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Nicole asks: I was following a dinner roll recipe from Shirley Corriher. The resulting dough is extremely sticky and gooey, but the recipe requires that you roll the dough into balls. What’s the best way to handle this un-manageable dough? I tried oiling my hands as well as using flour, but to no avail.
Baking S.O.S. says: I have a favorite dinner roll recipe from Shirley Corriher, but I don’t know if it is the same one you are using. The recipe I use is called “Touch of Grace Biscuits” from her cookbook Cookwise.
In this recipe, Shirley recommends using a portion scoop (like an ice cream scoop) that is sprayed with cooking spray to handle the sticky dough.
Here’s how you do it: put a large amount of flour on your work surface or on a plate. Use the portion scoop to scoop up a mass of dough and gently plop it in the pile of flour. Then gently use your hands to roll the dough and coat it in the flour. Then you should be able to handle the rolls enough to pick them up and place them in a pan. I place the rolls tightly together in an 8-inch round cake pan. A pie plate would work, too. Once all the rolls are scooped and placed in the pan, bake according to recipe directions.
I hope that helps. Good luck!
Marcie asks: I recently baked a wedding cake from a scratch vanilla cake recipe I’ve used a million times. It always turns out a light yellow color. Normally I bake an 8×3 or 10×3 round using this recipe and it comes out fine but this time I baked a 14×3 round 2/3 full and it took forever to get the center done. I have a convection oven & baked it as I normally do at 325. When the cake was finally done, it was very brown on the outside and I was concerned it was overbaked but to my delight, it was still yellow on the inside (I checked when I removed the “cake bump”). The cake was filled with chocolate buttercream & covered with vanilla buttercream under the Fondant. It was put in a walk-in refrigerator about 5 hours before the wedding. When the cake was served, I was mortified to see that my yellow cake had turned a caramel colored brown to the point where people asked me what flavor cake it was! It was also pretty dry. It’s a temperamental recipe but I have never had this happen before, let alone my friend’s daughter’s wedding! People ate it but I knew it wasn’t my best. Do you have any idea why this would happen? Is it better to bake thinner layers than one big 3″ layer?
Thanks for your help!
Baking S.O.S. says: What a frustrating experience! I can certainly relate: we always want our products to taste the best, especially on such an important occasion as a friend’s daughter’s wedding.
I think you are right in assessing that the problem was caused by baking such a large and deep cake. Because it was 14-inches around and 3-inches deep, it simply took much longer to bake than the usual 8-inch or 10-inch cakes, and because it was in the oven so long, it probably over-baked on the outside of the cake before it finished baking in the center, thus creating the dryer texture than normal.
I’m not sure why the cake would have changed color once it was refrigerated, unless it simply absorbed some of the color from the chocolate buttercream inside the cake layers.
I have a couple of suggestions that might produce different results:
1) Try using “bake even” cake strips for large size cakes. (Several other brands make these besides Wilton–they all work the same, so check your local cake supply store if you have one. Any brand will do.)
I always soak the cake strips in water, then fasten them around the outside edge of the cake pans. It helps the cake bake more evenly, both in how it rises and also in how it bakes from the outside to the center. Definitely a “must have” for large size cakes.
2) As you mentioned, it may be better to bake more cake layers in shallower pans, like a 2-inch rather than a 3-inch deep pan. That will reduce the baking time, which in turn, should reduce dryness in the finished cake.
3) I don’t recommend baking cakes in convection ovens because I don’t like the browning effect on cake batter. I prefer to use conventional ovens to bake cakes. I would suggest that you either turn off the convection bake feature for cakes (or at least the large cakes) or else turn down the baking temperature by 25 degrees when baking a large cake in the convection oven. Perhaps the cake would be less dry if it bakes at a lower temperature, giving the center of the cake time to bake all the way through without drying out the outside edges of the cake.
I hope one of those suggestions might help in the future. Good luck!
Carol asks: I am making a birthday cake for a seven year old in a bundt mold tin in the shape of a castle. Because I will not be icing the cake, its very important to her that the cake is pink.
I have tried tinting cake mixture in the past, but because the mixture is a yellow/lemon color
to start, when adding either red or pink food coloring, the cake always ends up a horrible orange/salmon color. Any bright ideas how to get the cake a nice pink color???
Baking S.O.S. says: I wish I could help, but I don’t think there is an answer that will satisfy everyone.
As you found through you own experimentations, you cannot make a pink color when you start with a yellow cake batter. The only way to do that successfully is to start with a white cake batter and add red coloring (either natural or artificial).
