PSTR 1306 INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN-STYLE CAKE DECORATING AND DESIGN Cake Decorating I

Course Goals Weights and Measures Cake Baking  Know and understand how to use the ingredients  Mix batters using several methods  Scaling batters  Correct oven temperature Cake Icings  Essential ingredients for various icings  Correct procedures for preparing  Techniques for properly frosting a cake  Sanitation and Safety Practices Identify the 6 basic ingredients in baked products and know their functions

Cake Ingredients Classify by Function Tougheners  Flour, milk, eggs  Protein for strength  Too much: texture is tough and coarse  Too little: cake may collapse Tenderizers  Sugar, fats, yolks  Shorten gluten strands  tender and soft  Improve shelf life

Moisteners  Water, milk, juice, eggs  Necessary for gluten formation and starch gelatinization  Improve shelf life Driers  Flour, starches, milk solids  Absorb moisture  Give structure Cake Ingredients Classify by Function

Leaveners  Chemical  Baking powder, baking soda  Carbon dioxide is released  Natural:  air trapped when fat and sugar are creamed together  Air trapped in whipped egg whites Flavorings  Extracts, cocoa, chocolate, spices, salt, butter  Acidic flavors provide necessary acid to activate baking soda  sour cream, chocolate, fruit Cake Ingredients Classify by Function

Mixing Cake Batter Combine uniformly Incorporate air Develop proper texture Creaming Method (high fat)  American Cakes, brownies, Coffee Cakes  Chemical leaveners  Moist, fine crumb  Tender  Can handle rich fillings (buttercream, ganache)  Too soft for very thin layers  Method: 1. Cream fat: traps air; mix on low-medium speed (no increase in temperature = no loss of air) 2. Add Eggs: create emulsion; fat and liquid are held in suspension 3. Add flour alternately with wet ingredients: prevents over- development of gluten (chewy), preserves emulsion

Mixing Cake Batter Combine uniformly Incorporate air Develop proper texture Sponge/ Foam Method  European cakes: genoise, sponge, angle food  Whipped eggs are primary leavener (whole or separated)  Fragile batters: fold carefully  Little/ no fat  Spongy, dry- add flavor and moisture with simple syrups  Good for baking in thin layers Two Stage Method (high fat)  Large production  Emulsified/ high-ratio shortening  Absorbs large amounts of sugar and liquid  Cream dry ingredients with shortening, then add liquid in 2 stages

Preparing to Bake Scaling cake batter  Uniform weight or volume  Very important in large batches Correct oven temperature  Generally 300°-350°F  Too low:  dense and flat  Too high:  rises unevenly  Dry/ burned outside

Icings: Buttercreams Simple  Powdered sugar, butter, flavorings  Very sweet Meringue  Italian Buttercream, White Chocolate Buttercream  Based on Italian Meringue  Boiled sugar syrup cooks egg whites  Mild flavor  Light, airy texture Bombe  French Buttercream  Based on bombe batter  Boiled sugar syrup cooks whole eggs and egg yolks  Rich flavor  Light, airy texture

Icings Chocolate Ganache  Dark chocolate, heavy cream  Rich flavor  Heavy texture Cream Cheese Icing  Cream Cheese, powdered sugar, butter  Over-mixing breaks down texture  Tangy flavor  Heavy texture Royal Icing  Egg whites (raw, pasteurized, or powdered), Powdered Sugar  Dries hard  Very sweet