History of Cakes
The ancient Egyptians were the world’s first great bakers, with large-scale bakeries that produced unleavened breads and cakes, first baked on hot stones. There were the first to discover how to use wild (natural) yeast to make flatbreads and cakes rise. Cakes are round because they descended from ancient bread – round loaves of dough placed on hearthstones to bake. The Greeks had a form of cheesecake and the Romans developed early versions of fruitcakes with raisins, nuts and other fruits. Moulds, in the forms of cake hoops or pans have been used for forming cakes since the mid-17th century. Most cakes were eaten accompanied by a glass of sweet wine or tea.
During the 19th century, technology made the cake-baker’s life much easier. The chemical raising agent bicarbonate of soda, introduced in the 80’s, followed by the baking powder (a dry mixture of bicarbonate of soda with mild acid), and replaced yeast, providing a greater leavening power with less effort. Another technology breakthrough was more accurate temperature controlled ovens.
Baking Tools and Accessories
To obtain the very best results when making cakes, it is necessary to have a selection of good equipment… Always buy good equipment, and with care it will not need replacing. (Murfit, J. & Rickford, L., 2000)
Scales– used for accurate weighing of all the ingredients.
Measuring jug– used for accurate measuring of liquids in milliliters, fluid ounces or pints, or dry and liquid ingredients.
Standard measuring spoons– used for spoon measurements for dry and liquid ingredients.
Standard measuring cups– used for cup measurements for dry and liquid ingredients.
Wooden spoons– used for beating large or small quantities of mixture.
Whisks– a small hand rotary whisk or a wire whisk used for whisking cream, egg whites or light mixtures to give a smooth consistency.
Electric mixer – invaluable for whisking large quantities of cake mixtures
Food processor- ideal for chopping ingredients quickly and ideal for beating icing or for cake mixtures
Rubber scraper- these come in many shapes and sizes, usually made with a flexible plastic blade and essential for folding ingredients thoroughly into lightly-whipped mixtures or cake batters, and for removing all the ingredients from the bowl.
Bowls- a selection of small, medium and large in glass, china or aluminum with rounded insides
Tins (pans) and moulds- a selection of many sizes which is used for baking or molding cakes
Cooling racks- used to prevent from messing or damaging surface of the table.
Papers- used as under liners to prevent from scotching and or it may use as pastry bag for icing.
Glazing brush- useful for brushing tins and moulds with fat or oil, used for brushing egg wash, and others.
Knives- a selection of small, medium and large knives used for paring ingredients and for cutting cakes into layers.
Spatulas- small, medium and large straight palette knives with flexible blades used for loosening cakes from tins and for applying, spreading and smoothening icing. Ideal for lifting and transferring small and fragile icing decorations
Boxes- cakes is stored in boxes to keep them clean, dry and free from damage.
Pastry bag- a funnel shaped container for holding soft food mixtures or icings from which food is forced through a pastry tip.
Pastry tip- usually metal tube attached to the opening of the pastry bag that is often shaped or forms a specific pattern.
Basic Ingredients
Flour is the chief ingredients in making cakes, the glue that holds the whole together and contains an element called gluten (protein from the flour), which binds the other ingredients together.
Fats, in the form of shortening, butter, margarine, or cream, to give your cake flavor and make it tender, moist, and rich.
Eggs, which help with flavor, leavening, moisture, color, lightness, texture, and richness of cakes.
Sugar, make your final product sweet, tender, and moist and to join with the fat and spread it throughout the batter.
Leavening agents helps to create gas bubbles that make your cake rise such as baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, and air.
Milk, provide moisture, add flavor, help bind everything together, and add some fat content.
Flavorings and extracts, add extra taste and flavor such as vanilla, chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg, and others.
Salt, acts to balance the sweetness of the sugar and to tone it down a bit.
Classification of Cakes
Sponge Cake
Sponge cakes are made without added fat. Because sponge cakes lack fat, their tenderness depends upon the extent of whipping of the egg whites or whites and yolks, the mixing procedure, the correct proportions, and proper baking.
Sponge cakes are commonly divided into two classes: the white sponge or angel food and the yellow or true sponge. White sponge cake contains only the egg whites and yellow or true sponge cake contains both whites and yolks. True sponge cakes are made without the addition of soda or baking powder.
A good product is symmetrical in shape, evenly and slightly rounded, and delicately browned. Its texture is silky, tender, moist, and resilient. The grain is fine and uniform. A cake containing only the whites of eggs should be white, whereas a cake containing both yolk and white should be yellow. The depth of color is influenced by color of the yolk and its relation to the other ingredients. Such an ingredients as chocolate also influences the color. The color and flavor are likewise affected by the flavoring used.
