I Made A Moist Scratch Cake...but!
Decorating By 2sweetcookies Updated 22 Jun 2007 , 6:41pm by lilthorner
With all the trial recipes, topics and tricks I've read, I found that shortening is better in a scratch cake rather than butter. I also noticed that chocolate cake recipes use oil and come out moist, but can't seem to find any other flavors made with oil. So I figured i'd try to make the chocolate recipe, omitted the cocoa and added extra flour, for a yellow cake, also used baking soda, it was SO moist, 
almost comparable to a box mix. I almost got excited, but there is no way this would hold up to a filling or a stacked cake.
BUT.... it sunk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
I'm thinking I could also taste the baking soda.
I'm assuming the cocoa has something to do with using the oil.
If any one saw the cupcake throw down with Bobby Flay last week, the queen of cupcakes even said to use oil (and buttermilk) and that it's the only way to get a moist cake, her cupcakes looked so light and fluffy.
Does anyone know why some recipes call for just baking powder and some for baking powder and baking soda?
So can a recipe that calls for shortening be subsituted with oil???
Any input on this would be helpfull, thanks!!!!!!!!!!!
Does anyone have a preference to all purpose four over cake four?
Here's an article on the Science of Baking:
http://www.bakingandbakingscience.com/Cakes.htm
How Baking Works:
http://tinyurl.com/34x4vz
(From Sarah Phillips of baking911.com.)
Detailed information on basic cake ingredients:
http://www.joyofbaking.com/BasicIngredients.html
More detailed information on cake ingredients:
http://tinyurl.com/2ur2eh
(Also from Sarah Phillips of baking911.com.)
Substituting Oils for Solid Fats:
(Under fat.)
http://www.foodsubs.com/Fatsoils.html
If you refer to Sarah's info on fat, she also doesn't recommend substituting a liquid oil for a solid fat or vice-versa.
However, the Cake Mix Doctor does advocate substituting melted butter for any oil called for in a cake mix recipe. This substitution in a scratch recipe might cause a disaster.
HTH
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh my! what information, thanks for all the sites, I'm reading through every page. I definately know what I did wrong, although it was just an experiment. I feel so much closer to baking that wodnerful scratch cake Iv'e been looking for. I'm going out this weekend to get the Cake Bible, i'm sure that will be my new best friend.
Thanks again, these sites are now in my favorties, so informative..
i have a good pound cake recipe and it uses 2 sticks of butter and half of crisco. it is soo moist and not dry.. I made a 7up cake that way and OMG it was to die for.. maybe u could sub part of the butter for shortening
I stumbled across this recipe on Martha Stewart's website for a red velvet cake. It is basically a vanilla cake with red food coloring. What caught my attention is that it uses oil and buttermilk; no solid fats. I may give it a try this weekend (minus the color) to see how it turns out.
http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.fc77a0dbc44dd1611e3bf410b5900aa0/?vgnextoid=3ba8e38e6ec0f010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=46992798cf2ee010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&rsc=collage_food_layer-cake&lastnavigatedchannel=46992798cf2ee010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD
Red Velvet cake
2 1/2 cups White Lily self-rising flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup whole buttermilk
2 1/2 tablespoons red food coloring
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray three 9-by-2-inch round cake pans with cooking spray, and line with wax paper. Set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour and baking soda. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, vinegar, and vanilla. With an electric mixer, beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add flour mixture, and mix on low speed just until flour has been incorporated. Slowly add buttermilk. Add food coloring, and beat to combine.
Divide batter among pans; each pan will be about half full. Tap pans on counter to remove bubbles. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Remove the pans to a rack to cool for 5 minutes. Invert pans onto wire racks sprayed with vegetable oil to cool cake completely, or quick-chill in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.
To assemble, place one layer, top side down, on a cake stand. Using an offset spatula, spread with 1/4 inch of frosting. Repeat with remaining layers. To frost the top and sides of the cake, work from the center toward and over the edge, making sure to evenly coat. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.
daranaco thanks for the red velvet recipe. I may give it a try.
I just went and got The Cake Bible yesterday and made the white velvet cake and the all occasion yellow butter cake. (I figured why waste the egg yolks and just go for it) OMG I have to say they are both SO good and definately moist, so far they are the best scratch cakes i've made.
I've tried a lot of recipes and lately found that shortening works better (for me) than butter, The Cake Bible recipes do call for butter and are uncomparable. But I almost wonder if they would hold up to a filling, I'm sure they will, i'll see how they look tomorrow, does anyone use these recipes?
I;m definatley going to try one of the chocolate cakes soon.
It's a huge relief to finally find a recipe that will work.
Anyone one know if those Cake Bible recipes will stack and carve well?
Is that book worth buying?
Just looking for awesome scratch recipes that aren't too difficult, I'm just starting with the scratch baking!
flava cakes, the cake bible has quite a few recipes.. im sure most can hold up to stacking (with the right support) some may need to be the more dense ones for carving..
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