I think your only options are:
1) Find a different cake recipe that is a truly white cake (not a butter, yellow, or lemon cake)–this would probably involve using vegetable shortening as the fat since shortening is white.
2) Use a store-bought cake mix that is designed to be pink (here in America, we have “strawberry flavored” cake mixes that are unnaturally pink).
3) Convince the 7-year-old to allow you to use a few pink sprinkles on the cake somehow. or
4) Suggest to the 7-year-old that princesses can live in yellow castles, too. (I jest!)
Regardless of what you decide to do, I think ANY type of cake will come out of the pan looking mostly browned on the outside surfaces–that is just a natural part of the baking process. So it is doubtful that the cake would really look pink on the outside. You might be able to create a pink interior if you use a different cake recipe, but chances are, it will still be a darker brown-ish color on the outside.
I wish I could be of more help, but I don’t know of any truly successful resolutions for this dilemma.
Elyza asks: I’ve baked a cake today using this recipe: Coffee and Walnut Layer Cake, and it tastes very bitter. The frosting is gorgeous, the cake itself looks beautiful, but it’s just not enjoyable to eat. I’m really quite sad! Can you offer any advice as to why this is the case?
I’ve checked on Google, and some answers have indicated that it might be the baking powder; however, any info you can give would be appreciated.
Baking S.O.S. says: I think your search results are correct: Too much baking powder will make a cake taste bitter.
Where it gets tricky is trying to determine just how much baking powder (and baking soda) should be in this recipe to make it rise sufficiently but without using so much that it makes the cake taste bitter.
In American measurements, the general rule is this:
Use 1 tsp. baking powder OR 1/4 tsp. baking soda for every 1 cup of flour.
I did a quick Google search myself to find a measurement conversion chart here. It looks as though the 200g of flour in this recipe would convert to a little less than 2 cups of flour.
So using the rule of thumb above, you would only need about 2 tsp. of baking powder (or less) to make this cake rise. Since the recipe calls for 2 1/2 tsp. of baking powder PLUS 1/2 tsp. bicarbonate of soda (baking soda for Americans), I think you are correct in assuming that the culprit is too much leavener.
The purpose of baking soda (which is a base or alkaline ingredient) in a recipe is to create a chemical reaction with an acid ingredient. That chemical reaction creates the leavening, making the cake rise.
In looking at the recipe you provided, the only acidic ingredient I can see would be the espresso powder, perhaps.
I would suggest that you try one of two options:
1) Eliminate the bicarbonate of soda all together and reduce the baking powder to 2 tsp. OR
2) Keep the 1/2 tsp. bicarbonate of soda and perhaps use just a small amount of baking powder to be certain the cake rises but without making it too bitter. [If the baking soda does not have enough acid to react with, it will not be able to make the cake rise on its own–it will need assistance from baking powder, which contains both acid and base ingredients in it.] Try maybe just 1/4 or 1/2 tsp. baking powder with the bicarbonate of soda.
Unfortunately, baking is such an exact science that it could take many attempts to find just the right proportion of ingredients to achieve the results you are looking for. Best of luck to you!
Terry asks: I just made a red velvet cake using both pureed beets AND some red food colouring, according to a recipe from the New York Waldorf Astoria, 1920’s I found on the net.
When the cake was done, it came out chocolate BROWN, instead of RED. Can you tell me what happened? I baked it in 3 9″ pans for the required 20-25 minutes and then left it in for another 10 minutes because they weren’t quite ‘done’. Is that where I went wrong?
Baking S.O.S. says: These days, red velvet cake recipes use anywhere from 1 to 2 WHOLE BOTTLES of red food coloring to make the batter red.
The recipe you used sounds more traditional, given that it dates back to the 1920’s. The addition of beets to the recipe is probably a more natural way to tint the cake batter, rather than relying on artificial, chemical food dyes. However, when baked, cake batter that has been tinted with beets loses almost all of its bright pink or reddish hue, mellowing into a light brown color in the finished cake. So my guess is that your cake turned out more brown rather than red because it relies more on beets than red food coloring to tint the batter.
Personally, I do not make red velvet cake because the thought of using 1 or 2 whole bottles of red food coloring seems so unnatural and appalling to me. I would much rather make your recipe that relies more on natural food coloring that massive amounts of artificial coloring. (but that’s just MY opinion)
For me, the bigger question is: How does your cake taste? If it still tastes delicious, then you have nothing to worry about. You can simply tell your guests that your cake is more traditional. After all, the Waldorf Astoria has a long history of culinary excellence. One of my own favorite chocolate cake recipes comes from there, as well!
