Baking Questions Answered
Every day I receive email from visitors with questions about a cooking technique or a recipe. I can’t get to them all but I try to get as many responses out as time permits and if I don’t know the answer, I’ll ask one of my chef friends.
Here are a couple I’ve received that deal with baking, a subject I am not that comfortable with, so I sent them to my friend Chef Jenni Field who is a great baker and pastry chef.
Cracks In Cake
This one comes from Debbie who says, “I tried the apple cake recipe, it is fantastic except for the part about the cracks in the middle of the cake. In fact, I had the same problem with other cakes as well, can u let me know what is the probable cause of this?”
Here’s how Chef Jenni replied, “My first thought is that, with fruit in the center, you’re bound to get some cracking as the fruit boils and then settles down upon cooling. I’m not sure how much cracking you’re getting, but with a “homey” dessert like an apple cake, I’d just hit it with some powdered sugar and eat up!
If you’re getting cracks in other cakes as well, it could be from over-mixing or from using the wrong flour. Depending on where you live, flours can be very different from one another. In the US, stick with a nationally available all purpose flour for the most consistent results.
In regard to over-mixing the apple cake, try folding in the dry ingredients rather than trying to beat them in. (In cakes using the creaming method - adding dry and wet alternately after creaming the fat and sugar, mix until just combined after each addition).
Also, check your oven temperature–if the oven is too hot, it could cause things to rise and peak, creating cracks in the cake. This is great for muffins, but not what you want with cake. If you don’t have one, get an oven thermometer to check the temperature.”
All Purpose Flour
Here’s another baking related queston I asked Chef Jenni to help with:
Anna says, “I have tried using natural unbleached, all purpose flour to make a layer cake and have been unsatisfied with the texture. I tried using 2 tablespoons less of the all purpose flour (which I read is the equivalent of cake flour). I have tried replacing some of the all purpose flour with corn starch. None of the things I’ve tried have given me the light, airy cake that I get when I use the package mix. I do want the cake to be all natural. Any suggestions?
Chef Jenni replies, “I bet it’s their mixing method and not their flour that’s messing them up. Mass-produced cake mixes contain emulsifiers and tenderizers that are not available to the home baker. So, generally speaking, a home-baked cake will most likely not be as light as a cake mix cake. Notice I said “not be as light,” not “not be better.” I stay away from cake mixes because of all the additives.
If you’ve tried using different flours and even using less all purpose to stand in for cake flour, I would consider buying some cake flour. It is more finely milled than all purpose flour, and so your results tend to be a lighter, finer texture. If you’ve tried cake flour already and still aren’t satisfied with your results, I would look to your mixing method.
If you are using the creaming method, make sure that all of your ingredients are at cool room temperature (about 68-70 degrees F) and that you thoroughly cream the fat and sugar until it is very light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat each one in thoroughly before adding the next. Then, thoroughly whisk together all the dry ingredients and add about half to the batter.
Mix until incorporated on medium-low speed. Add half of the liquid and just mix in. Follow that with half of what’s left of the flour, the rest of the liquid and then the rest of the dry. Mix just until incorporated after each addition and scrape the bowl frequently.
Following this procedure should result in a well-aerated cake that is fairly tender. If you want a more tender cake, try the Two-Stage mixing method on my web site.
More About All Purpose Flour
Cher asks, “What does all purpose flour have in it? Any baking powder or baking soda?
Chef Jenni says, “You are not alone in your confusion over flours. There are a wide variety of flours on the market, and it seems like more are introduced every day.
All purpose flour is a blend of high and low protein flours. The manufacturers blend the flour so that there is enough gluten in it to make a reasonable (often excellent) loaf of bread but not so much that you will end up with a chewy birthday cake. This is why they call it “all purpose:” it is good to use in a variety of baked goods.
