Sugar. Granulated sugar is the form
most frequently used. Weight for weight
of well-sifted brown sugar may replace the
white, except in white cakes. Sirups may
be used for part of the sugar. Honey gives
a pleasing flavor, and cakes made with it
remain moist longer than those made with
most other forms of sugar. All sirups in¬
crease the specific gravity1 of the batter and
tend to make the cake heavy. In general, a
cup of ordinary sirup or honey is equivalent
to a cup of cane sugar, for although the sirup
contains only about 75 per cent sugar, a cup
of sirup weighs sufficiently more than the
sugar to make good this difference. The
more accurate method is to weigh out the
required amount of the sirup, taking into
account the composition of the sirup in
terms of sugar. (See page 31.)
Neither corn sirup nor corn sugar is very
satisfactory in cakemaking, since if enough
is added to sweeten the mixture it tends to
make the cake heavy.
Eggs. It is difficult to find a substitute for
eggs in cake. Eggs are needed to make the
cell walls firm so that the weight of the
sugar will not cause the cake to fall. The
amount of egg called for can sometimes be
decreased by proper adjustment of the
other ingredients. But when cakes are
made entirely without eggs, or some ingre¬
dient which acts similarly to egg, the fact
is usually apparent. Soy products are being
used to replace egg in some cake mixes.
Relative weight compared with the weight of an
equal measure of water.
[296]
Fat. Butter and cream were formerly the
fats used almost exclusively in cakemaking.
This was because they were readily available
and their flavor is desirable where a large
percentage of fat is used. Increase in the
price of these fats has brought about the
use of less expensive fats. Any fat with a
desirable or a bland flavor may be used even
in the plain white cakes. In cakes con¬
taining spice or chocolate, practically any
of the fats used in cookery will be satis¬
factory. The fats with good creaming
quality, such as butter, hydrogenated fats,
and margarines, in general, give better
texture and volume in cakes than fats with
poor creaming quality. Refined lards make
good cakes, and with certain methods of
combining, the bland oils may be used.
Many basic recipes call for butter or other
table fat. When other fats are used in
place of butter, the amount may be de¬
creased about 2\ tablespoons per cup.
Leavening. Air may be incorporated in
the egg white by beating separately, and
in the fat by creaming. Pound cake, how¬
ever, is the only cakp containing fat to
which no other leavening is added. In
addition to the incorporated air, a chemical
leavening agent generally is used. This is
most often baking powder but may be
soda with an acid-containing liquid. When
the eggs are not beaten separately, it is
sometimes necessary to use more baking
powder.
Salt and Flavoring. Salt is essential to the
flavor of cakes. The amount added de¬
pends mainly upon the fat, whether it is
salted or unsalted. The flavoring liked
best in cakes is vanilla, although other
extracts, fruit juices, chocolate, and spices
may be used. While salt and flavoring
are important, the palatability of a cake
depends, to a large extent, upon the qual¬
ity of the basic ingredients and their pro¬
portions.
BASIC PROPORTIONS
Page 271
Presented as published in 1935. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Sugar. Granulated sugar is the form most frequently used. Weight for weight of well-sifted brown sugar may replace the white, except in white cakes. Sirups may be used for part of the sugar. Honey gives a pleasing flavor, and cakes made with it remain moist longer than those made with most other forms of sugar. All sirups increase the specific gravity1 of the batter and tend to make the cake heavy. In general, a cup of ordinary sirup or honey is equivalent to a cup of cane sugar, for although the sirup contains only about 75 per cent sugar, a cup of sirup weighs sufficiently more than the sugar to make good this difference. The more accurate method is to weigh out the required amount of the sirup, taking into account the composition of the sirup in terms of sugar. (See page 31.)
Neither corn sirup nor corn sugar is very satisfactory in cakemaking, since if enough is added to sweeten the mixture it tends to make the cake heavy.
Eggs. It is difficult to find a substitute for eggs in cake. Eggs are needed to make the cell walls firm so that the weight of the sugar will not cause the cake to fall. The amount of egg called for can sometimes be decreased by proper adjustment of the other ingredients. But when cakes are made entirely without eggs, or some ingredient which acts similarly to egg, the fact is usually apparent. Soy products are being used to replace egg in some cake mixes.
Relative weight compared with the weight of an equal measure of water.
[296]
Fat. Butter and cream were formerly the fats used almost exclusively in cakemaking. This was because they were readily available and their flavor is desirable where a large percentage of fat is used. Increase in the price of these fats has brought about the use of less expensive fats. Any fat with a desirable or a bland flavor may be used even in the plain white cakes. In cakes containing spice or chocolate, practically any of the fats used in cookery will be satis¬ factory. The fats with good creaming quality, such as butter, hydrogenated fats, and margarines, in general, give better texture and volume in cakes than fats with poor creaming quality. Refined lards make good cakes, and with certain methods of combining, the bland oils may be used. Many basic recipes call for butter or other table fat. When other fats are used in place of butter, the amount may be decreased about 2\ tablespoons per cup.
Leavening. Air may be incorporated in the egg white by beating separately, and in the fat by creaming. Pound cake, how¬ ever, is the only cakp containing fat to which no other leavening is added. In addition to the incorporated air, a chemical leavening agent generally is used. This is most often baking powder but may be soda with an acid-containing liquid. When the eggs are not beaten separately, it is sometimes necessary to use more baking powder.
Salt and Flavoring. Salt is essential to the flavor of cakes. The amount added de¬ pends mainly upon the fat, whether it is salted or unsalted. The flavoring liked best in cakes is vanilla, although other extracts, fruit juices, chocolate, and spices may be used. While salt and flavoring are important, the palatability of a cake depends, to a large extent, upon the qual¬ ity of the basic ingredients and their pro¬ portions.
BASIC PROPORTIONS