Maiden cake voyage — Geezer needs input

[BrooksNYC]

Hiya, folks.

 

Ere I shuffle off this mortal coil (not too soon, I hope), I'd like to try my hand at a couple of cake recipes that have languished in my recipe box for decades.

 

FULL DISCLOSURE: I have never baked a cake in my life.

Both recipes take for granted that the baker knows his or her way around a baking pan, which, as stated above, I do not. So I wonder if you whiz kids could help an old man fill in some missing details? I'd be most grateful for your help.

Recipe #1 is a mammoth recipe for carrot cake, scribbled down on notebook paper by a couple of restaurant chefs. The layers bake in 3 (three!) 12-inch cake pans in a 350-degree oven, but the recipe doesn't say for how long. When would you begin testing a 12-inch cake layer for doneness? Should a cake tester inserted in a carrot cake come out clean? Or should it emerge with a "few moist crumbs attached"?

Recipe #2 comes from Great Aunt Fanny's, a long-defunct restaurant in NYC's Theater District. Their recipe for "Jane Powell's Apple Nut Cake" was donated by Ms. Powell herself, and handed out to customers on printed cards.

The cake, which bakes for one hour at 350, calls for a tube pan, although the size of the pan is not specified. Amazon sells 9 and 10-inch tube pans. Since I will buy only one tube pan in my life, would a 10-inch be the safest bet?

I realize you can only "guesstimate" these things, but your guesstimates are guaranteed to be 99.9% better than mine.

Kind thanks for your help!

 

Brooks

[JeanneCake]

Are you willing to post the recipes?  I think you can get away with cutting the carrot cake recipe in half; the recipe I use, in its original form, called for 2 9" rounds.  This original amount will fill one 12" round pan.  So, you could extrapolate that and divide your original recipe into thirds and go for 2 9" rounds, but I'd rather see the quantities your recipe calls for in order to give you a little more guidance.  It could also be that those chefs baked in cake rings and those cake rings might not have been very high.

 

As for the Apple Nut Cake, go for the 10" round tube pan. 

 

Good luck! 

[pastrygirl]

Hi Brooks. 

 

Do you intend to bake the full mammoth 12" carrot cake, or scale it down?  Carrot cake should be very moist, and your suspicion is correct, the tooth pick may not come out pristinely clean.  I also touch the top of the cake with my finger tips, if it springs back and doesn't sound wet  - should not make a sound, that is, underbaked cakes have a squishy, wringing out a wet sponge sound - it's probably ready.  Cakes will also begin to pull away from the sides of the pans when they are done.  I think batter depth has a more significant effect on baking time than pan diameter.  A carrot cake layer 2" deep in a 9" pan is usually going to take at least 30 minutes.  Also depends on your oven, if you have convection...  but start checking around 25 minutes.

Edited September 28, 2014 by pastrygirl (log)

[Tri2Cook]

I'd probably start checking a 12" round somewhere around the 45 min. area and I'd probably go with the 10" tube pan... but those are just an estimate based on experience and my preference re: tube pans. And this post would have made my day if, instead of that Crystal hot sauce label, your profile picture was a ceiling beam with "Brooks was here" carved in it.

[cakewalk]

If you've never baked a cake before, I suggest you first find a basic cake recipe and bake that. See what happens when you cream butter and sugar together. Then add the eggs, and note what it means to fully incorporate. Whisk your dries together and then slowly add it to the butter/sugar/egg mixture. Add milk or buttermilk or whatever alternately with the flour. Pour it into a pan and bake it. Watch what happens, and tell us. Then come back for lesson #2.

[BrooksNYC]

Thank you all for your helpful suggestions. Greatly, greatly appreciated.

JeanneCake, as requested, I've posted the recipes here and here. I've copied the recipes verbatim, and am sorry that neither recipe is as detailed as one would hope. Although, lack of detail is what brings me here today.

Halving the carrot cake recipe sounds like the way to go. Years ago, I considered that option myself, but chickened out when I came across a recipe for commercial macaroons that had been scaled down for the home baker. The cookbook authors mentioned having to tweak, re-tweak, and triple-tweak the commercial recipe so that the home macaroons resembled the bakery macaroons. It wasn't as simple, in other words, as dividing the commercial recipe by 36. (Cutting my carrot cake recipe in half would probably be simpler.)

Appreciate the 10-inch tube-pan recommendation!

Pastrygirl, thanks for the excellent "doneness" tips.  I don't have a convection oven. What I have — which doesn't bode well, but let's not wallow in defeat just yet — is a lilliputian 1944 New York City apartment stove. If it were two inches smaller on any side, you could fit it into Barbie's Dream House™. (Is there a Rosie the Riveter Barbie?) Also, the calibration is WAY off, so I'm at the mercy of oven thermometers. Wish me luck!

Tri2cook: "HA!" to "Brooks was here." I may have to change my avatar!

Cakewalk, making a basic cake is exactly what I should do. Not only that, but I should buy myself a good cake cookbook, with the hows and whys clearly and thoroughly spelled out.