When you ask about baking powder and soda, I assume you mean self-rising flour. All purpose flour and self-rising flour are not interchangeable, because self rising flour does contain leaveners and salt. Self rising (or self raising) flour is one of the first “baking mixes.” Rather than having to measure out all purpose flour, baking powder and salt separately, a cook can just measure the self rising flour–everything else is already in there.”
Related Topics:
Basic Bread Recipe - step-by-step instructions for making great homemade bread
Bread Ingredients & How They Effect the Final Product - learn how you can alter bread by substituting ingredients
on June 3rd, 2009 at 6:05 pm
If I forgot baking powder in my recipe will it effect the taste
on June 5th, 2009 at 11:27 pm
1.what is the preparation before i make cookies??
2.how should i know my cookies are ready??
on June 17th, 2009 at 6:07 am
Nadia, It won’t effect the taste, per se, but it will certainly effect the texture. Your end product will be dense with a very tight crumb. Also it will not (or just barely) rise. All this is dependent upon how much baking powder the recipe called for and what mixing method you use.
on June 17th, 2009 at 6:16 am
Nadia,
If I understand your questions correctly, you are asking about mise en place–getting everything set up and prepared before baking. For cookies made with the creaming method, make sure all your ingredients are at about 68F. This means you’ll have to get the butter out of the fridge at least 30 to an hour before baking, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
I’d go ahead and mix all the dry ingredients together, have all of your mix-ins (chocolate chips, nuts) if using, and put the sugar together with the butter.
Then, it’s as easy as 1-2-3:
1) cream butter and fat (then, add egg, if called for)
2) add in dry
3) stir in mix-ins
Depending on the type of cookie you’re baking, there are different ways of knowing when they’re done. Look at the bottoms to make sure they are deep golden brown–this is a good way for basic chocolate chip, oatmeal and peanut butter cookies. Some cookies aren’t supposed to brown (Mexican wedding cookies, shortbread, etc) so just check to make sure they are firm.
When in doubt, take one out of the oven to sacrifice for the cause. Eat it. If you like the texture, it’s done.
Best of luck to you:)
Oh, that first comment up there was directed at Marlene. Sorry!
on June 19th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
can you freeze zabaglione and defrost it without it changing in texture?
on September 16th, 2009 at 10:57 am
I just made chocolate chip cookies for the umteenth time and they are flat and get hard when cooled. I rechecked the ingrediences and measurements, nothing wrong. Could it be the oven temperature? I wanted them thick and chewy.
on September 16th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
Hi Rosie,
Can you post the recipe along with the oven temperatures so we can try and help you figure out what went wrong?
on September 30th, 2009 at 9:49 am
How can i make very HIGH muffins like Perkins? If I put more batter in the cups, it just spreads out all over the sides. Does it need more baking powder to rise more quickly? I would really appreciate your input. Thanks, Carmella
on October 28th, 2009 at 11:13 am
I am having trouble with my cheesecake splitting on the top. I have a Cheesecake Factory recipe that is great. The taste and texture are good. I have cooled it down in the oven with the oven off and I have put it on a cooling rack. How do they get their tops so perfect with no cracking?
on October 28th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
I am attempting to make an apple strudel and it the recipe calls for 3.5 oz. sultans. What is this and is there a substitute if I can’t find it in the store? Thanks.
on October 28th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Never mind. I just found out that sultans are sultanas which are golden raisins! Dumb question. Thanks anyway.
on November 12th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
i have a question if i don’t put enough baking powder in a cake how much will it rise smaller or bigger?
on November 13th, 2009 at 8:42 am
how can i get my homemade bread to be like store bought , mine comes out course and tough , how do i get it to be soft and fluffy ,ty
on December 21st, 2009 at 7:39 pm
This is the third time I have tried baking , the first was chocolate chip pan cookies and I tried making cranberry bread twice. All three times, the batter just stayed liquid, it did not bake. Could this be the Oven? I am using a thermometer and it just a little higher than the oven thermometer. I would appreciate any help. Thank you
Hi Sheran, I would need a little more information including the recipe to be able to help. - RG
on January 3rd, 2010 at 12:15 pm
How do you keep bananas from turning brown in banana cream pie?
Hi Art,
The old brown banana cream pie dilemma. You can go a couple of ways. First, you could roast the bananas. This will deepen the banana flavor and caramelize them somewhat. The texture will be softer than fresh, and they’ll be brown-ish to begin with, but the depth of flavor will be lovely. Plus, they won’t get any more brown because the heat will have killed off the enzymes that cause browning. Second, dip the banana slices in acidulated water - water w/a bit of lemon or lime juice in it.
Either way, banana cream pies tend to get soggy fairly quickly because of the moisture content. Ultimately, the best way to keep your bananas from browning is to invite a crowd and eat the whole pie on the first day!
on February 17th, 2010 at 9:44 pm
when i bake muffins or bread the oven works fine,but when i try to bake a casserole it never gets hot, even after an hour it’s still cold inside. Why is this?
Hi Ole, could be your oven, could be the temperature you’re cooking at. Without a recipe, it is hard to tell. - RG
on May 14th, 2010 at 9:50 pm
can sweet roll dough be shaped into rolls & refrigerated overnight, then allowed to raise in the morning?
on May 15th, 2010 at 8:41 pm
Hi, Connie.
Good question. The answer is Absolutely! Shape and refrigerate, then take out about an hour before baking and you’re good to go. You will want to give the dough a first rise the day before, then punch down, shape and chill.
on May 17th, 2010 at 9:28 am
Last night I baked a white pizza that I saw on Food Network by Claire Robinson. I made it last week and it was fabulous, so this time I decided to add a few toppings of my own to jazz it up. It was good, but there was a distinct “lemon” flavor to the pizza and I can’t for the life of me figure out which ingredient may have caused this.
Here are the ingredients I used:
1 lb. store bought fresh pizza dough
3 cups mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
olive oil
The following ingredients are the ones I added this time:
grilled chicken
mushrooms
bacon
garlic powder
paresan/romano blend (grated)
tomato slices
fresh basil
It almost tasted like I had put lemon zest in the recipe somewhere. It wasn’t bad. Nice summer taste, but it was unexpected. Where did it come from? The basil? Maybe because I used a different brand of olive oil this time?
I’m guessing it is the basil. Maybe you purchased lemon basil, a hybrid between basil and African basil that has a strong fragrant lemon scent. Did you like the outcome or was the lemon flavor to overpowering? - RG
on May 18th, 2010 at 9:39 am
The flavor was good, just not expected. Come to find out, it was the olive oil. I sauteed mushrooms last night for the eggplant parm I was making, and I tasted one of them before I put them into the dish. Again, not a bad taste, just unexpected. I will, however, go back to using my normal EVOO instead of the high end specialty stuff. Thanks for the response. I thought it had to be the basil and thought maybe i had bought lemon basil. Glad I figured it out.
Congratulations on your deductive powers. - RG
on June 1st, 2010 at 12:53 pm
New question—
Can I prepare a carrot cake at 8 in the morning, put it in a 9X13 pan, put it in the fridge, and then take it out and bake it at 8 p.m. at nite? If not, why not? The consensus is it needs to be baked right after it is prepared and in the pan, but no one can tell me why?? My husband is hoping to save on electricity costs and heating up the house. My response, “tough!!”.
Thanks for responding.
Hi Laurie, great question so I asked my friend Chef Jenni Field for her opinion. Her response is at Carrot Cake Recipe Question
on June 11th, 2010 at 4:55 pm
I was always told that when one bakes anything in a casserole or sheet pan with sides, you never place it on another pan to prevent drips. EVERYONE on the Food Network places their pans on larger baking pans- is this a good idea?
Hi Catherine, I asked my friend Pastry Chef Jennifer Field your question and here is what she had to say,