup and flavor as you wish. I usually do a complentary, but contrasting taste (Kahlua with Chocolate, peach brandy with white chocolate, etc.). Also a contrasting filling, usually jam or a curd, adds a lot of moisture and flavor. The syrup doesn't have to be alcohol based, you could flavor the simple syrup with espresso, vanilla, etc.

Brush the cakes with the syrup while hot and again after they've cooled. They can really absorb a lot.

 
I completely forgot about jam. My mom used to do raspberry jam between

choc cake layers. I never thought of it as moistening, but of course it's a great trick.

You and Mom. Both brilliant.

 
Here's another cake that's been a hit.

Lemon Cake
SPRING 1999 (LCBO Food and Drink Magazine)
BY LUCY WAVERMAN

There are three steps to making this magnificent cake. You need to make (or buy) lemon curd (recipe follows), bake the cake and make an icing (recipe follows). Each step can be done up to three days ahead of time and the cake can be assembled a day ahead. The un-iced cake may be frozen up to one month ahead of time and defrosted in the refrigerator overnight.

1 cup (250 mL) butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups (300 mL) granulated sugar
5 eggs
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 3/4 cups (425 mL) all-purpose flour
2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
Pinch salt
1/2 cup (125 mL) icing sugar, sifted

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter and flour a 9-inch (23-cm) round cake pan.
2. In mixing bowl, with an electric beater or by hand, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in lemon zest, reserving juice.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt. Fold dry ingredients into egg mixture. Spoon batter into cake pan. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Loosen cake and turn it out of pan, then return to pan immediately. This is to prevent the cake from sticking when you brush on the glaze.
4. In a small bowl mix together the icing sugar and reserved lemon juice. While the cake is still hot, make some holes in the surface of the cake. Brush the glaze over the cake. Cool and store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Makes 1 cake

Lemon Curd

A thick glossy curd that keeps well for at least two weeks. Useful to have around, it can be used for topping cookies for a quick dessert or mixed with whipped cream for a soft mousse-like dessert.

1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter
1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon zest
1/4 cup (50 mL) lemon juice
3 eggs, well beaten
1. Mix all ingredients in a heavy pot. Stir gently over low heat until mixture is thick and coats the back of a spoon, about 7 to 10 minutes. Do not let the mixture boil or it will curdle.
2. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Refrigerate until needed.
Makes about 2 cups (500 mL)

Icing

A typical butter cream icing that lasts up to three days. Just re-beat when needed. Flavour with 2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla or 2 tbsp (25 mL) lemon juice, if desired. Liqueurs also work as flavouring in this icing.

3 egg whites
2 tbsp (25 mL) granulated sugar
3 tbsp (45 mL) water
1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter

1. Add egg whites to a bowl and beat until frothy. Continue to beat, adding 2 tbsp (25 mL) of sugar, a teaspoon (5 mL) at a time, until mixture is thick and glossy.
2. Add water to a small pot on high heat. Sprinkle in sugar and boil until a sugar thermometer reaches 250°F (120°C) or until the mixture forms a hard ball when dropped into cold water. Remove from heat. Turn mixer on and add a thin stream of the boiling mixture into egg whites. Continue to beat until mixture cools down, about 3 minutes.
3. Beat butter into mixture 2 tbsp (25 mL) at a time, beating continuously. After all butter has been incorporated, flavour as desired.

Makes enough icing to ice one 9-inch (23-cm) cake

Assembly of Cake:

Cut cake in half horizontally and fill with lemon curd. Place cake on a cake stand and working with a knife dipped in hot water spread icing smoothly over cake. Any remaining icing can be coloured as desired and piped onto make decorations. Alternatively, use spring flowers to decorate.

 
For a quick and easy lemon curd recipe I use this one.

Microwave Lemon Curd

This is a delectable lemon curd recipe with the added attraction of being quick and easy to make. It is particularly useful when entertaining and short on time.

Prep Time: approx. 10 Minutes. Cook Time: approx. 6 Minutes.
Ready in: approx. 16 Minutes.
Makes 2 cups (16 servings).

1 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 cup fresh lemon juice 3 lemons, zested
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions
1 In a microwave safe bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until smooth. Stir in lemon juice, lemon zest and butter. Cook in the microwave for one minute intervals, stirring after each minute until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from the microwave, and pour into small sterile jars. Store for up to three weeks in the refrigerator.