Again, thank you all for taking the time to help me.

B.

Edited September 29, 2014 by BrooksNYC (log)

[pastrygirl]

The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum is an excellent reference on how and why cakes work, I'm sure most bakers here would recommend it.

[Maedl]

I agree that you should try making a straight-forward recipe for a cake before you try the  ones you have. If the carrot cake recipe was “scribbled down” by a couple of chefs, it might not contain good instructions that you would need. I would definitely not make a huge cake as your first attempt--it would be a shame to have to toss out a big cake if it doesn’t turn out. 

 

Maybe you should start out with some muffins--they are not exactly cakes, but you’d get some experience baking before you try a cake. And whatever you do, follow the ingredient list and instructions meticulously. Don’t try substitutions or playing around with proportions until you have some experience! And if you don’t understand the instructions, ask someone for clarification. If you do this, you should be successful. Good luck!

[SylviaLovegren]

Looking at the chef's carrot cake recipe, it sounds pretty much like any standard carrot cake.  I'd head over and get the Rose Levy Cake Bible and use her recipe.  Carrot cake is much more forgiving than other more traditional cake recipes and is a good starter project.

 

ETA:  after you've mastered a smaller carrot cake recipe, you can compare it to the humongous cake recipe and see if there are any flavor tweaks or proportions to adjust to get a replica of the chef's recipe.

Edited September 29, 2014 by SylviaLovegren (log)

[BrooksNYC]

To all who offered gentle counsel here, thanks for saving me from myself.

Enthusiasm, in my case, often trumps common sense. Launching the cake project with a carrot cake the size of a manhole cover was a dumb idea.  When the cake failed (as it surely would have), I'd have said: "If at first you don't succeed, to hell with it," and donated the cake pans to Goodwill.

I've added The Cake Bible to my Amazon Wish List. Thanks for the recommendation. (In lieu of my giant carrot cake, I'll try Ms. Beranbaum's version instead. Thanks Sylvia.)

Having come to my senses, Maedl, I agree with you that the carrot cake recipe isn't detailed enough for a beginner. I like your muffin idea, and thanks.

If you try those recipes, manjudhanda, good luck!

[CatPoet]

Brooks: if  you get a  crumbly cake that taste  good but just falls apart, well dont go to hell with it, make  rumballs or cake pops or   whisky balls with it instead.

[BrooksNYC]

Whiskey balls! Haven't thought about 'em in years. My grandmother made them every Christmas, and half a century ago(!) I made a batch to send to the troops in Vietnam -- my boozy contribution to the eighth grade Christmas project.

Great idea, CatPoet.

The standard recipe calls for cookie crumbs. If substituting cake crumbs, would I want to dry them in a slow oven?

[CatPoet]

BrooksNYc   Cakepops use  cake crumbs and  when I can sneak into the kitchen again , I get you the recipe for rum/ whisky balls, the Swedish ones are different from the American ones.

Edited September 29, 2014 by CatPoet (log)

[BrooksNYC]

Thanks, CatPoet. No rush, but I would be interested in your Swedish recipes.

[Tri2Cook]

To all who offered gentle counsel here, thanks for saving me from myself.

Enthusiasm, in my case, often trumps common sense. Launching the cake project with a carrot cake the size of a manhole cover was a dumb idea.  When the cake failed (as it surely would have), I'd have said: "If at first you don't succeed, to hell with it," and donated the cake pans to Goodwill.

I'm going to be the antagonist here and suggest that a cake is a cake is a cake. If you have a recipe that works and follow that recipe, you're very unlikely to have any problems because of the size of the pan (within reason, of course). If you want to start with a smaller cake for your own comfort, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. But the only real difference between baking it in a smaller or larger pan will be the amount of time it takes to bake. There is a point where cake size starts bringing potential difficulties to the party but they don't really show up for the 12" and under pans. That said, I wouldn't buy 12" pans just to do that recipe if you don't already have them. Scaling a recipe down isn't difficult. And your enthusiasm isn't causing you any problems, that and confidence are your best friends when cooking.

 

[Maedl]

Whoa, I just saw the recipe you posted, and it is huge--could you even get three 12 inch cake pans in your oven? I had two ideas after reading your recipe. First, the addition of crushed pineapple reminded me of the hummingbird cake. I think it is considered Southern and was popular in the 1970s. You can find a normal-sized recipe easily on the web. The second thought is that Food52 is doing a weekly post on baking cakes. The recipe for this week is a pumpkin cake--one layer. That would be a good starter cake, plus pumpkin cakes are really, really good. You can see it at https://food52.com/blog/11384-pumpkin-cake-and-proud-of-it

As for buying cake pans, go to TJ Maxx or the like. They almost always have brand-name pans quite a bit cheaper than the good kitchen stores.

[CatPoet]

Rumballs

100 grams of butter  (soften)

½ cup  icing sugar / powdered sugar

1 tablespoon apple sauce

2 tablespoon of  unsweetened coca

1½ - 2½ cups   cake crumbs 

1-3 tablespoon of good rum.

