Perfecting Cake Mixing Techniques

[Norcalbaker59]

I can’t turn off the fan
Can I reduce the heat to 150? Will this help?

Ok Madagascan vanilla is vanilla, I like it!

Home baking is so awkward in so many way! We just don’t have the correct equipment!

155°C and 150°C if your oven will allow you to adjust at 5° increments.

That’s the problem with the ovens in the UK they build them all with these fans, most of which you cannot turn off. Some of them they build with these gas marks, so you have absolutely no control over the heat. You get what you get.

Americans have choices of convection ovens which have a fan of which you can turn off. Or a conventional ovens of which there is no fan. And for home baking you really do not need a fan because it is just too intense. And we can set the temperature to increments of 5° for some models/brands. There’s just so much more control over the oven temperature.

 

[LamsMekk]

155°C and 150°C if your oven will allow you to adjust at 5° increments.

That’s the problem with the ovens in the UK they build them all with these fans, most of which you cannot turn off. Some of them they build with these gas marks, so you have absolutely no control over the heat. You get what you get.

Americans have choices of convection ovens which have a fan of which you can turn off. Or a conventional ovens of which there is no fan. And for home baking you really do not need a fan because it is just too intense. And we can set the temperature to increments of 5° for some models/brands. There’s just so much more control over the oven temperature.

It’s so annoying as I can really imagine the fan almost evaporating the moisture out of the cakes.

The only option would be to buy a stand alone mini oven that doesn’t have a fan, but a good quality one would cost too much.

I’m very stuck now!

Do you happen to have a good red velvet cupcake recipe by any chance?

 

[LamsMekk]

I’ve just remembered you’re in the States.

It’s extremely frustrating as most recipes are formulated in the US which leaves very little options when looking for cake recipes

 

[Norcalbaker59]

I’ve just remembered you’re in the States.

It’s extremely frustrating as most recipes are formulated in the US which leaves very little options when looking for cake recipes

Yes. And as far as red velvet cake goes, it is an American cake. And a farce to boot. Red velvet cake is nothing more than chocolate cake with a grossly unhealthy dose of 60 mL or more of red food dye dumped in with the cocoa powder. And to call it a chocolate cake is a stretch. Only a a tad bit of cocoa powder is used to bring out the red dye. So there is no chocolate flavor to red velvet cake. The cake base is flavorless, so sour cream and/or buttermilk must be added to give the cake some flavor. It also has a crappy texture from all that dye, so it is made with shortening to improve the crumb.

So red velvet cake is nothing more than a flavorless shortening based white cake dyed bright red.

A little food dye in decorations is one thing. Dumping two bottles of food dye into a cake simply for show is simple wrong. And since it is a cake made primarily of food dye and shortening I don’t make it.

 

[LamsMekk]

Yes. And as far as red velvet cake goes, it is an American cake. And a farce to boot. Red velvet cake is nothing more than chocolate cake with a grossly unhealthy dose of 60 mL or more of red food dye dumped in with the cocoa powder. And to call it a chocolate cake is a stretch. Only a a tad bit of cocoa powder is used to bring out the red dye. So there is no chocolate flavor to red velvet cake. The cake base is flavorless, so sour cream and/or buttermilk must be added to give the cake some flavor. It also has a crappy texture from all that dye, so it is made with shortening to improve the crumb.

So red velvet cake is nothing more than a flavorless shortening based white cake dyed bright red.

A little food dye in decorations is one thing. Dumping two bottles of food dye into a cake simply for show is simple wrong. And since it is a cake made primarily of food dye and shortening I don’t make it.

I totally agree with you, it’s just such a popular flavour. I did manage to find a recipe which uses just half a teaspoon of food dye.


Unfortunately they were a total disaster! The tops are again very dry, I have tried countless recipes and always have the same issue. Would putting a heatproof bowl of water At the bottom of the oven help, as well as lowering the temp as you said?

They tops are also completely coming away from the sponge, it’s like taking a lid off!!

I think that because the sponge is so moist it can’t handle the weight of the top which is a result of the dryness.

I used my thermapen! And the temps at each stage were as follows;

Butter 18.5 before creaming
19.9 after creaming (still grainy but fluffy)
18.8 after Addition of the eggS
Single Cream 26.0
Milk 27.8
Oil, cream and milk mixture 25.3
Chocolate 31.5 ( I know this is hot but it really didn’t feel it!)
Temp of mix 21.80 before adding flour
Temp of mix after adding flour 22.7

Lola's red velvet cupcake recipe - YOU Magazine

Thanks to a live bake-along video on the brand's Instagram account, the Lola's red velvet cupcake recipe is now available for you to enjoy at home.

www.you.co.uk

This is the recipe.

Any insight that you could give me would be greatly appreciated! I’m super disappointed as they looking incredible.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

I looked at the BBC and

I totally agree with you, it’s just such a popular flavour. I did manage to find a recipe which uses just half a teaspoon of food dye.


Unfortunately they were a total disaster! The tops are again very dry, I have tried countless recipes and always have the same issue. Would putting a heatproof bowl of water At the bottom of the oven help, as well as lowering the temp as you said?

They tops are also completely coming away from the sponge, it’s like taking a lid off!!

I think that because the sponge is so moist it can’t handle the weight of the top which is a result of the dryness.

I used my thermapen! And the temps at each stage were as follows;

Butter 18.5 before creaming
19.9 after creaming (still grainy but fluffy)
18.8 after Addition of the eggS
Single Cream 26.0
Milk 27.8
Oil, cream and milk mixture 25.3
Chocolate 31.5 ( I know this is hot but it really didn’t feel it!)
Temp of mix 21.80 before adding flour
Temp of mix after adding flour 22.7

Lola's red velvet cupcake recipe - YOU Magazine

Thanks to a live bake-along video on the brand's Instagram account, the Lola's red velvet cupcake recipe is now available for you to enjoy at home.

www.you.co.uk

This is the recipe.

Any insight that you could give me would be greatly appreciated! I’m super disappointed as they looking incredible.

The problem is this is not a red velvet cake recipe. Whoever wrote this recipe knows absolutely nothing about red velvet cake. They just made up some crap recipe with red dye and slap the red velvet cake label on it. None of the ingredients are for red velvet cake.

1. here’s no cream in red velvet cake.

2. there is no oil in red velvet cake.

3. there is no chocolate in red velvet cake.

4. red velvet cake must contain cocoa powder and food coloring—period. You cannot substitute these two ingredients. If you substitute these two ingredients you do not have a red velvet cake—PERIOD! The cocoa powder and red dye must be mixed together. It is the chemical reaction of the food coloring and the cocoa powder that creates the red color. This is what makes red velvet cake a red velvet cake it’s all about dying a white cake red.

5. red velvet cake batter contains vinegar and buttermilk. Both of which are acidic 1) to activate the baking soda as no baking powder is traditionally used; 2) buttermilk to give the cake flavor because the cake would otherwise be flavorless.

6. butter and shortening are the two fats that are used in red velvet cake. Oil is never used.

7. Ermine icing is the traditional icing for red velvet cake

I will email you a recipe

 

[Norcalbaker59]

I just clicked on the link and looked at her full recipe seriously that is not a red cake recipe at all. She just made up some crap without bothering to do any research at all. Almond flour? Baking powder. Nope. This is what I mean that any idiot can post whatever they want on the Internet. Seriously, I think she just took an existing cake recipe she had and just dumpEd some red dye in it, and labeled red velvet cake.

 

[LamsMekk]

I just clicked on the link and looked at her full recipe seriously that is not a red cake recipe at all. She just made up some crap without bothering to do any research at all. Almond flour? Baking powder. Nope. This is what I mean that any idiot can post whatever they want on the Internet. Seriously, I think she just took an existing cake recipe she had and just dumpEd some red dye in it, and labeled red velvet cake.

I 10000% agree with you and I did find the recipe very strange, BUT this one of London’s famous cupcake stores!! They officially shared their recipe on insta some time ago.

When I opened the paper the tops fells off and the CupckEs fell apart. That’s definitely my fault, something I am doing wrong.


Thanks for the email!

It really is very strange to use single cream, I found it odd especially because as you said the buttermilk has a purpose

 

[Norcalbaker59]

If all of your cupcakes are dry on top, regardless of recipe, you must be overbaking them. Are your tins dark metal? That would be adding to the problem. Dark metal, enamel, coated all that stuff is the bane of baking.

Are you cooling in the tin? You should remove the cupcakes as soon as possible. Cool for about 2 min in the tin, then use a utensil to remove from the tin and place on a cooling rack. Leaving in the tin will just continue to bake and further dry them out. Leaving to cool in the tin can also trap condensation between the liner and the tin, which ruins the liner.

 

[LamsMekk]

If all of your cupcakes are dry on top, regardless of recipe, you must be overbaking them. Are your tins dark metal? That would be adding to the problem. Dark metal, enamel, coated all that stuff is the bane of baking.

Are you cooling in the tin? You should remove the cupcakes as soon as possible. Cool for about 2 min in the tin, then use a utensil to remove from the tin and place on a cooling rack. Leaving in the tin will just continue to bake and further dry them out. Leaving to cool in the tin can also trap condensation between the liner and the tin, which ruins the liner.

No they actually harden regardless of how long they’re naked. I usually bake them for slightly less time than the recipe suggests, also, I remove them From the tin as soon as they come out of the oven!

Perhaps I need a new oven? Lol

 

[Norcalbaker59]

No they actually harden regardless of how long they’re naked. I usually bake them for slightly less time than the recipe suggests, also, I remove them From the tin as soon as they come out of the oven!

Perhaps I need a new oven? Lol

you don’t bake to time. every oven is different and every recipe is different, and even using the same recipe in a different tin with more/less amount of batter changes the mass, so that changes the rate of baking. So you need to know what the internal temperature of the of cupcake is to determine when it is done.

Edit: also do you keep an oven thermometer in your oven? I actually keep two in my oven, one hanging in the center and one at the front. Since the oven has hot spots, especially a gas oven, I wait until both register the baking temperature I want before I begin to bake.

 

[LamsMekk]

you don’t bake to time. every oven is different and every recipe is different, and even using the same recipe in a different tin with more/less amount of batter changes the mass, so that changes the rate of baking. So you need to know what the internal temperature of the of cupcake is to determine when it is done.

Edit: also do you keep an oven thermometer in your oven? I actually keep two in my oven, one hanging in the center and one at the front. Since the oven has hot spots, especially a gas oven, I wait until both register the baking temperature I want before I begin to bake.
[/QUOTE

Yes I bake based on what I see not what the recipe says. I also bake at 160.

No oven thermometer, any suggestions on a reliable brand?

 

[Norcalbaker59]

In the UK look the for CDN DOT2C oven thermometer, it shouldn‘t be very expensive. The sell for about $5 in the US.

Other oven thermometers would be the ETI

stainless steel 50mm dial oven thermometer

Stainless steel oven thermometer featuring a 45mm dial with colour-coded zones. Hang or stand in oven.

thermometer.co.uk

oven thermometer - stainless steel

Oven thermometer featuring colour-coded zones, ideal for any oven and simple to use

thermometer.co.uk

Taylor also makes a good oven thermometer. I always keep a spare in the drawer.

I preheat my oven very well, at least 25 - 30 minutes. It takes time for the entire oven chamber to fully AND evenly heat. I always, always check the temperature of the oven before I begin to bake.


EDIT: I was just looking again at your cupcakes. You use good liners. There are no grease spots or warping, so they are a good quality. The cracking with a dome is a sign of excessive heat. And it’s both trays, two different types of cupcakes. I think it is a oven temperature problem and baking a tab it too long. Try a slightly lower baking temperature, and pull them a bit sooner.

 

[LamsMekk]

In the UK look the for CDN DOT2C oven thermometer, it shouldn‘t be very expensive. The sell for about $5 in the US.

Other oven thermometers would be the ETI

stainless steel 50mm dial oven thermometer

Stainless steel oven thermometer featuring a 45mm dial with colour-coded zones. Hang or stand in oven.

thermometer.co.uk

oven thermometer - stainless steel

Oven thermometer featuring colour-coded zones, ideal for any oven and simple to use

thermometer.co.uk

Taylor also makes a good oven thermometer. I always keep a spare in the drawer.

I preheat my oven very well, at least 25 - 30 minutes. It takes time for the entire oven chamber to fully AND evenly heat. I always, always check the temperature of the oven before I begin to bake.


EDIT: I was just looking again at your cupcakes. You use good liners. There are no grease spots or warping, so they are a good quality. The cracking with a dome is a sign of excessive heat. And it’s both trays, two different types of cupcakes. I think it is a oven temperature problem and baking a tab it too long. Try a slightly lower baking temperature, and pull them a bit sooner.

I t

Thanks! I will order an oven thermometer and see If my oven is functioning properly