Starr asks: What is the purpose of an egg in a cake batter?
Baking S.O.S. says: Good question!
Eggs have a number of different functions in baked goods and in cakes, in particular:
1) The yolk contains fat, so it gives tenderness to the cake.
2) The white is comprised of some water, so the liquid helps keep a cake moist.
3) The protein in the egg coagulates during the baking process, so eggs help hold everything together, creating structure for the cake (or baked good).
4) When eggs or egg whites are whipped into a foam before folding them into the cake batter (as in a spongecake or angel food cake), the additional air bubbles act as a leavener, helping the cake to rise. As the air bubbles are heated during baking, they expand, causing the cake to rise.
Ian says: I have made the following recipe 2 times: Death By Chocolate Cake from cacaoweb.net.
Each time the flavor is perfect but the cake is so dense that it is overwhelming (to the point of not being fun to eat.) But before we blame the recipe, let me share the context.
I prepare one cake in a 9 in straight metal cake pan. Then I prep a second. And bake them both at the same time. I allow to cool on the counter. Then I refrigerate (in the pans) for several hours or overnight.
I remove and combine the two layers with a generous helping of raspberry preserve between and on top and then cover with a chocolate ganache. (its sort of my own version of a Sachre Torte.)
I then put back in the fridge until it is time to serve.
The cake “weighs a ton” and it actually hard to cut.
I understand that one cake is enough and I could slice into two layers, but that seems like it would take too much dexterity and its just easier to make a second cake for the next layer.
So, here is my question…
Ian asks: Is it the recipe? The recipe calls for either baking powder or baking soda (should I use both?)
Baking S.O.S. says: No, too much leavening can cause a bitter taste. I would recommend using baking powder only.
Ian asks: Is it just a dense cake that I then make overwhelming by making two?
Baking S.O.S. says: Yes, from the recipe, it looks a lot like a flourless chocolate torte (although this recipe uses a scant amount of flour). By nature, a flourless chocolate cake is very dense and delicious, but it is only a single layer cake.
If you want to make a two-layer cake, I would suggest taking the amount of batter you use for one 9-inch cake and dividing it between two 9-inch cake pans, making 2 single layers rather than 2 full cakes. You will need to bake the cake layers for a shorter period of time since you are using less batter in each pan.
Ian asks: Is it the refrigeration?
Baking S.O.S. says: No, refrigerating the cake for several hours or overnight actually helps to mellow the flavors and improve the texture of the cake. It is a necessary step in the process.
Ian asks: Am I mixing/handling the ingredients too much? Can this make a cake more dense? Why?
Baking S.O.S. says: I think you may actually need to mix the eggs more than what the recipe calls for. If you beat the eggs on medium-high speed for 8-10 minutes, you will incorporate more air by creating an egg foam. This, in turn, helps the cake rise more rather than making it so dense. The recipe does not call for this step, but it will help. I would beat the eggs alone first, then fold in the other ingredients slowly and gently so as not to deflate the egg foam.
Ian asks: Can you recomend a good recipe for a rich, deep, fudgey, moist devil’s food cake… cause I think that is the texture I want without sacrificing the rich chocolate taste? (I like the idea of combining both cocoa powder and melted chocolate.)
Baking S.O.S. says: My favorite recipe for a true Flourless Chocolate Torte can be found on my blog here. I also have step-by-step photos of the entire process here.
I adapted this recipe from Cook’s Illustrated magazine many years ago. I love Cook’s Illustrated because they always test a myriad of ways to make THE best (fill-in-the-blank recipe), and then they give you only the best results: guaranteed to work–and impress!–every time. I get more compliments on this Flourless Chocolate Torte than almost anything else I make: a sure winner.
Good luck!
Erin says: I am attempting for the first time to make detailed frosted duck shape cookies as favors for a baby shower on Saturday. I want to use royal icing, pipe around the shape then ‘flood’ inside that line. I baked the cookies on Sunday and they are currently in the freezer. A few questions: I would like to do the frosting tomorrow, I don’t want to be rushed on Saturday. Should I take the cookies out of the freezer tonight? Should they go from freezer to fridge to counter or from freezer to counter? Then, do you have a simple royal frosting recipe? There are ones that use meringue powder and all that, but is that necessary? How much should I make for about 25 pretty large cookies? I don’t want to run out of yellow and then try and match the color again. THEN, once frosted and dried should I put them in cellophane bags tomorrow of Friday and in between put the cookies in an airtight container? In fridge? Not in fridge? Please help!