Butter Cake
Butter cakes are cakes that contain added fat. They are also called shortened cakes. There are several variations of the butter cake. These include the following:
1. Gold cake- made of egg yolks only
2. White cake- made of egg whites only
3. Spicy cake- made by adding ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, clove, or nutmeg to each cup of flour
4. Fruit cake- usually spiced, and contains dried, chopped fruits and nuts
5. Chocolate cake- made with cocoa and chocolate
A good butter cake has an even grain and fine texture, velvety crumb, a good volume, a symmetrical lightly browned exterior, and excellent keeping quality.
Chiffon Cake
Chiffon cakes are fast becoming popular because of their lightness and melting richness. A chiffon cake has the volume and lightness of sponge cake and richness of butter cake. In preparing chiffon cakes, the egg whites are beaten until very stiff and gently folded into the batter. Chiffon cakes are always baked in ungreased pans.
A uniform shape, slightly rounded top, an evenly browned crust, a velvety and even grain and a good flavor are the remarks of good quality chiffon cake.
Procedures in Cake Making
In cake making, as in the preparation of other dishes, a systematic plan must be followed if good results are desired. Before the mixing is begun, all the utensils and ingredients should be collected and any of the ingredients that require special preparation should be prepared. Then, if the recipe is correct, if the ingredients are measured accurately and combined correctly, and if the baking is done properly, success in cake making is assured.
The first thing to be done, when a cake is to be made, is to read the recipe to determine just what is required and to find out whether all the ingredients called for are in supply. With this done, all the utensils should be placed conveniently on the table and the ingredients collected and measured.
Some authorities advise the weighing of the ingredients in cake because weight is always regarded as more accurate than measure. If a recipe calls for weights, it will be found easier to
use them than to try to change them to measure; but when a recipe requires measures, and does not state weights, it would be unwise to attempt to use scales for measuring.
The measuring of the fat often requires a little attention. For instance, if only 1/4 cupful of butter or some other fat is required, it may perhaps be more convenient to measure it with a tablespoon than with a cup. Otherwise, unless the recipe calls for melted fat, the fat should be measured by pressing it down tight into the cup until it reaches the mark indicating the required amount.
If the fat is hard and cold, as is usually the case when it is first taken from the refrigerator or other cold place, it will be difficult to cream. A good plan is to let the fat stand until it is 70 degrees Fahrenheit, or ordinary room temperature, before the mixing is begun.
The dry ingredients used in cakes include the sugar, flour, baking powder, spices, etc. Granulated sugar seldom requires any preparation except measuring. However, sugar other than granulated, particularly brown sugar and pulverized sugar, should be rolled with a rolling pin and then sifted in order to free it from any lumps it might contain.
Flour should be sifted once before measuring and again with the baking powder, or soda and cream of tartar, and salt in order to mix them. Other dry ingredients, such as spices and occasionally pulverized sugar, may also be sifted with the flour and other dry ingredients. If the dry leavening agent appears to be lumpy when the cover is removed from the can, it should be worked smooth with a spoon and sifted before it is measured. A very small mesh wire sieve may be used for this purpose.
The liquid should be measured by pouring it into the measuring cup with the cup stationary and level. The eggs, which are, of course, one of the liquid ingredients, should be neither broken until just before they are to be used, nor beaten until the mixture is brought to the point where the eggs are to be added. If the whites are to be used for the preparation of icing after the cake is baked, they should be kept in a cool place until they are beaten.
Fruits, nuts, and other miscellaneous ingredients should be prepared before the mixing of the cake is begun; that is, they should be cleansed, cut, ground, or chopped, as the case may be, so that it will not be necessary to stop the mixing of the cake to do any of this work. If they are to be dredged with flour, this may be done at the time they are prepared.
Essentials of good cake making
There are six essentials of good cake making. These are as follows:
1. proper balanced formula
2. correct temperature
3. accurate weights or measurements of ingredients
4. controlled mixing of ingredients
5. proper relationship of batter to pan
6. attention to correct oven temperature and baking time
Points to remember in the preparation
1. All ingredients should be at room temperature.
2. Fat shout be soft but not melted.
3. Eggs should be beaten at room temperature to produce a greater volume.
4. Oven must be set at the proper temperature before the ingredients are mixed.
5. Bottom of the pan must be greased or lined with wax paper.
6. All ingredients should be measured accurately before they are combined. Flour should be sifted once before it is measured.
Mixing Methods
Traditional Method (for butter cake)
1. sift dry ingredients
2. cream fat and sugar
3. add egg
4. add milk and flour alternately (divide into 2-3 portions)
5. add flavoring (optional)
Direct Method (for chiffon cake)
1. dry and liquid ingredients are separated
2. sift dry ingredients
3. Make a well with the dry ingredients and add oil, egg-yolk, liquid and flavoring in order; then, mix.
4. fold in batter mixture into beaten egg-whites
Meringue Method (for sponge cake)
1. same as direct method but oil, fat or shortening is not included
