Baking for Dummies Read online

  Classic Pound Cake

  Not many recipes are easier and more satisfying than a pound cake. This rich, dense cake is perfect on its own, but you also can serve it with a scoop of ice cream, fresh fruit, a drizzle of chocolate sauce, or a sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar for a special treat.

  Specialty tools: an electric mixer

  Preparation time: 20 minutes

  Baking time: 55 to 60 minutes

  Yield: 1 loaf (12 to 16 servings)

  1 3/4 cups flour

  3/4 teaspoon baking powder

  1/4 teaspoon salt

  3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature

  3/4 cup sugar

  3 tablespoons milk

  3 eggs

  1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  1Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-x-5-inch loaf pan.

  2Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.

  3Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until well incorporated, about 1 minute. Add the milk, eggs (one at a time), and vanilla and continue beating to mix well. Slowly add the flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, mixing on low speed until just blended.

  4Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake rest for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a cooling rack.

  Per serving: Calories 179 (From Fat 88); Fat 10g (Saturated 6g); Cholesterol 64mg; Sodium 69mg; Carbohydrate 20g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 3g.

  Chocolate Swirl Pound Cake

  You make this cake in a Bundt or tube pan. I recommend using butter to achieve the rich flavor you want in this cake. Even without the chocolate swirl, this dense cake is very tasty. Check out the photo in the color section.

  Specialty tools: 12-cup Bundt or tube pan

  Preparation time: 25 minutes

  Baking time: 50 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes

  Yield: 20 to 24 servings

  3 cups sugar

  1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, at room temperature

  5 eggs

  1 cup sour cream

  2 teaspoons vanilla or almond extract, or 1 teaspoon each

  3 cups flour

  1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

  1/2 teaspoon salt

  1 ounce semisweet or bittersweet chocolate

  1 tablespoon butter

  1Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt or tube pan.

  2Using an electric mixer, cream together the sugar and the 1 1/2 cups butter, about 1 minute. Add the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla and blend, stopping once to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Reserve 1 cup of the batter. Pour the remaining batter into the prepared pan.

  3In a small saucepan over very low heat, melt the chocolate and 1 tablespoon butter. Stir into the reserved cup of batter.

  4Spoon the chocolate batter around the center of the pan. With a knife, gently swirl the two batters together with an S motion. Do not overmix.

  5Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes, until a wooden tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and cool completely.

  Per serving: Calories 302 (From Fat 141); Fat 16g (Saturated 9g); Cholesterol 81mg; Sodium 148mg; Carbohydrate 38g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 3g.

  Cupcakes

  Like pound cakes, which originally contained a pound of each ingredient, cupcakes are so-called because all the ingredients were originally measured out by the cup: 1 cup of butter, 2 cups of sugar, 3 cups of flour, and 4 eggs. The individual tins came later, so the name really derived from the recipe, not from the baking pans.

  Any recipe for layer, butter, or pound cake makes a fine cupcake. Coffee cake recipes can also be used, as can recipes for fruit cakes, nut cakes, and tea cakes. Cupcakes are baked in muffin pans. As a general rule, the pans are prepared for baking by spreading them with shortening or spraying them with a nonstick coating. They may also be lined with paper or foil baking cups, which ensure that the cakes won’t stick to the pan, making cleanup a snap. The liners also help keep moisture in the cakes, keeping them fresher longer.

  Flat-bottomed, wafer ice cream cones can be used as baking containers for cupcake batter. Children are particularly fond of them. To make them, fill the cones two-thirds full with batter (about 2 generous tablespoons). Place the filled cones on a flat baking sheet or in muffin tins and bake for about 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Eat the cake and its container.

  Testing for doneness

  You can do several things to make sure that your cake is thoroughly baked. Some visual clues can tell you whether the cake is done:

  The color of the top should be golden brown.

  The edges should be just beginning to pull away from the pan.

  The cake should appear to be firm and should not jiggle when lightly shaken.

  Touch the top surface lightly with your finger; the cake should spring back, and your finger should not make a dent. To be absolutely sure your cake is done, insert a cake tester into the center of the cake. (A product called a cake tester actually exists, but save your money — a toothpick, thin wooden skewer, or butter knife will do nicely.) The tester should come out clean and dry, indicating that the cake is done. If the tester comes out wet and covered in batter, bake the cake for a couple more minutes, then retest.

  Be sure you set your timer to the minimum baking time given and try not to peek while the cake is baking. As exciting as it is to watch, you make the oven temperature fluctuate each time you open the door, and that could affect the way the cake bakes — in the worst-case scenario, the cake could fall. The only exception to the cake-test rule is cheesecake, which has its own set of rules (see the “Cheesecakes” section).

