Cake Recipes

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Permalink Reply by Diana on July 21, 2010 at 10:31am

OMG! Did I mention I LOVE this site! :-)

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Permalink Reply by Karen Marie on August 11, 2010 at 2:04pm

Andrea spongecake is kind of dry with lots of holes and made to accept flavored syrups. They are used primarily for European type cakes with lots of fillings and many components...what exactly do you want the outcome of your cake to be?

Andrea said:

ummm i posted elsewhere and need a goooooood sponge cake :) and one that can be covered with fondant and one that has a nice yummy filling? i'll be using 1 type of filling called 'Dulce de Leche' like *caramel and was thinking about some pineapple juice, drops ofcourse enough to make it moist....

Is this a bad idea? sorry i'm quite noob to baking *blush*

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Permalink Reply by Karen Marie on August 12, 2010 at 2:38pm

Scratch cakes dont have all the additives and conditioners that make box mixes so moist...and fool proof. It is important to watch baking times and pan sizes because all of that can affect the moistness of the finished cake...not to mention cooling properly and not cutting into it when it is still warm. Some people add a box of pudding to a scratch cake. I like to use buttermilk or sour cream or plain full fat yogurt for the liquid called for in the recipe. The fat and milk solids add moistness and make the cake a little sturdier so it will hold up under stacking.

But if you want your cake light, test the cake at least 5-8 minutes before the time stated in the recipe with a toothpick and test ever 2 minutes until the toothpick tests clean, Take it out immediately and cool on a wire rack until it is completely cooled. Do not remove before that or you will risk breaking the cake and then all the steam will escape and you will have a dry cake. Cakes should be baked between 350 and 375 degrees F...higher will give you burned sides and lowere will dry out the cake before it has a chance to bake all the way.

Now about the sponge cake you will definitely have to moisten it with a simple syrup before you cover with fondant. Combine equal amounts (1/2 cup sugar to 1/2 cup water) sugar and water and heat on medium heat until all the sugar is dossolved. Do not let it boil or you will start making candy. Cool to room temperature and then add any flavoring you want a teaspoon at a time until you get the desired strength. Spread the syrup on the cake with a pastry brush until you get it soaked enough for your taste. Then you can spread fillings and stack layers.

Does your recipe call for whipping the egg whites and folding them into the batter>?

Andrea said:

Hi

thanks for that.... yes i was wanting to make the sponge cake and then apply fondant to it....

I find that other cakes i've baked before are very very dry..... and heavy.....

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Permalink Reply by Karen Marie on August 13, 2010 at 5:51am

Andrea I am not sure about the talented but I did go to pastry school and I read everything I can about baking every chance I get...

The recipes you have are sponge type cakes yes. It sounds like you have to soak them which is typical of these types of cakes and why they are so moist almost bordering on wet. Anything with whipped cream wont hold up at room temperature for more than 4 hours...How about whipping the white chocolate gnanache and using that for filling as well as covering the cake under the fondant? Make your ganache with equal parts chocolate to cream.... trying to convert from US....lets see....1/2 kilo chocolate to 1/2 litre heavy cream...yep thats about right....let cool to room temp then cover and refrigerate over night....bring to room temperature (dont rush this) then whip in your mixer until light and fluffy. You can still soak the cake layers in juice or flavored simple syrup, spread a very thin layer of jam then fill and ice cakes with the ganache.

What do you think?

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Permalink Reply by Helen on August 13, 2010 at 6:42am

We don't have buttermilk in the UK - does it have another name ? A lot of US recipes use it and I am sure we must have it here but call it something else !
Is it full fat milk ie milk with none of the cream and fat removed?

Karen Marie said:

Andrea I am not sure about the talented but I did go to pastry school and I read everything I can about baking every chance I get...

The recipes you have are sponge type cakes yes. It sounds like you have to soak them which is typical of these types of cakes and why they are so moist almost bordering on wet. Anything with whipped cream wont hold up at room temperature for more than 4 hours...How about whipping the white chocolate gnanache and using that for filling as well as covering the cake under the fondant? Make your ganache with equal parts chocolate to cream.... trying to convert from US....lets see....1/2 kilo chocolate to 1/2 litre heavy cream...yep thats about right....let cool to room temp then cover and refrigerate over night....bring to room temperature (dont rush this) then whip in your mixer until light and fluffy. You can still soak the cake layers in juice or flavored simple syrup, spread a very thin layer of jam then fill and ice cakes with the ganache.

What do you think?

