Causes of variations in cake baking

What is it exactly that makes your cake turn out different every time you bake one? Is baking a cake exact science or is it more of an art? It is actually a combination of both and may require some experience to master the best way of making the perfect cake. These are the reasons for the variations in the cake even when the same recipes are used:  

The depth of the batter in baking pans

The depth of the batter which fills the baking pan will affect the outcome of the cake in terms of its volume and color. A baking pan which is too shallow for a large amount of batter will result in a cake which is cracked and the color to become too brown on the top. On the other hand, a baking pan which is too deep with little batter may crack in the center and result in poor browning. Thus, a baking pan with the optimal size should be used to produce the perfect cake volume with uniform browning. A cake which perfectly fills the pan to the top at the end of baking is usually optimal.

The material of the baking pans

Baking pans which are darker and dull will be better for heat penetration but may likely result in rapid heating of the outer layer before the interior expands optimally. This can cause the cake to crack and be humped on the top. On the other hand, baking pans which are shinier will absorb heat at a slower rate, which results in better overall texture and browning.

Baking formulations and conditions

The proportion of ingredients used can cause a wide range of variations in the cake. This is because cakes are very sensitive when the slightest alterations are made. These are some of the variations and its causes:

·         Fallen center

Too much sugar/ too much fat/ not enough mixing/ too much baking powder/ baking temperature too low/ Opening oven door too early

·         Dry crumb

Too much flour/ too much egg/ too little fat/ too little sugar/ overbaking

·         Dark crust

Honey/ overbaking/ too much sugar/ improper placement inside oven

·         Coarse texture

Too much sugar/ too much baking powder/ baking temperature too low/ not enough mixing

·         Poor volume

Too little baking powder/ baking temperature too low/ not enough sugar or fat

·         Humped

Too much flour/ too much mixing/ pan too deep/ oven too hot/ too little sugar/ too little fat/ too little liquid

Classification of foam cakes

Foam cakes can be easily found in various bakery shops in Malaysia. This type of cake is aptly named due to the large quantity of foam produced when making it which results in a light, airy batter. When talking about foam cakes, it can be divided into three categories, namely the angel cake, sponge cake and chiffon cake. Some people may be wondering, what is the difference between these three cakes? Let’s find out.

Angel cake

An angel cake basically contains egg white foam, sugar and cake flour. These basic ingredients are enough to make a cake with tender texture but very delicate in its structure. The color of this cake is white due to the absence of egg yolks. It is leavened only by air and steam, which makes the process of optimally foaming the egg whites very important to determine the volume of the cake. Some people may substitute the cake flour with all-purpose flour which results in a denser texture. However, adding more sugar may resolve this problem.

The proportion of flour to egg whites may greatly affect its texture. With a larger amount of flour compared to egg whites, the cake will become much drier and less tender. In addition, the amount of sugar also can alter the overall texture. More sugar will result in a crisp and shiny crust. The freshness and temperature of the egg whites used in foaming affects the volume of the cake. Fresher and warmer eggs tend to result in cake with greater volume. However, the most important factor in determining the cake volume is optimally beating the egg whites to form the perfect peaks which bend over.

Sponge cake

The sponge cake is different from the angel cake in that it has the extra ingredient of the egg yolk foam. With the addition of the egg yolk foam, it gives the cake a slight yellowish color. The texture of the sponge cake is a little bit tougher than the angel cake because the yolk toughens it slightly.

The foaming stage is especially important for foam cakes because it determines the volume of the cake.  To make the best egg foam, the eggs used should preferably be at room temperature or more. The egg yolk requires more beating than the whites.

Chiffon cake

Chiffon cakes have the additional ingredients of oil and baking powder when compared to the ingredients for a sponge cake. These ingredients will result in a more tender and volumuous cake compared to the other foam cakes.

The main difference between the chiffon cakes and the other foam cakes is that the egg whites should be beaten longer to form a straight peak because the cake mixture has more liquid. Thus, for chiffon cakes, it is extremely important to beat both the egg whites and yolks optimally to prevent bad texture quality. 

Classification of milk

Whole

Whole milk has a fat percentage of 3.25% or more. It has a rich flavor and is used for drinking as well as cooking.

Reduced fat

Reduced fat milk has a fat percentage of 2% with some richness in its flavor. It is regularly used in cooking and as beverage.

Low fat

The fat percentage of low fat milk is 1% whereby the taste has a slight richness. It can be used either in cooking or as beverage.

Fat free/ skim

Skim milk has a fat percentage of 0.1% with a thin consistency and flavor. It is used in cooking and as beverage.

Cultured buttermilk

Cultured buttermilk with a fat percentage of 0.1% has a tangy flavour and is usually used in baking. This type of milk is fermented and is suitable for people with lactose-intolerance.

Yogurt

Yogurt has a varying fat content from 0.1% to more than 3.23% with a tangy flavor. It is regularly used in desserts, frozen desserts and as dressing. This product is clotted milk with the introduction of microorganisms to ferment it.   

The roles of ingredients in baking

Wheat and other flours

The flour used in baking provides structure, tenderness, color and texture to the baked products. Also, the contents of flour which are useful in baking include sugar, *gluten and protein. The gluten contained in wheat flour can be developed optimally through the mixing step. Just remember that whole wheat flours will require less mixing to avoid negatively impacting the bread texture. The sugar in flour contributes as one of the sources of food for yeast. The protein in flour interacts with sugar to promote crust browning.

Liquid

Baking ingredients often require water when flour is involved to serve as a solvent, steam for *leavening, crust browning, gluten development and flavor. Different types of liquid will play different roles in baking. For example, when fruit juices are used in baking, they may contribute significantly to the taste of the baked products.

Eggs

 Eggs are common ingredients in baking and acts as a liquid, *emulsifier, coloring agent, and contributes to the texture. The proteins contained in eggs will *coagulate and contribute to its structure. The yolks of the eggs will also distinctly color the products. Plus, when egg whites are foamed, bubbles of air are trapped, forming many small cells within the eggs; providing structure for the eggs.

Fats

Fats have many roles in baking including providing flavor, color, richness and texture to baked goods. Different types of fat will play different roles in the product. For instance, using oil in baking may result in pastry with a more mealy texture while using solid fat will make the texture flakier.

Sugar   

Sugar in baked products is used as sweetener, tenderizing agent and browning agent. The role of sugar as a sweetener is quite significant but it is also important as food for the yeast. In addition, the browning is due to the caramelization of sugar.

Salt

The most important role of salt in baking is for flavoring but it has an extra role for yeast products to prevent over growth of yeast.

Vocabulary:
*Gluten: Protein complex that forms when wheat flour is added with water, resulting in a protein network which is responsible for the elastic texture of dough.
*Leavening: To cause dough or bread to rise by adding leavening agent (eg: yeast, steam )
*Emulsifier: a substance that stabilizes an emulsion, in particular an additive used to stabilize processed foods.
*Coagulate: To cause transformation of (a liquid, for example) into or as if into a soft, semisolid, or solid mass