  Chocolate Cupcakes

  People can’t seem to get enough chocolate, and these cupcakes are the perfect answer when you want just a little something after a meal. These moist little cupcakes will keep you coming back for more. You can frost them with vanilla or chocolate frosting, or just a dusting of confectioners’ sugar. Flip to the color section for a photo of these.

  Specialty tool: 12-cup muffin tin

  Preparation time: 15 minutes

  Baking time: 20 minutes

  Yield: 12 cupcakes

  1/2 cup shortening, at room temperature

  1 cup sugar

  1 egg

  1 1/2 cups flour

  1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  1/2 teaspoon salt

  1 teaspoon baking soda

  1/2 cup buttermilk

  1/2 cup hot water

  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  1Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease or line 12 muffin cups.

  2In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar until light and creamy, about 1 minute. Beat in the egg.

  3In a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, and salt. Stir the baking soda into the buttermilk and stir to dissolve. Add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk to the shortening mixture, beginning and ending with flour and mix just to combine.

  4Add the hot water and vanilla. Pour the batter into the muffin tins and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes on a wire rack completely before frosting them.

  Vary It! If you like, you can use 1/4 cup shortening and 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick). Just make sure that both are at room temperature.

  Per serving: Calories 216 (From Fat 87); Fat 10g (Saturated 3g); Cholesterol 18mg; Sodium 146mg; Carbohydrate 31g (Dietary Fiber 2g); Protein 3g.

  Lemon Cupcakes

  Delicate lemon cake kissed with a light lemon frosting, these cupcakes are perfect to celebrate springtime. Top them with colored sprinkles, and they’ll be too irresistible to pass up.r />
  Preparation time: 30 minutes

  Baking time: 15 to 20 minutes

  Yield: 24 servings

  2 cups cake flour

  2 teaspoons baking powder

  1/2 teaspoon salt

  2/3 cup (1 1/4 sticks) butter, at room temperature

  1 cup sugar

  3 eggs

  2/3 cup milk

  2 teaspoons lemon extract

  1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

  Zest from 1 lemon (about 1 teaspoon)

  Lemon Frosting (see the following recipe)

  1Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.

  2In a small bowl, prepare the cupcake batter: Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, and eggs. Add the milk, lemon extract, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Stir in the flour mixture.

  3Fill each muffin cup two-thirds full. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a wooden tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool slightly before removing them from the tin. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

  Lemon Frosting

  2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese

  3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature

  1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

  4 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

  1 teaspoon lemon extract

  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (optional)

  While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting: Combine the cream cheese, butter, and lemon juice and beat until smooth and creamy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, lemon extract, vanilla, and lemon zest, if desired. Beat until creamy. Chill the frosting until the cupcakes have cooled and are ready to be frosted. Frost the cupcakes and keep them refrigerated until ready to serve.

  Per serving: Calories 316 (From Fat 166); Fat 18g (Saturated 11g); Cholesterol 78mg; Sodium 149mg; Carbohydrate 35g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 3g.

  Sponge Cakes

  Sponge cakes are light and airy. The primary reason they rise so high is the air beaten into egg whites. Sponge cakes are both lighter and dryer than butter cakes. They are dryer (in a good way, not like an overbaked cake) because they don’t have the fat that adds to the moistness of butter cakes.

  Butter cakes blend sugar into the fat to make the air pockets. In contrast, sponge cakes whip the eggs with sugar until light in color (lemon-colored), thick, and at the ribbon stage (when the batter forms a flat ribbon falling back upon itself when the beater is lifted). At this stage, a line drawn with your finger through the batter will remain visible for at least a couple seconds. Whisk-type beaters, not paddles, are always used to make sponge cakes. The air whipped into the egg-sugar mixture at this stage contributes to the rising of the sponge.

  When the sponge cake is placed in the oven to bake, the second essential factor is the heat of the oven. Basically, what happens is this: The liquid in the batter becomes steam, which rises and escapes through the foam. The heat also causes the air in these bubbles to expand, which contributes to the rise. This same principle is what makes croissants flaky and puff pastry puffy.

  Angel food cake

  An angel food cake is a light, fluffy, high-rising cake that is basically a sponge cake without egg yolks or fat. To make a good angel food cake, you just need to know a few basic tricks:

  Whip the egg whites properly. Angel food cake is made with a large quantity of egg whites, which are whipped into a foam; this foam provides all the cake’s leavening (for instructions, see Chapter 5).

  Don’t grease the cake pan. The rising batter must cling to the pan sides and hold itself up. The sides of a greased pan will be too slippery for the cake to rise.

  Preheat the oven. The cake should not be sitting around waiting to rise, allowing the air cells to deflate while the oven heats up. The oven must also be the correct heat: The ideal temperature is 325 degrees.

  Test for doneness. Use something long and thin to test the cake for doneness, such as a clean broom straw, a long thin knife, or a thin bamboo skewer.

