Whipped Cream: The Secret to Beautiful Cakes?

This whipped cream won't be going on top of the cake. No, it's destined to go inside! This unusual technique calls for folding whipped cream into the cake batter, and the result? The most luscious, velvety cake you've ever eaten. No kidding.

In her cookbook BakeWise, Shirley O'Corriher explains that adding whipped cream incorporates air into the batter (for a lighter cake), gives the cake a soft and silky texture, and adds a rich flavor.

All you do is whip a half cup of heavy cream to the soft peak stage and then fold this into your batter just before baking.

O'Corriher says that you can do this for just about any cake, muffin, or other tender baked good where you might want a softer texture. As she explains it, you don't need to make other ingredient adjustments. Just add a half cup of cream to the recipe and you're good to go!

If you live in fear of dry crumbly cakes, this technique just might be your ticket to sanity. Give it a try next time you bake a cake!

(Image: Flickr member Rhett Sutphin licensed under Creative Commons)

Comments (6)

I'm intrigued and will have to add this step next time...

Whipping egg whites will enhance the lightness of baked goods. So separate the eggs, add the yolks, whip the whites and fold in.

Yes!!

There is a Martha Stewart wedding cake recipe that is only in her old '80s vintage Weddings book, the Whipped Cream Wedding Cake. It is just as you describe, made with whipped cream in the batter. We made it once for a friend's wedding, and it was amazing! So lovely and light, with such a gorgeous texutre; it blows all other white cakes out of the water!

Unfortunately, it is on posted on her site, and I don't have the recipe (it is in a storage box on the other side of the Atlantic). I am so glad you have raised this technique!

oops -- it is not posted on her site

i heart shirley. i don't bake much or i'd have her book already. cookwise is w/o a doubt my best kitchen reference.

i will definitely be trying this.

I've used that technique, using the Martha recipe that @mschatelaine mentions, in wedding cakes for years and it really does get the most amazing comments.

I took a class in January with Shirley, what a hoot and a wealth of detailed information, highly recommend taking her class if you ever have the chance.