Life-changing? that's a big statement; is it true? I guess that depends on what baking, and cake-making in particular, means to you...I am probably in the minority here - not everyone has hundreds of cookbooks, an extensive collection of kitchenalia, and a battery of cookware and gadgets... Many people are content with a couple of cake tins, a mixer and wooden spoons...
I believe that wherever you fall on the cake baking spectrum, our motives are the same; we want a delicious result that is above all reliable, accessible and within our reach and experience. We want signature cakes that become part of our lives - from birthdays to school events to family gatherings; those for which we become known and which play a part in many of our lives' traditions.
The method I will share today may well be one with which you are familiar - you may know it as the 'high-ratio method' or 'reverse creaming method'. It was brought out of the commercial bakery world into home kitchens during the 1980's by the one and only Rose Levy Beranbaum in her book "The Cake Bible". This indispensable book is known by bakers the world over: it has been reprinted over 60 times and is about to re-emerge in a revised 35th Anniversary Edition (much has changed in the world of cake in 35 years).
The great benefits of this method, according to Ms Levy-Berenbaum, are that it is faster, easier and better, resulting in.a finer, more velvety crumb that melts in the mouth. There are really only two points to be mindful of - eggs should be at room temperature and butter should be between 19c and 23c (soft but not liquified - you should be able to push your knuckle into it).
"The reason the crumb is finer and more tender is because at the beginning of mixing, the butter is added to the flour, together with a minimum amount of the cake's liquid (just enough to disperse the butter). The butter coats some of the gluten-forming proteins in the flour, preventing excessive gluten formation. This gives the batter a larger window of mixing without risk of being tough." (Heavenly Cakes - Rose Levy Berenbaum)
In short, this process avoids the need for the common instructions in cake making 'don't overbeat the mixture"... In addition, mixing the dry ingredients at the beginning, using the paddle beater, evenly disperses the ingredients throughout the flour, doing away with the need for sifting flour.
The following recipes both use the reverse creaming method; these will give you the foundation for this method. I am busy converting many of my existing recipes to the method and will continue to post them as I do; a whole new world of cake-making opens up!
Vanilla Sponge Cake:
(serves 8-10). from Lily Vanilli's wonderful book "Sweet Tooth" Page 38 (another must-have on my favourites list) - make sure you look up her gorgeous website for more recipes and amazing cake inspiration (especially if you're a fan of Lambeth-style cakes)
330g plain flour
320g caster sugar
1½ tablespoons baking powder (yes - that is correct!)
pinch of salt
175g unsalted butter softened to room temperature (19c-23c)
3 eggs (beaten)
190ml whole milk
1½ teaspoons good quality vanilla (paste or exrtact)
2 x 20cm cake tins - greased and lined, or 24 cupcakes cases in trays
Preheat the oven to 180c fan assisted
Mix the dry ingredients together, preferably using a hand or stand mixer on low speed. Add the softened butter and bet on medium speed until the mixture resembles a crumble mix (2-3 minutes)
Add the beaten eggs and mix - first on medium, then on high speed until just incorporated (approx 30 seconds), scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl to be sure you get all the mixture.
Add the milk and vanilla and beat, first on medium and then on high , until the mixture is smooth and combined; it will become a little lighter in colour (2-3 minutes). Once again, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to be sure you have all the mixture blended.
Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and level out to the edges.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely (this will ensure that the top of the cake is flat)
Fill and decorate as you wish - I used jam and vanilla cream; I also used a small star tip to pipe cream onto the top of the cake and sprinkled
Perfect All American Chocolate Butter Cake
Following is a half batch of Rose Levy Beranbaum's which I used as the basis of a dozen baby cakes...(in my battered 1988 edition of The Cake Bible this appeared on P54; no doubt it will appear in the 35th Anniversary Edition but in Australia we'll have to wait until January '25 for the printed edition to go on sale (the Kindle version will be released in October '24 - hooray!)
For the cakes:
34g unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa
118gm boiling water
75g lightly beaten egg (2-3 depending on the size)
4.5g vanilla paste
118g cake flour
150g caster sugar
75g (½ tablespoon) baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
114g unsalted butter - soft but not melted
Preheat oven to 175c.
Mix the cocoa and boiling water together in a small bowl and set aside to cool
In another bowl lightly combine the eggs, ¼ of the cocoa mixture and the vanilla
Place the remaining dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixture (or a medium bowl if using a hand mixer). Mix on low speed for 30 seconds to fully combine.
Add the butter and the remaining cocoa mixture. Mix on low until all the dry ingredients are combined with the butter and cocoa mixture.
Increase the mixer speed to medium (high speed with a hand mixer) and beat for 1½ minutes - this is what aerates and develops the structure of the cake. Scrape down the sides and base of the bowl.
Gradually add the egg mixture in 3 batches, beating for approx 20 seconds and scraping down the bowl after each addition.
You will have an unctuous creamy cake batter.
Use an ice cream scoop to divide the cake into the 12 cup cake cases and bake for approximately 17 minutes until they bounce bak when lightly pressed in the centre. Set aside to cool completely.
For the ganache: 170g dark chocolate(at least 56%, I like Lindt 70% mild), roughly chopped
190g heavy whipping cream
25g unsalted butter
Chop the chocolate finely in a food processor or by hand. Heat the cream until just at boiling point and then pour into the processor or over the cream if made by hand. Allow the cream to sit for a couple of minutes to start the chocolate melting, then process until smooth. If making by hand, stir in a circular motion until the chocolate melts. Once the cream is added and the mixture is smooth, add the butter and stir to melt. Cover with plastic wrap sitting on the surface to stop a skin forming and set aside to cool (you can put it in the fridge but be careful not to let it set too hard; stir frequently to both cool the mixture and allow you to judge when it is ready to use.
To finish:
Whip 250ml cold cream with one teaspoon vanilla and one dessertspoon of icing sugar until very thick. Use a small star piping tip and place small stars around the outer edge of the cakes. Fill the well in the centre with your choice of jam (I used black cherry) and then, using a 1M tip (or a flat-bladed knife or small spoon) to spread the ganache over the jaml, leaving some of the cream showing.
These delightful little treats are ready to eat but will keep for a day or two in an airtight container (if they last that long!)
Enjoy...
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