  Invert the pan. As soon as the cake is done baking, turn the pan upside down and stand it on its feet or hang it upside own over the neck of a bottle or tall funnel. What you want to do is invert the cake until it has completely cooled to ensure it will be firm enough to hold its rise.

  Saw, don’t cut. To cut angel food cake, use a sawing motion with a serrated knife or a pronged angel-food cutter (a tool that looks like a row of thin nails attached to a bar). Just remember that if you try to cut the cake with a regular straight-blade knife, you will end up pushing down on the cake, which will flatten it. Freeze it first for easier slicing.

  Angel Food Cake

  This light and airy cake calls for cake flour. Don’t purchase self-rising cake flour by mistake (it will be marked on the package). You can double-check if you aren’t sure by reading the ingredients. If any leavening agent, such as baking soda or powder, is present in the flour, it’s self-rising and not the kind you want.

  Specialty tool: 10-inch tube pan

  Preparation time: 15 minutes

  Baking time: 40 to 45 minutes

  Yield: 10 to 12 servings

  1 cup cake flour

  1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

  2 cups egg whites (about 6 to 8 eggs)

  1/4 teaspoon salt

  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  1/4 teaspoon almond extract

  1 cup sugar

  1Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

  2Sift the cake flour with the confectioners’ sugar twice. Set aside.

  3With a wire whisk or the whisk attachment of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites, salt, vanilla, and almond extract together until they are foamy and just begin to form soft peaks. (See Chapter 5 for instructions on beating egg whites.) Gradually add the sugar, about 2 to 3 teaspoons at a time, and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat.

  4Add the flour mixture to the egg whites in thirds and gently fold with a rubber spatula to combine (about four turns) after each addition.

  5Carefully pour the mixture into a 10-inch tube pan. Bake the cake for 40 to 45 minutes. It will be golden brown and spring back when you touch it. Remove the cake from the oven and turn it upside down over a funnel or the neck of a bottle, or rest it on the feet of the tube pan, if available. Let the cake cool inverted. Remove it from the pan and serve.

  Per serving: Calories 156 (From Fat 0); Fat 0g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 76mg; Carbohydrate 36g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 3g.

  Rolling with the jelly rolls

  A jelly roll is simply a thin sponge cake baked in a broad flat pan and then rolled up around a filling. Typical fillings include jelly or preserves, custard, or mousse. The ever-popular Christmastime treat is the Buche de Noel: a jelly roll filled with buttercream and coated in chocolate.

  You want a jelly roll cake to be light and fine-grained, but it should also be a bit elastic and flexible so that it can roll without cracking. You can also use my Angel Food Cake recipe (earlier in this chapter) — just bake it in a jelly roll pan. The texture of the cake is light and flexible enough to make a delicious roll. To ensure that the jelly roll will come neatly out of the pan, spread butter or margarine on the bottom and sides of a pan. Line the bottom of the pan with waxed paper or baking parchment. (See Chapter 5 for more about lining cake pans.)

  To assemble a jelly roll, as soon as the cake comes out of the oven to cool, invert the pan over a clean kitchen towel sprinkled with sugar. Lift off the pan and carefully peel off the paper. With a serrated knife, carefully slice off a 1/8-inch strip of the crisp side, which will make rolling the cake easier and prevent cracking. Fold one short end of the towel over the end of the cake, then roll up the cake. Figure 8-1 shows you how this is done.

  Figure 8-1: Assembling a jelly roll.

  Place the cake seam side down
to cool. The cake can be left to cool for several hours or even overnight before unrolling and filling it. Once filled, cut the jelly roll with a serrated knife, using a sawing motion. Otherwise, you may press down too hard on the roll and squeeze out the filling.

  Jelly Roll

  This delicious sponge cake can be served with ice cream or whipped cream. If you want to try a cake without having to frost it, jelly rolls are perfect. You bake, fill, and roll, and then you have a tasty, sophisticated cake to serve.

  Specialty tools: an electric mixer

  Preparation time: 30 minutes

  Baking time: 20 minutes

  Yield: 10 to 12 servings

  3/4 cup flour

  1 teaspoon baking powder

  1/2 teaspoon salt

  4 eggs

  3/4 cup sugar

  1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

  6 to 8 ounces raspberry preserves, at room temperature

  Confectioners’ sugar, for sprinkling

  1Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 15-x-10-x-1-inch baking pan with parchment or waxed paper. Sprinkle a clean kitchen towel with confectioners’ sugar; set aside.

  2In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

  3In a medium-sized bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer until they thicken slightly and turn a light yellow, about 2 minutes on medium speed. Beat in the sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, and continue beating on medium speed for about 5 minutes. Add the lemon peel. Gently fold in the flour mixture and spread the mixture into the prepared pan.