Cake Mixing Methods Quiz and Flashcards

Study Notes

The goals of mixing cake batter are to combine ingredients uniformly, incorporate air cells, and develop the proper texture.

Mixing methods can be divided into two categories: high fat (structured primarily on creamed fat) and egg foam (structured primarily on whipped eggs).
High fat cakes include butter cakes and high-ratio cakes.
Egg foam cakes include genoise, spongecakes, angel food cakes, and chiffon cakes.

Creamed-fat cakes include most popular American-style cakes, such as poundcakes, layer cakes, coffeecakes, and brownies.
These cakes are based on high-fat formulas, most containing chemical leaveners.
A good high-fat cake has a fine grain, cells of uniform size, and a crumb that is moist rather than crumbly.
Crusts should be thin and tender.
Creamed-fat cakes can be divided into two classes: butter cakes and high-ratio cakes.

Butter cakes, also known as creaming-method cakes, begin with softened butter or shortening creamed to incorporate air cells.
These cakes usually need the assistance of a chemical leavener to achieve the proper rise.
Modern-day butter cakes are made with the creaming method and are tender yet sturdy enough to handle rich buttercreams or fillings.
High-fat cakes are too soft and delicate to use for roll cakes or to slice into extremely thin layers.

Creaming fat mechanically leavens the cake and creates a mixture in which fats and liquid are suspended.
Air cells are trapped in the fat, lightening the mixture.
As eggs are mixed into the creamed fat, the mixture emulsifies, allowing fats and liquids to be held in suspension.
Creaming-method cake formulas specify whether to use butter or shortening.
When substituting butter for shortening, additional liquid must be added to replace the liquid lost.
Butter cannot support the same quantity of sugar, liquids, and flour as shortening due to its 15% moisture content.

Fat should be creamed at low to moderate speeds to prevent raising its temperature.
All ingredients should be at room temperature (70°F/21°C) for effective creaming.
Eggs should be added slowly to maintain the emulsion formed when the sugar and butter were creamed.
Flour should be added gradually, alternating with the liquid, to prevent overdevelopment of gluten.