Tip:
If you over cook the mixture a little, or forget to stir, you can pass the mixture through a fine sieve to remove the bits of cooked egg.

Printed from Allrecipes, Submitted by Catseo Microwave Lemon Curd

This is a delectable lemon curd recipe with the added attraction of being quick and easy to make. It is particularly useful when entertaining and short on time.

Prep Time: approx. 10 Minutes. Cook Time: approx. 6 Minutes.
Ready in: approx. 16 Minutes.
Makes 2 cups (16 servings).
1 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 cup fresh lemon juice 3 lemons, zested
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions
1 In a microwave safe bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until smooth. Stir in lemon juice, lemon zest and butter. Cook in the microwave for one minute intervals, stirring after each minute until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from the microwave, and pour into small sterile jars. Store for up to three weeks in the refrigerator.

Tip:
If you over cook the mixture a little, or forget to stir, you can pass the mixture through a fine sieve to remove the bits of cooked egg.

Printed from Allrecipes, Submitted by Catseo

 
here's a chocolate cake rec. that even my cakemix loving dh approved of, and it is delicious...

this is from Feast by nigella lawson, and she describes it "as a sort of idealised chocolate cake out of a packet...the cake looks and tastes perfect and has that melting, smooth lightness - immensely chocolatey but far from rich."

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake

for the cake:
200g plain flour (all purpose)
200g caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
40g best-quality cocoa
175g soft unsalted butter
2 large eggs
2 tsp real vanilla extract
150ml sour cream

for the icing:
75g unsalted butter
175g best quality dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
300g icing sugar
1 tbsp golden syrup
125 ml sour cream
1 tsp real vanilla extract
sugar flowers, optional

bring all the fridge ingredients to room temperature and preheat the oven to 180c/350f. line and butter two 20cm sandwich tins with removable bases (i just used regular cake pans).

mix the flour, sugar and leavening agents in a large bowl, beat in the soft butter until you have a combined and creamy mixture. now whisk the cocoa, sour cream, vanilla and eggs together and beat this into your bowl of ingredients.

divide batter into prepared pans and bake until a cake tester comes out clean, which should be about 35 min, but start checking at 25 (i needed to check by 20 min). good idea to switch cake positions halfway through. cool cakes in tins on wire rack x 10 min, then turn out and cool.

to make the icing, melt butter and chocolate together by your preferred method. while they are cooling, sieve the icing sugar into another bowl. add the golden syrup to the cooled chocolate mixture, followed by the sour cream and vanilla and when all this is combined, whisk in the sieved icing sugar. you may need to add a little boiling water, say a tsp or so, or indeed more icing sugar, depending on thickness of the icing.

place bottom layer with flat side up on cake plate. cut 4 strips parchment to tuck around edges on plate while icing, to stop icing running onto the plate. ice the bottom layer with 1/3 of the icing, then cover with top layer and finish icing the cake. decorate with sugar flowers if desired.

 
Andrea, try this one - it's moist, fluffy, and chocolatey. REC: Black Magic Cake:

BLACK MAGIC CAKE

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar (I use about 1 1/3 cups)
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa (or cocoa of choice)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt (I use 1/2 tsp)
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk* (I use nonfat plain yogurt)
1 cup strong black coffee OR 2 teaspoons powdered instant coffee plus 1 cup boiling water (I use brewed espresso)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans or one 13x9x2-inch baking pan. (My note: If using 9-inch rounds, grease the bottom and sides of pans, line with parchment paper, then grease the paper and dust with cocoa powder or flour - I use cocoa powder).

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes (batter will be thin). Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes for round pans, 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from (9") pans to wire racks. (9x13 can be cooled in pan on wire rack). Cool completely. Frost as desired. Yields 10 to 12 servings.

* To sour milk: Use 1 tablespoon white vinegar plus milk to equal 1 cup.

From Hershey's.

 
I always have trouble with yellow cakes, but not chocolate ones>>>

I'm not sure why the chocolate ones always come out good, but the yellow ones are hit or miss. (The cake gods must know that chocolate is the favorite around here.)

I will try either Richard's Yellow Chiffon, or Sylvia's Lemon cake, and see how those fare!

Of course, all the chocolate ones sound good too...

smileys/smile.gif

 
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