I’m writing a book about cakes; you may not have known that, because unlike many bloggers who are writing books, my book has nothing to do with my blog. (Oh, we have lots of secrets around here. Have you heard the baby one yet?)
As I research baking, and get my hands deeper into my batters and bundt pans, I come across some tips I never knew about.
Here’s a great one for coating cake pans. Instead of the “grease and flour” approach suggested in most recipes, try the “grease and sweeten” method, using sugar instead of flour. Because of its weight, sugar distributes across a greased pan much easier and more evenly than flour without clumping or depositing a dusty patina on the side of your cake.
Sara,
I've heard this somewhere... Can't remember where, and it does sound like a good idea... Will have to try, although I'm not baking like I used to.
Just wondering if the sugar could carmelize and make the cake very difficult to remove from the pan? Maybe most baking temperatures are low enough to prevent this?
Sara Kate, I should say.
I do this all the time. It works very well and I have never had a release problem. The one thing it does do is make the outside of the cake a little crusty.
There's also the grease-and-cocoa method if you happen to be baking a chocolate cake -- no white residue!
sara kate,
congratulations on both the bebe and the cake book. a good cake book is always a good thing!! and so is a baby!
have you seen a book called "victorian cakes: a reminiscence with recipes" by caroline b. king? she was a food writer in the 20s and 30s and this is basically a memoir of her childhood that touches on the cake mania that apparently existed in victorian times. they were truly obsessed. it's a wonderful read.
oh, and i wanted to mention that i too had a post 'unaccepted' a couple weeks ago. it was re. integral yoga store (i'm a huge fan, especially of their produce). fyi, they also offer an array of pre/post natal yoga classes.
What's the purpose of flouring the pan? I have always just buttered the bottom of the pan (not the sides, because my mom told me "Cake can't climb a greased wall"), and I have never (not once!) had trouble removing the cake from the pan. But I always see these elaborate cake-removal methods involving parchment, flour, butter, more butter...
What's the deal? Do people really have trouble getting the cake out??
Yes, people have problems getting a cake out. Although if this has never happened to you do share your secret. I have preparred a cake pan using all different variations, flour and butter, parchment, butter alone, etc. I think for me it just depends on my mood that day, i.e. laziness. Most times I will flour the pan as I think this helps.
No secret... I butter the bottom (not the sides) of the pan (using the wax wrapper from the butter), then I let the cake cool down after it comes out of the oven, run a knife around the sides of the pan to release the edges, then flip it over. Out comes the cake. If it needs help, I wedge a knife or a small spatula into the pan to get under the cake, then lift it out. Hmm... I must be lucky! Is the part about not greasing the sides of the pan true or just some kind of old wives' tale?
I have an extravagent cathedral bundt cake pan- that elicits many comments when I pull it out of the drawer under the oven- not to mention when I pull out the finishesh product -- a cake in the shape of a cathedral. I always feel over the top when i make this cake- but honestly I love it!
Whenever I use the pan I usually make a yummy chocolate cake and add rasberries around the base and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Cooks illustrated has an excellent recipe to make a perfect chocolate bundt cake. Plus their release method works every time. It entails melting butter and mixing in cocoa in the butter- lathering in each of the pans nooks and crannies and adding the batter. It works like magic every time!
I haven't tried the butter and sugar, but look forward to trying it...
When baking a chocolate bunt cake, I always use butter and cocoa instead of flour... it works great and doesn't leave any white on my cake top!
I use an old Joy of Cooking tip, to let the cake cool a few minutes then flip it over, cover the bottom with a moistened towel and tap thoroughly.
I totally recommend Baker's Joy if you're a fan of grease and flour and you're making a lot of layers. I used it when I made a wedding cake and it worked beautifully and saved so much time. I'll try the grease and sugar next time though, sounds interesting.
I made a bundt cake from a bundt cake mix and the cake at the bottom stuck to the pan, even though I followed the recipe and method of removign the cake from the pan. I was taking it to a Superbowl party, so, needless to say, I was disappointed; however, I will definitely try the butter and sugar plan, will let you know what happens.