CHAPTER 32 CAKES AND ICINGS

1. CHAPTER 32CAKES AND ICINGS Gilber Noussitou 2010

2. Cakes and Icings • Cakes are popular in most bakeshops because a wide variety of finished products can be created from only a few basic cake, filling and frosting formulas • Cakes are popular because of their versatility • Cakes can be unadorned sheets or an elaborate centrepiece • Most cakes are created from liquid batters with high fat and sugar contents Gilber Noussitou 2010

3. Ingredients • Use high-quality ingredients • Scale ingredients precisely • Mix ingredients methodically • Each ingredient has a specific function: • Tougheners: proteins • Tenderizers: fats & sugar) • Moisteners: water, milk, juices, etc. • Driers: flours & starches • Leaveners: gases (air, steam), baking powder & soda • Flavourings: extracts, cocoa, chocolate, spices, liqueurs, etc. Gilber Noussitou 2010

4. High Fat Creaming Method Low Fat Sponge/Genoise Method Cake Category/Mixing Methods • High Fat: (Structure relies on creamed fat and flour) • Butter cakes • High-ratio cakes • Low Fat: (Structure relies on whipped eggs and flour) • Genoise • Sponge cakes • Angel food cakes • Chiffon cakes Gilber Noussitou 2010

5. Creaming Method • Preheat the oven and prepare the pans • Sift the dry ingredients together and set aside • Cream the fat until light and fluffy • Add sugar; cream until fluffy and smooth • Add eggs slowly, beating well with each addition • Add dry and liquid ingredients alternately • Divide the batter into prepared pans and bake immediately Gilber Noussitou 2010

6. Genoise Cakes • Preheat the oven and prepare the pans • Sift dry ingredients together • Whisk whole eggs and sugar together; warm to 40°C (104°F); whip until triple in volume • Carefully fold the flour into whipped eggs • Fold in cooled melted butter • Divide batter into lined pans • Bake immediately on medium heat • Allow the cake to cool in the pan Gilber Noussitou 2010

7. Sponge Cakes • Preheat the oven and prepare the pans • Whip egg whites with a portion of sugar until stiff and glossy • Whip egg yolks to a “ribbon,” add other liquids and flavourings to form a batter • Carefully fold whipped egg whites into the batter. • Divide the batter into the pan and bake immediately on medium to high heat Gilber Noussitou 2010

8. Angel Food Cakes • Preheat the oven • Whip the egg whites to a soft pick, add a portion of the sugar, continue whipping until stiff • Carefully fold the sifted dry ingredients into the whipped egg whites • Divide the batter into an ungreased pan and bake immediately on medium heat • Allow the cake to cool inverted in its pan Gilber Noussitou 2010

9. Cooling the Cake Upside Down Gilber Noussitou 2010

10. Convenience Products • Prepackaged cake mixes are a tremendous time saver for commercial foodservice operators • Packaged cake mixes are often more expensive • Cakes made from mixes are softer and more cottony and the flavours tend to be more artificial • You must follow package directions carefully Gilber Noussitou 2010

11. Panning and Baking • Preparing Pans • Most baking pans are coated with fat, a nonstick baking parchment, or both • Baking • Always preheat the oven before preparing your batter • Most cakes are baked between 160 & 190°C (325 and 375° F) Gilber Noussitou 2010

12. Altitude Adjustments • Above 900 m (3000 ft), decreased atmospheric pressure affects the creation of steam and expansion of air • Chemical leaveners should be decreased by: • 20% at 1050 m (3500 feet) • 40 % at altitudes above 1500 m (5000 ft) • Eggs should be increased by 10% and under-whipped • Liquid should be increased by 10% • Temperatures should be increased by 4°C (25°F) above 1500 m (5000 ft) Gilber Noussitou 2010

13. Baking • Determining Doneness • Use a timer to note the minimum suggested baking time • Avoid opening the oven door; cold air or a drop in oven temperature will cause the cake to fall • Consider: • Appearance • Touch • Cake tester Gilber Noussitou 2010

14. Cooling • Generally, allow cakes to cool 10-15 minutes in their pan after being removed from the oven before unmolding on a cooling rack • Angel food and chiffon cakes should be turned upside down immediately after they are removed from the oven Gilber Noussitou 2010

15. Frostings • Also known as icing • Frosting is a sweet and decorative coating used as a filler between the layers or as a coating over the tops and sides of a cake • Used to add flavour and improve the appearance of a cake • Frosting can also extend the cake’s shelf life • High quality ingredients, natural flavours, and colour are essential for a good frosting Gilber Noussitou 2010

16. Frosting Types • Seven types of frostings: • Butter cream: mixture of butter and sugar • Simple – French – Italian • Foam: meringue made with hot sugar • Boiled icing or 7-minutes icing • Fudge: cooked sugar, butter, water and/or milk • Fondant: cooked mixture of sugar and water • Glaze: confectioner’s sugar with liquid • Flat or water icing • Royal icing: confectioner’s sugar and egg white • Ganache: melted chocolate and cream Gilber Noussitou 2010

17. Italian Butter Cream Gilber Noussitou 2010

18. Chocolate Ganache Gilber Noussitou 2010

19. Assembling and Decorating Cakes • A cake’s appearance is the basis for eye appeal • Assembling can be done in a variety of shapes and sizes • The goal of assembly is to fill and stack the cake layers evenly and to apply an even coating that is smooth and free of crumbs • Side masking and stencils are techniques used to give the cake definition Gilber Noussitou 2010

20. Assembling Cakes Gilber Noussitou 2010

21. Simple Decorating Techniques Side masking Stencils Cake comb Gilber Noussitou 2010