Baking S.O.S. says: I’m here to help! Glad you wrote. 🙂
Do not store the cookies in the frige at any point….that will make them go stale faster than leaving them out at room temp.
Freezing the cookies in advance is a great time saver, & it keeps them fresher. Cookies will thaw pretty quickly from the freezer, so just take them out tomorrow morning & let them thaw on the counter while you get everything else ready.
Royal icing: I DO use the meringue powder recipe because it is easier and produces more reliable results. Can’t go wrong there. You can simply add a little more water to make a thinner frosting for flooding (you need a thicker frosting for piping the borders).
Royal icing sets up pretty quickly at room temp, so once it’s set, you can wrap the cookies in cellophane. I don’t think it is necessary to store them in a plastic container after that…..it could create a little bit of moisture, making to cookies softer or soggy. (I’m 50-50 on the airtight containers….it’s your choice.)
I’m not sure how much frosting to tell you to make, so err on the side of too much rather than too little. You will need plenty of frosting to pour for flooding, so be generous in the amount you make. But Royal icing also does not keep, so once you’re done, discard the leftovers.
Becky asks: During the holidays I played around with white chocolate to make a variety of flavored barks. One thing that I ALWAYS had problems with was after melting my white chocolate, when I added my flavoring/extract, it always seized. I rescued it with butter, but I’ve read where so many other people were able to just add extracts without the added fat with no problems. I used both more expensive white chocolate like Ghirardelli, Hershey/Nestle brands, and even the Wilton melting white chocolate disks, all yielded the same results. What the heck am I doing wrong?!?
Baking S.O.S. says: I have had the same experience–usually when trying to add coloring (rather than flavoring) to white chocolate or white candy coating.
I think the problem is that white “chocolate” has far less cocoa butter in it than regular chocolate does, and without that extra fat from the cocoa butter, it simply doesn’t melt as well. Adding extra fat–such as the butter you used (I like to use vegetable shortening for a color-less and flavor-less fat) gives the white chocolate or white disks enough fat to help it melt properly without seizing up.
Another good thing to note is that many of the supposed white chocolate chips on the market do not actually contain ANY cocoa butter at all, so in fact, they are not actually chocolate! You may notice that manufactures of white “chocolate” chips have recently changed their labeling to call the products simply “white chips” or “vanilla chips.” These products, too, do not have enough fat in them to prevent them from seizing up when melted and coloring or flavoring is added.
I checked the instructions on the back of the Wilton white candy disks bag, and the instructions suggest that you should use an oil-based coloring or flavoring agent. So perhaps you might want to try an oil rather than an extract to add flavor to the white chips/disks.
Good luck!
Julie says: I have my husband’s family recipe for an Irish potato cake. My husband’s sister makes one every year for him. I can’t eat it; it’s just too dry. What makes a cake moist? It’s a good cake, just too dry!
Baking S.O.S. says: Thanks for this very intriguing question, Julie, and just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, too!
I have never heard of Irish potato cake. So before I could attempt to answer your question, I had to do a little bit of research to figure out just what we are talking about!
Unfortunately, Google comes up with a WIDE variety of results and various recipes for Irish potato cakes–from potato pancakes (called “Boxty”?) to flat breads to sweet dessert cakes. So I’m afraid I’m not much closer to an answer than I was when I started my research.
The best I can do is answer your general question: “What makes a cake moist?”
The answer is: fat and liquid. Fat–in the form of butter, shortening, vegetable oil, heavy cream, etc.–lends moisture and flavor to baked goods. It gives desserts a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. The more fat in the recipe, the more tender it will be. It sounds like the family recipe could benefit from a little extra fat, whatever type the original recipe calls for.
Some type of liquid would also lend tenderness to a recipe, as well. In several recipes I found on-line, I saw milk used as the liquid in the recipe. You could possibly substitute half and half or even heavy cream to add a little more fat to the recipe without changing the proportion of dry-to-liquid ingredients. OR you could try increasing the quantity of the liquid by a small amount.
Whenever making adjustments to a recipe, it is a good idea to make small changes as first, or even adjust just one ingredient at a time so that you know which alterations have what effect on the final product.
I hope you find some adjustments that will help improve the texture of the Irish potato cake so that YOU can enjoy it, too–along with your husband!
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