The way I do it when mixing in flour is that I mix it after each addition just until the dry ingredients have disappeared, then add the liquid slowly while it's still going, stop and add more dry, etc. When the last dry is in, I mix just until dry are gone, scrape the sides with a spatula and then turn back on for maybe 30 seconds...probably less. There is no reason to mix longer. The only thing mixing longer will do is strengthen the gluten and cause a tougher, possibly sunken cake. I like to do the dry/liquid step on setting 1 or 2. When I take the bowl off the mixer, I do get out the spatula and scrape the bottom of the bowl one last time and make sure it's all smooth but don't sit and stir it or anything.

I'd also like to add about some cakes needing the whipped egg whites at the end, such as white or yellow cakes. You should just add about 1/3 of the whipped whites and set on the first setting (stir) until they're encorporated (this lightens up the batter so the rest will mix in easier). Then take it off the mixer, add another 1/3 of the batter and fold in by hand just until most of the streaks are gone, then add the final 1/3 and fold in by hand. With these recipes, it's especially important that you pan and bake them right away because they lose volume much faster than unwhipped whites.

not very long. You do it by hand because whipped egg whites are fragile. It really just takes a couple minutes to do it. Do it in stages, not all at once. What you do is grab some batter from the side of the bowl with your spatula and flip it over onto the middle where the egg whites are, turn the bowl a 1/4 turn, do it again...several times until it's pretty smooth, still a little streaky but not so much that there would be chunks of egg whites in the batter.

Yeah, I didn't think to put that in...I usually don't bother bringing things to room temp though (besides the butter) and they seem to turn out fine. I wonder what the advantage is with that...well, the eggs, of course, they would whip up better but I don't know about the liquids...

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Thank-You!

Just a week or so ago there was a thread started on sharing scratch recipes.
Check it out.

Sarah Phillips at www.baking911.com says she thinks the room temp ingredients came from a time when people used those beaters that you cranked by hand (not electric), and that with the advent of electric mixers she finds this step no longer neccessary. I believe she did an experiment where she had ingredients cold for one cake and room temp for another and found no advantage to having them room temp.

I don't know if it makes it moister but it makes a much higher, lighter cake...

Originally Posted by MissyTex

I want to start baking from scratch. I've done a few this year, but in the past I've only done Carrot and Italian Cream from scratch. With those, because they are usually so moist, and also my chocolate cakes that I put choc chips in that leave streaks of choc on the toothpick, it's hard to know when it is really "done." Toothpick method doesn't always give a good indication of doneness. Is there a better way for these types of cakes? Lately I tend to take them out of the oven when they begin to pull away from the pan. But is this over done?

And one thing I do to warm my cold eggs is to put them in warm water (while still in the shell, of course! ) Somwhere I read the reason why room temp eggs are better, but I can't remember what it is.

I hardly ever use a cake tester anymore. I always feel the top of the cake and if it feels like an overstuffed pillow, it's done When the sides start pulling away, it's done...but too done when it's really apparent. I've also heard that you can listen for a cake's doneness. I read it on here not too long ago, actually. I guess when it stops crackling or something?

Room temp eggs are better because they will whip up higher and lighter, which will do the same for your overall cake.

In my (long!) experience, you are fine doing either all cold, or all room temp, but if you try to mix the two, i.e. soft butter and cold eggs, it can cause the mixture to split and your cake will not rise as much as if this didn't occur. Hope that helps!

Exactly. When you lightly touch the top, when it is not quite done, it will spring back mostly, but it will crackle. When it is done, it doesn't make any noise, it just springs back nicely.

Hint: When baking a cake with full-sized chocolate chips, be mindful of where you do the touch test. Right on top of a melty hot chip is NOT a good idea. (I know this from personal experience.)

Yes I have tried your method and I like it. In fact I am really starting to taste a difference in scratch veres boxes. Never thought I would notice the difference. Homemade cakes taste soooooo much better! But I still mess around with both-depends on my budget, time and what I am trying to accomplish! Thank-you so much for taking the time to post your helpful information!

Originally Posted by dabear

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaSombra

Just wondering...has anyone tried scratch baking yet and how did it turn out for you??

Yes I have tried your method and I like it. In fact I am really starting to taste a difference in scratch veres boxes. Never thought I would notice the difference. Homemade cakes taste soooooo much better! But I still mess around with both-depends on my budget, time and what I am trying to accomplish! Thank-you so much for taking the time to post your helpful information!

yay! Glad I could help.