Word-to-the-wise-Wednesday - All about cake failure....

When good cakes go bad
You thought you had a good cake, but lately he’s been hanging out with the wrong crowd - some tough cookies. Soon he’s staying out late and coming home reeking of alcohol-based vanilla extract. Before you know it your angel ( food) is on a one way street to culinary reform school.
It’s tough when good cakes go bad — and here are some of the most common reasons:


In General:


If the cake rose unevenly in the oven:

• The flour was not blended sufficiently into the main mixture.
• The temperature inside the oven was uneven.
• The oven temperature was too high.

If the batter overflowed the pans:

• Make sure you used the right size pan. The uncooked mixture should fill the pan by no more than two-thirds.

Cakes That Use Separately-beaten Egg Whites And Yolks


If the cake is dense and heavy:

• The eggs were too small. Always use large eggs when baking.
• Insufficient air was whisked into the egg and sugar mixture.
• The flour was not folded in gently. Always mix in the flour at the lowest speed.
• The melted butter was too hot when added, causing it to sink down through the whisked foam.
• The oven temperature was too low.

If the top of the cake dropped:

• The oven temperature was too hot.
• The cake was not cooked long enough.
• The oven door was opened too soon, which created a draft.

Cakes That Use Creamed Butter And Sugar Mixtures


If the batter curdles and separates:

• The ingredients were not at room temperature.
• The butter and sugar were not creamed together well enough before adding the eggs.
• The eggs were added too quickly.
• If the cake’s texture is too heavy:
• The butter, sugar and eggs were not beaten together long enough.
• The flour was beaten at too high a speed.
• Too much flour was added to the creamed mixture.
• The oven temperature was not hot enough.

If the top of the cake peaks and cracks:

• The oven temperature was too hot, causing the outside of the cake to bake and form a crust too quickly. As the mixture in the center of the cake continued to cook and rise, it burst up through the top of the cake.
• The cake wasn’t baked on the center rack of the oven.
• If raisins, dried fruit and nuts sunk to the bottom:
• The pieces of fruit were too large and too heavy.
• The sugary syrup on the outside of the fruit was not washed off- this caused the pieces of fruit to slide through the mixture as it heated.
• The washed and dried fruit was not dusted with flour before being added to the mixture.
• The cake mixture was over beaten or was too wet so it could not hold the fruit in place.
• The oven temperature was too low, causing the mixture to melt before it set to hold the fruit in place.

Source: http://www.chefrick.com/
Pic Courtesy of Photobucket

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