The Cake Batter Matters
Cake batters are precise combinations of ingredients.
A scratch cake recipe is considered a scientific formula.
The ingredients are combined in a certain way to form the structure of the cake.
Scratch cakes formulas include shortened cakes, foam cakes, and a one-bowl method.
Cakes made with mixes can be just as good as scratch cakes, especially if delicious ingredients like chocolate or honey are added to the mix.
Some cake recipes call for cake or pastry flour.
This is a flour that has a low-protein content
Foam Cakes
Foam Cakes
These cakes are based on beaten eggs, egg whites, or whipping cream. Foam cakes include angel food cakes, chiffon cakes, and sponge cakes.
Angel Food Cakes
These cakes are made from egg whites, sugar, flour, cream of tartar, salt, and flavorings. Cream of tartar makes the mixture more acidic, forming a favorable environment for protein bonds. Sugar adds flavor and helps form and stabilize the protein bonds.
Shortened Cakes
Shortened Cakes
These cakes are based on a combination of fat and sugar, combined by creaming. The sugar crystals create tiny holes in the shortening, which will be filled with carbon dioxide and steam when the cake is baked. This is called aerating the fat. Flour and eggs provide structure with proteins and starches, which coagulate in heat, setting the structure in tiny bubbles around the CO2 and steam. This is the basic method for making traditional shortened cakes:
