C H A P T E R THIRTY-THREE

CAKES AND FROSTINGS

“ Anyone can make you enjoy the first bite of a dish,

but only a real chef can make you enjoy the last.

”
– François Minot, Editor of Le Guide Michelin

Copyright ©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals, 5e
publishing as Pearson [imprint]
Labensky • Hause • Martel
After studying this unit 2

CAKES AND FROSTINGS

 You will be able to:
– Prepare a variety of cakes
– Prepare a variety of frostings
– Assemble cakes using basic finishing and
decorating techniques

Copyright ©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals, 5e
publishing as Pearson [imprint]
Labensky • Hause • Martel
Cake Ingredients 3

CAKES AND FROSTINGS

 Tougheners
– Flour, eggs and milk
 Tenderizers
– Sugar, fats and egg yolks
 Moisteners
– Water, milk, juice and eggs
 Driers
– Flour, starches and milk solids
 Leaveners
– Baking soda and baking powder
 Flavorings
– Extracts, cocoa, chocolate, spices, salt, sugar and butter

Copyright ©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals, 5e
publishing as Pearson [imprint]
Labensky • Hause • Martel
Mixing Methods 4

CAKES AND FROSTINGS

 Creamed fat
– Butter cakes
– High ratio
 Whipped egg
– Genoise
– Sponge
– Angel food
– Chiffon

Copyright ©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals, 5e
publishing as Pearson [imprint]
Labensky • Hause • Martel
Cakes 5

CAKES AND FROSTINGS

Copyright ©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.
On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals, 5e
publishing as Pearson [imprint]
Labensky • Hause • Martel
Creaming 6

CAKES AND FROSTINGS

 Softened butter or shortening is creamed on low
speed in a mixer to incorporate air
– Creaming leavens the cake
– Creaming creates an emulsion between fats
and liquids
 Final product is tender with a fine texture

Copyright ©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals, 5e
publishing as Pearson [imprint]
Labensky • Hause • Martel
Properly Creamed Fat 7

CAKES AND FROSTINGS

Equal weights of butter increase in volume when
creamed thoroughly (right) and expand very little
in volume when creamed insufficiently (left).
Copyright ©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.
On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals, 5e
publishing as Pearson [imprint]
Labensky • Hause • Martel
Whipped Egg 8

CAKES AND FROSTINGS

 Air is whipped into eggs to leaven cake; chemical
leavening may be added
– Whipped eggs leaven cake
 Final product is low in fat, spongy and pliable;
some egg foam cakes are suitable for rolling

Copyright ©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals, 5e
publishing as Pearson [imprint]
Labensky • Hause • Martel
Altitude Adjustments 9

CAKES AND FROSTINGS

 Cake batter formulas need to be adjusted when baking
at high altitudes
– The amount of leavening should be reduced at
altitudes over 3000 feet
– Under whip eggs to avoid incorporating too much
air
– Increase oven temperature by 25ºF at altitudes
over 3500 feet
– Sugar may also need to be reduced

Copyright ©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals, 5e
publishing as Pearson [imprint]
Labensky • Hause • Martel
Pan Preparations 10

CAKES AND FROSTINGS

Copyright ©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.
On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals, 5e
publishing as Pearson [imprint]
Labensky • Hause • Martel
Baking 11

CAKES AND FROSTINGS

 Always preheat the oven
 Temperatures
– Most cakes are baked at between 325°F and 375°F
 Determining doneness
 Follow baking time of the formula
 Appearance
 Touch
 Cake tester
 Cooling
– Cool 10 to 15 minutes before removing cake from the pan
– Cakes should be completely cooled before frosting

Copyright ©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals, 5e
publishing as Pearson [imprint]
Labensky • Hause • Martel
Frostings 12

CAKES AND FROSTINGS

Copyright ©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.
On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals, 5e
publishing as Pearson [imprint]
Labensky • Hause • Martel
Assembling Cakes 13

CAKES AND FROSTINGS

1 Split the cake horizontally into thin
layers if desired. Use cake boards to
support each layer as it is removed.
Brush away any loose crumbs with a
dry pastry brush or your hand.
2 Position the bottom
layer on a cake board.
Place the layer on a
revolving cake stand, if
available. Pipe a border
of buttercream around
the cake, then top the
layer with a mound of
filling. Use a cake
spatula to spread it
evenly.
3 Position the next cake
layer over the filling and
continue layering and filling
the cake as desired.

Copyright ©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals, 5e
publishing as Pearson [imprint]
Labensky • Hause • Martel
Assembling Cakes (cont.) 14

CAKES AND FROSTINGS

4 Place a mound of frosting in the center
of the cake top. Push it to the edge of the
cake with a cake spatula. Do not drag the
frosting back and forth or lift the spatula
off the frosting, as these actions tend to
pick up crumbs.
5 Smooth a thin layer
of frosting (the crumb
coat) over the top of
the cake. Cover the
sides with excess
frosting from the top.
Chill the cake.

6 Frost the cake with a second layer of icing. Hold the

spatula upright against the side of the cake and, pressing
gently, turn the cake stand slowly. This smoothes and
evens the sides. When the top and sides are smooth, the
cake is ready to decorate.
Copyright ©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.
On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals, 5e
publishing as Pearson [imprint]
Labensky • Hause • Martel
Piping Techniques 15

CAKES AND FROSTINGS

Assorted piping tips and patterns Applying a bead border onto a
celebration cake

Copyright ©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals, 5e
publishing as Pearson [imprint]
Labensky • Hause • Martel
Storing Cakes 16

CAKES AND FROSTINGS

 Unfrosted cake layers can be stored at room
temperature for 2-3 days
 Frosted and filled cakes are usually refrigerated
 Unfrosted cakes can be frozen
 Fillings and some frostings do not freeze well

Copyright ©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals, 5e
publishing as Pearson [imprint]
Labensky • Hause • Martel
Convenience Products 17

CAKES AND FROSTINGS

 Cake mixes are a blend of flour, shortening,
emulsifiers, chemical leavening and flavorings
 Tremendous time savers
 Create a consistent product
 Can be prepared by unskilled employees
 A good mix cake is better than a bad scratch cake

Copyright ©2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals, 5e
publishing as Pearson [imprint]
Labensky • Hause • Martel