Bakery and Confectionary

BAKERY AND CONFECTIONARY FDNT 315 3 (1+2)

Lesson 9:Cakes

Different Types Of Cakes

Cakes are generally classified into two major groups. The twodiffer from one another based on the type and proportions of ingredients used, way of mixing, baking time, temperature and the way of cooling. All types lend themselves to limitless variations

Shortened cakes: These cakes contain fats or shortenings. Include butter cakes and pound cakes.There are various ways of combining the ingredients for shortened cakes; all are based on the conventional method by creaming of sugar and fats to produce tender cake with a light, delicate texture. Good quality butter cake layer should bake flat; meaning it has the proper balance of tougheners to tenderizers.

Unshortened (foam) cakes: These cakes contain no or little fats or shortenings. Texture range from dense and spongy to light and airy, or from crispy and dry to melt-in-mouth tender depending on the proportions of ingredients. Three types can be broadly categorized.

1. No fat cakes: angel food cakes, meringues and pound cakes
2. Only fat is egg yolk: sponge cakes, jelly roll cakes
3. Oil and fat in addition to egg yolks: chiffon and genoises

In preparation of foam cakes two to three main ingredients are used. Usually a high proportion of eggs to a lesser proportion of sugar are used. If flour is used it is very little. Foam cakes are prepared by creating the foams of egg whites and/or yolks by whipping, which is then mixed with other ingredients. Beaten whites contribute to structure, strength, stability, and leavening of cakes, eliminating the need for addition of chemical leaveners (baking powder and baking soda), much flour and the necessity for fat (butter, shortening) to help create and hold air bubbles.

The third main and optional ingredient to a foam cake recipe is small proportion of flour. The flour is sifted over the beaten egg foam without disturbing the air bubbles. Sometimes the flour is added to the whole egg or yolk foam, to create a batter, and then, the egg white foam is folded in.Egg foams, along with their other ingredients, create exceptional protein meshwork structures, which hold the cake together.