It all started as...
----->Bread dough enriched with butter and spices, leavened with yeast and air was whipped into the dough.
----->ca. 1837 : Baking Powder revolutionizes cake industry (allows for consistent leavening)
Characteristics of Cakes:
*Pound / White / Yellow
- Batter - high ratio cake (fats) , Chemical leavened.
*Angel Food
- Foam - Air leavened, uses whipped egg.
*Chiffon
- Combo of Batter & Foam - whipped eggs added to batter
Ingredients:
- tenderizers
- moisteners
- flavorers
*Flours Used in Cake baking
- Mainly cake flour (7-9% protein, soft milled)
- Can use AP, Pastry,
Why Specific Protein Count needed, how it forms Gluten Structure:
- Bleached flour (has carotenes taken out)
- Flours are Made with Matured Wheat - if using a heavier protein percentage (i.e in bread flour etc, will cause cake structure to become dense, unstable and collapse into it's self.
- Moisture content comes from the flour
*Sugars Used in Cake Baking
What sugar does for cakes:
- Acts as a Sweetener
- Extends the shelf life of the cake
- Aides in creaming (process of whipping air into the batter)
- Gives cake crust it's color
- Spreading action (the process of melting during bake off)
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