How do you make a cake thick?!
How do you make a cake thick?
Hi, Ive been baking alot recently and keep on experimenting with lots of different cakes, varying the victoria sponge recipe... but no matter what i do my cakes always seem to be relatively thin. How do i make the nice big thick and fluffy sponges that you seem to find everywhere else but my kitchen?? Thanks in advance!
Answers:
Separate your eggs and whip your eggs whites and fold them into your cake as the very last thing. Also, remember to mix your wet and dry ingredients separately.
use a little more flour and perhaps a small pan
Try some baking flour, or all purpose flour when stirring up the batter th thicken. Or this is something I have used get some vanilla instant pudding mix, or a flavor that would compliment your cake flavor, and stir in the slowly some out of the pack until the batter is the consistentcy you want. You probably will not use a whole box of the pudding. GOOD LUCK
Make sure your flour and baking powder are as fresh as possible and sift them into your butter/sugar/egg mix. Fold this very gently with a large metal spoon so as not to knock the air out and try not to overwork it because the gluten in the flour will become very tough. Hope this helps. Yoda above is disgusting.
Use a traditional recipe( and don't put everything in at once) and beat by hand, the more air you incorporate whilst mixing the lighter your sponge.
send it to a state school.
I use milk instead of water & add instant pudding. Plus make sure you're using the right measure for dry & wet ingredients. The difference is small but in somethings very noticeable with the end result. I also use butter instead of oil because once cool it's thicker. I know it's high in fats but I get all kinds of ravs for it. I've been in high demand for friends wanting cake since I was 12 doing it that way so it's become like a hobby.
Mix it by hand as little as possible, don't bother with the little lumps, Tracy USA and yes, butter, no oil
I always get a very fluffy sponge. My, doesn't that sound appetising? lol
I assume you're doing the 4-4-4 type recipe...
4 oz margarine
4 oz caster sugar
2 eggs (4 oz)
tsp of vanilla.
4 oz self-raising flour
and 1 tsp baking powder
Be sure to beat marg and sugar first, then add egg. Should be all creamed together before adding the flour.
Sometimes I do a 6-6-6 version of this recipe, shared between two tins for a very tall cake.
If you're having a height problem, then make sure all your ingredients are in date, that it's self-raising flour, and try adding that bit of baking powder as an extra leavening agent.
Have you tried using tins with a smaller diameter, or doubling up on the ingredients?
Also when you think you've beaten or whisked enough, carry on for a little longer, you need to get air into the mix. That one is courtesy of my Gran - I used to have trouble with victoria sandwiches which were more like biscuits than cake.
And don't open the oven door during cooking, (unless you can smell burning of course!) that can cause them to sink.
Get a proper recipe from delia smith or bbc.co.k online with a picture of a thick cake like carrot cake or double chocalte fudge cke... thats the only way for sure you know your going to get a think cake by following the recipe for one...
Double the quantities you're using !! Works Wonders.
Happy Baking .
You will find some great recipes on y/a search they have a great selection for all types of baking.......