Cakes

Yes, I know, I am somewhat late in posting this week's Blog. My neighbor's Mulberry Tree has a bumper crop of ripe berries, so I spent most of the weekend picking the mulberries and making pies and jam.

In my previous posts I have started you out on relatively foolproof bakery. Now we are going to get into cakes. Some people shy away from baking a cake because it either seems complicated to them or doesn't come out right. Furthermore, the variety of cake mixes on the market are easy and quick to prepare, so most people opt for them instead. Really, baking cakes is not difficult as long as you follow the recipe exactly. In addition, there are a few basic rules to follow.

First of all, however, let me state that I am not a cake decorator. Cake decorating is a specialty and an art into itself,; one that I have no inclination for. My bakery, cakes included, are all about the taste rather than how they look. Because of the time and often special techniques involved creating flowers, multiple layers with "pillars" (think wedding cakes), etc., many beautiful masterpieces are not necessarily moist and delicious cakes. Often they are dry and bland on the inside. To give a real life example, my step-daughter's wedding cake, catered by the reception hall, had beautiful red roses and black ribbons of hardened icing. Great for photos. Not so great for eating. Close family and friends returned to my home after the reception to enjoy an additional cake, one made by me. Needless to say they enjoyed the taste of my cake more that the highly decorated catered one.

Now, before you come to the conclusion that to make a good tasting cake it has to look plain, let me reassure you that there are simple decorative things you can do to dress it up. If no one is allergic to nuts who will be eating your finished product, you can place shelled pecan or walnut halves around the bottom and top rims of the cake. Or you can sprinkle the top with crushed nuts. Shredded coconut sprinkled on top looks pretty too. These are just a few ideas to quickly and simply decorate a cake and still have a great tasting product. They do not require skill or talent. Of course, if you are really creative and prefer to learn cake decorating, there are short courses given at community colleges, cookware stores, and at stores that carry cake decorating equipment.

Now for the few basic, but important, tips regarding baking a successful cake:

1. As stated above, follow the recipe exactly. Every ingredient has a purpose and leaving something out, decreasing or increasing the amount, or making substitutions can and will affect the end result. Measure the ingredients accurately.

2. Do not overbeat. Overbeating removes the little bubbles of air, causing the cake to fall. While I mentioning "falling", do not open the oven door while the cake is baking. The cake will also fall for that reason. Instead, turn on the oven light so you can keep an eye on it without resorting to opening the door.

3. Know your oven. If a recipe calls for 350 F., and your oven heats up hotter than that at that setting, or colder at that setting, make the adjustment accordingly. Better yet, have your oven checked and repaired if it is not keeping accurate temperatures.

4. Have on hand fresh ingredients, especially the eggs. Most of us keep eggs in the refrigerator a while and I am guilty of that as well. While they do usually do not spoil, old eggs will not keep their egg yolk intact when cracking open the egg. If the yolk spreads it indicates they are old. Great for scrambled eggs, but not great for a perfect cake. Keep on hand cake flour. Flour is the main ingredient of a cake; cake flour creates a finer texture.

As for variety of cakes, there are many flavors and types of cakes. Most of you are familiar with birthday or layer cakes made of chocolate, vanilla, yellow, strawberry, etc. Please do not limit yourself to just those types of cakes. In addition, there are spice cakes, cakes made with fruit such as bananas or apples, chiffon cakes, sponge cakes, and angel food cakes to name a few! There are even cakes soaked throughout with rum, for those so inclined.

Next week I will provide you with a couple of cake recipes. In the meantime, have a safe and healthy week. Happy Baking!

Next Week: Cake Recipes