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Permalink Reply by Karen Marie on August 13, 2010 at 7:06am

Hi Helen...I am sure you have it.. the liquid left after you churn butter....very sour and thick...pale yellow in color....BUT

You can make it by adding 1 tbsp white or clear vinegar to 1 cup full fat milk (8 fl oz) plus add 1/2 tsp baking soda and reduce baking powder by 1 tsp

There is also a dry buttermilk product which is sold here in the baking aisle of our grocery stores.....dont know if you can get it there... hope this helps!

Helen said:

We don't have buttermilk in the UK - does it have another name ? A lot of US recipes use it and I am sure we must have it here but call it something else !
Is it full fat milk ie milk with none of the cream and fat removed?

Karen Marie said:

Andrea I am not sure about the talented but I did go to pastry school and I read everything I can about baking every chance I get...

The recipes you have are sponge type cakes yes. It sounds like you have to soak them which is typical of these types of cakes and why they are so moist almost bordering on wet. Anything with whipped cream wont hold up at room temperature for more than 4 hours...How about whipping the white chocolate gnanache and using that for filling as well as covering the cake under the fondant? Make your ganache with equal parts chocolate to cream.... trying to convert from US....lets see....1/2 kilo chocolate to 1/2 litre heavy cream...yep thats about right....let cool to room temp then cover and refrigerate over night....bring to room temperature (dont rush this) then whip in your mixer until light and fluffy. You can still soak the cake layers in juice or flavored simple syrup, spread a very thin layer of jam then fill and ice cakes with the ganache.

What do you think?

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Permalink Reply by Karen Marie on August 13, 2010 at 7:22am

I have never made those recipes so I cant really say how they will turn out..I know there is a white almond sour cream cake recipe in the recipe section of the forums that is really good.. they have a scratch version as well as a cake mix version. You wouldnt need to add juice to those. I have never used caramel in making ganache...not sure it will work the same...chocolate acts differenty than caramel..you might try the small caramel square candies and pour over some hot cream...but I have made caramel sauce before and you add cream to the hard caramel...then it gets sticky gooey...so not sure if it will whip up....

The amount of cake you will get from these recipes sounds like 2 layers from each....you can split the layers into 2 and then have 4 layers instead of making double recipes. Does that answer your questions?

Andrea said:

Hi Karen

Ok, so both recipes are sponge.... do you not recommend i do it this way for covering with fondant? considering that they both would have to be "moist almost bordering on wet".???

I just want a nice yummy cake that is not overly sweet but also not dry... as i said i am quite new at baking and its hitting on 9pm here Friday,,,, was going to give this a go maybe tonite?

and yes i didn't think that the whipped cream would hold... but what if i heat up the cream and also the caramel and mix? like ganache no? but it would be like a caramel one? also i would add tiny bits of juice not overly so its too wet? would these things work.... and yes i'm thinking of a white chocolate ganache for covering the whole lot... because last time i ganached my cake, it was easier then butter cream.... *which i don't like very much*

the two cakes i'm wanting to fill again i'm not sure if the recipe ive mentioned will cover is...

8.5 inches and 7 inches... [i would make 2 layers of each?]

sorry for all the questions.... i need all the help i can get....

Thanks
andrea

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Permalink Reply by Neryl Johnson on August 13, 2010 at 7:58am

Yes you do Helen!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/7566654/What-happened-to-al...

Helen said:

We don't have buttermilk in the UK - does it have another name ? A lot of US recipes use it and I am sure we must have it here but call it something else !
Is it full fat milk ie milk with none of the cream and fat removed?

Karen Marie said:

Andrea I am not sure about the talented but I did go to pastry school and I read everything I can about baking every chance I get...

The recipes you have are sponge type cakes yes. It sounds like you have to soak them which is typical of these types of cakes and why they are so moist almost bordering on wet. Anything with whipped cream wont hold up at room temperature for more than 4 hours...How about whipping the white chocolate gnanache and using that for filling as well as covering the cake under the fondant? Make your ganache with equal parts chocolate to cream.... trying to convert from US....lets see....1/2 kilo chocolate to 1/2 litre heavy cream...yep thats about right....let cool to room temp then cover and refrigerate over night....bring to room temperature (dont rush this) then whip in your mixer until light and fluffy. You can still soak the cake layers in juice or flavored simple syrup, spread a very thin layer of jam then fill and ice cakes with the ganache.

What do you think?

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Permalink Reply by Neryl Johnson on August 14, 2010 at 6:58am

You need to double the recipe to make all the cakes you need. This recipe is only enough for two 8 inch layer cakes, that's why it didn't raise much.

Andrea said:

Major Major dilema,,,, i've just baked my two cakes but didn't rise much.... now i have to bake again... but before i do i need some assistance plssss....

Here is the recipe i got from here which is suppose to cover two 8 inch cakes....

I'm wanting it to cover both 8.5 inches and 7 inches...

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup butter (lightly salted)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt


I've ensured that all measurements were 100% correct....

So what do i do now?

Here is what it looks like....

and this one...

Your help would be much appreciated plzzzz.....

thanx
Andrea

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Permalink Reply by Neryl Johnson on August 14, 2010 at 7:12am

Andrea, if I were you, I'd start over, double this recipe and divide between the four pans/tins sizes you need. That should give you all the layers you need.

Andrea said:

thanx so i should just do another batch? and then how would i go about making the other layer >??

I wanted 2 layers per cake...

Neryl Johnson said:

You need to double the recipe to make all the cakes you need. This recipe is only enough for two 8 inch layer cakes, that's why it didn't raise much.

Andrea said:

Major Major dilema,,,, i've just baked my two cakes but didn't rise much.... now i have to bake again... but before i do i need some assistance plssss....

Here is the recipe i got from here which is suppose to cover two 8 inch cakes....

I'm wanting it to cover both 8.5 inches and 7 inches...

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup butter (lightly salted)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt


I've ensured that all measurements were 100% correct....

So what do i do now?

Here is what it looks like....

and this one...

Your help would be much appreciated plzzzz.....

thanx
Andrea

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Neryl Johnson on August 14, 2010 at 7:24am

Andrea, since you only have two pans, make one batch of this recipe and divide between your two pans, when those two cakes are baked, cooled and removed from your tins, you make another batch of this recipe again, divide mixture between your prepared pans again, how does that sound? :)

Andrea said:

sorry to sound dumb,,,, but i only have 2 pans one that is 8 inches and the other is 7.5 inches.... i wanted to give each 2 layers..... soooooo


I do another batch but double the recipe adn this will allow me to do this? or just double the recipe for the 8 inches first?

Neryl Johnson said:

Andrea, if I were you, I'd start over, double this recipe and divide between the four pans/tins sizes you need. That should give you all the layers you need.

Andrea said:

thanx so i should just do another batch? and then how would i go about making the other layer >??

I wanted 2 layers per cake...

Neryl Johnson said:

You need to double the recipe to make all the cakes you need. This recipe is only enough for two 8 inch layer cakes, that's why it didn't raise much.

Andrea said:

Major Major dilema,,,, i've just baked my two cakes but didn't rise much.... now i have to bake again... but before i do i need some assistance plssss....

Here is the recipe i got from here which is suppose to cover two 8 inch cakes....

I'm wanting it to cover both 8.5 inches and 7 inches...

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup butter (lightly salted)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt


I've ensured that all measurements were 100% correct....

So what do i do now?

Here is what it looks like....

and this one...

Your help would be much appreciated plzzzz.....

thanx
Andrea

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Neryl Johnson on August 14, 2010 at 7:44am

If you're happy with the first batch then you just need to make one more batch!

Andrea said:

ok,,,, so i think i have it....

Except i've already done 1 batch.. so really i only need to make another batch of this recipe?

Neryl Johnson said:

Andrea, since you only have two pans, make one batch of this recipe and divide between your two pans, when those two cakes are baked, cooled and removed from your tins, you make another batch of this recipe again, divide mixture between your prepared pans again, how does that sound? :)

Andrea said:

sorry to sound dumb,,,, but i only have 2 pans one that is 8 inches and the other is 7.5 inches.... i wanted to give each 2 layers..... soooooo


I do another batch but double the recipe adn this will allow me to do this? or just double the recipe for the 8 inches first?

Neryl Johnson said:

Andrea, if I were you, I'd start over, double this recipe and divide between the four pans/tins sizes you need. That should give you all the layers you need.

Andrea said:

thanx so i should just do another batch? and then how would i go about making the other layer >??

I wanted 2 layers per cake...

Neryl Johnson said:

You need to double the recipe to make all the cakes you need. This recipe is only enough for two 8 inch layer cakes, that's why it didn't raise much.

Andrea said:

Major Major dilema,,,, i've just baked my two cakes but didn't rise much.... now i have to bake again... but before i do i need some assistance plssss....

Here is the recipe i got from here which is suppose to cover two 8 inch cakes....

I'm wanting it to cover both 8.5 inches and 7 inches...

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup butter (lightly salted)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt


I've ensured that all measurements were 100% correct....

So what do i do now?

Here is what it looks like....

and this one...

Your help would be much appreciated plzzzz.....

thanx
Andrea

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