MAKING GREAT CAKES
Nothing says celebration quite like a cake.
For birthdays
and holidays, family reunions, or just a fun weekend get-together with
friends, cakes can be the main event or the grand finale. Whether its
a beginner-friendly lemony loaf cake flecked with poppy seeds, a classic
and timeless vanilla layer cake, or a towering sponge cake covered with
rich chocolate frosting, a homemade cake will make any gathering festive.
For some home bakers, even the simplest cake might seem intimidating.
But were here to help you master the basics. From prepping pans and
whipping up the airiest batter to baking and decorating your masterpiece,
the following pages guide you through invaluable cake-making how-tos,
including an overview of ingredients and essential tools, frosting and piping
techniques, and tips for troubleshooting your cakes to help ensure sweet
success every time. Weve organized our core cake and icing recipes
in our Basic Recipes chapter, including buttery yellow and rich chocolate
cakes and recipes for classic buttercreams and other frostings.
With these building blocks in hand, youll be well prepared to try our
recipes for the ultimate modern classics and specialty cakes that will
inspire your creativity and evoke oohs and aahs from friends and family.
A rainbow-speckled funfetti cake, Neapolitan ice cream cake, or a chocolate
fox cake set the stage for a kids birthday party, while a buttercream-covered
pink ombr cake or a dulce de leche crepe cake are perfect for grown-up
gatherings. Celebrate the winter holidays with a traditional bche de nol
or a festive gingerbread layer cake with maple-mascarpone whipped cream.
And bring out contemporary classics, like brown butter and pineapple
upside-down cake or a chocolate-hazelnut fallen cake, for a delectable finish
to a dinner party or family gathering. No matter how you slice it, theres
a cake for every season, every event, and every taste.
FLOUR
Most cakes are made using all-purpose flour or cake
flour. All-purpose flour is better for sturdier cakes
that require the structure provided by the small
amount of gluten it contains, whereas finely milled
cake flour, which is lower in protein and gluten,
is best for lighter, more delicate cakes. Weve used
all-purpose for the recipes in this book, but you
can substitute 1 cup (4 oz/125 g) plus 2 tablespoons
cake flour for every 1 cup (5 oz/155 g) all-purpose
flour. Specialty flours, like almond flour, are ideal
for tortes or other flourless cakes.
SUGAR
A cake isnt a cake without sugar or another
sweetener! In its various forms, sugar lends
both sweetness and moisture, helps keep cakes
tender, and, when it caramelizes in the oven,
gives baked goods a deliciously golden hue.
White granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and
confectioners sugar are the most common types
used in this book. Confectioners sugar, also
called powdered sugar, is very fine and ideal for
frostings or as a sweetener for whipped cream.
BUTTER & OIL
Because they are fats, butter and oil deliver moisture,
tenderness, and flavor to cakes. Choose a flavorless
oil, such as canola or vegetable oil, unless a specialty
version is required. Use unsalted butter because
it allows you to control the amount of salt added,
tends to be fresher, and lends a sweeter flavor to the
finished cake. When whipped with sugar, butter
keeps the crumb light and airy and even helps leaven
a cake. When beaten into sweet meringue or with
confectioners sugar and other flavorings, butter
creates silky rich frostings and buttercreams. To
ensure a uniform mixture, let the butter soften
to room temperature before beating.
EGGS
The egg is one of the most versatile ingredients
in the bakers kitchen. Whipped egg whites add
air and leavening to many cake batters or can be
transformed into a meringue base for buttercream.
Egg yolks are ideal for adding richness and for
creating curds and custards used to fill cakes, while
whole eggs lend structure to any baked good. The
recipes in this book call for large eggs. For the freshest
results, choose organic, pasture-raised eggs.
DAIRY
Dairy products like milk, buttermilk, and sour cream
add richness, flavor, fat, and moisture to cakes. The
recipes in this book use whole milk and full-fat sour
cream for the best flavor. If you dont have buttermilk
or sour cream, use plain whole-milk yogurt.
BAKING SODA & BAKING POWDER
Leavening is the result of gas bubbles expanding in
the batter as it bakes, causing the cake to rise and
lightening the texture and crumb. While some cakes
are leavened purely with whipped egg whites, others
include chemical leaveners, such as baking soda
and baking powder. Baking soda must be used with
another acidic ingredient in the batter, such as sour
cream or lemon juice; it is activated when mixed
with wet ingredients. Baking powder is a mixture
of baking soda and a dry acid, like cream of tartar,
and a little cornstarch. It's usually double acting,
meaning it is activated by both moisture and heat.
You can substitute baking powder for baking
soda but not vice versa.
FLAVORINGS
Chocolate and cocoa powder, vanilla extract or
vanilla beans, citrus zest, liqueurs and other extracts,
and countless spices like cinnamon and nutmeg can
help shape the personality of your finished creation.
INGREDIENTS
There are many different types of cakes, from roulades and pound cakes to upside-down
cakes, layer cakes, and cupcakes. Whatever their size and shape, most share common
ingredients, including flour, sweetener, fat, and eggs.
ELECTRIC MIXER
An electric stand mixer will help you make
cakes, fillings, and frostings with ease. While
some batters can be prepared with just a bowl and
a wooden spoon or a handheld whisk, youll find it
far easier to whip egg whites and whole eggs and
to cream butter and sugar with a sturdy tabletop
mixer. There are two commonly used attachments
for a stand mixer: the paddle, also called the flat
beater, which is ideal for creaming butter and
sugar and beating batters, and the whisk or whip
attachment, which aerates egg whites, whole
eggs, and cream. Handheld mixers will also work,
although they lack the power of a stand mixer
and often cannot beat thick or sturdy batters.
CAKE PANS
Different cakes require different types and
sizes of pans. Whatever pan you use, be sure to
prep it as directed in your recipe before making
the batter, as it will need to go in the oven