 

Dipping:

Chocolate sprinkles or nuts.

You can also dip the melted chocolate and then roll into sprinkles.

 

Stir the butter and sugar until soft, sift in the cocoa, stir until mixed.  Add apple sauce and now star adding the crumbs and a  the rum,  just add until you can roll a ball with no problem that is still slightly sticky,  Roll the ball in sprinkles   and leave in the fridge to set.   This makes 30 tiny balls  or  15 large..  If you want to dip them in chocolate  , freeze them for  5 minutes before dipping.  

YUM

 

 

Whisky balls

 

 

100 grams of butter  (soften)

½ cup  icing sugar / powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla.

(2 tablespoon of  unsweetened cocoa)

1½ - 2½ cups   cake crumbs 

1-3 tablespoon of good Whisky  ( smoky works wonder with cocoa)

 

Dipping:

Chocolate sprinkles or nuts.

You can also dip the melted chocolate and then roll into sprinkles.

 

Stir the butter, vanilla and sugar until soft, sift in the cocoa if you use it, stir until mixed.  Start adding the crumbs and a  the Whisky,  just add until you can roll a ball with no problem that is still slightly sticky and it taste good,  Roll the ball in sprinkles   and leave in the fridge to set.   This makes 30 tiny balls  or  15 large..  If you want to dip them in chocolate  , freeze them for  5 minutes before dipping.  

 

 

You can use any kind of cake for it,  it just add flavour. One Christmas I used a soft  gingerbread cake in the whisky balls and I added dried fruit to the mix, it became Christmas pudding whisky balls.

[BrooksNYC]

CatPoet, thanks so much for the fantastic-looking Rum and whisky Ball recipes! Am guessing that "whisky," in Sweden, refers to Scotch whisky, not bourbon whisky. Correct? Can't wait to give these a shot!

Appreciate the moral support, Tri2Cook.  The fact that I'm NOT a confident cook may be the best argument for doing a little reading before tackling a three-layer cake the size of a child's swimming pool. (Actually, I've decided to nix the swimming pool favor of something smaller. It'll be easier to manage in every way.)

In response to Maedl's question, I could NOT fit three 12" layers in my Easy-Bake Oven. I'd have to bake 'em in three shifts, which sounds kinda crazy, right? Also, since the majority of recipes are for smaller cakes, it makes no sense to buy 12" cake pans.

Thanks for the link to the pumpkin cake, Maedl. Looks excellent. I'll check out hummingbird cake, too, since I'm a pineapple fan. (In fact, it was the pineapple in that big carrot cake that really sold me on it.)

Again, great thanks again to all of you for your help and patience.

B.

[Maedl]

I have a small oven, too, and that is why I asked about fitting all the tins in. I have not had luck with baking the layers one at a time. the subsequent layers didn't rise as well.

Be sure to report on your efforts!

[CatPoet]

Brooks It all up to what you can afford and like,  some uses bourbon whisky since it is cheaper then a  single malt.  We how ever only uses single malts since my husband is Scottish.

[CatPoet]

You can add any type of  booze so long as it taste good.

[Lindacakes]

I'm curious as to why you are choosing to make your first cake using these two particular recipes . . . Are you interested in just learning how to make a cake so that you can have some fresh homemade cake or are you looking to challenge yourself?

 

If you are just interested in learning and having cake, I would recommend making a simple cake in a small pan, like an 8 x 8, at least until you feel confident.  You don't even have to work with icing at first.  This gives you an opportunity to learn how to measure, how to mix, how to judge doneness.  You can dress a cake with a simple glaze or powdered sugar.

 

I wouldn't start with Rose Levy Berenbaum.  I would recommend Maida Heatter.  She has a cake book that is actually a compilation of cakes from her other books.  Maida's tastes are more straightforward and her instructions are basic.  You can't go wrong with a Maida Heatter recipe.  

[BrooksNYC]

I have not had luck with baking the layers one at a time. the subsequent layers didn't rise as well.

 

There, now. That's just the sort the thing I need to be aware of! Thanks, Maedl.

 

You can add any type of  booze so long as it taste good.

 

Now we're talkin'. As a son of the South, I'll probably go with bourbon. (Although a single malt Scotch sounds awfully good!)

 

I'm curious as to why you are choosing to make your first cake using these two particular recipes. . . . . . . . . . .are you looking to challenge yourself?

 

Nothing so noble, Linda.

 

With the brevity of life hitting home, I'm taking stock of projects I swore I'd get around to "one day" (which — as we know — never comes to chronic lollygaggers). Among those projects is baking a cake. Digging through decades of recipes saved but never made, I unearthed recipes for two cakes I enjoyed once upon a time. With no ambition other than to revisit old pleasures, I thought, if not now, when?

 

Have added Maida Heatter to my Amazon Wish List, Linda, and thanks. And I've definitely decided not to make a cake the size of Stonehenge. (If I had a lick of sense, I'd tackle trifle instead of cake, since the only way to screw up trifle is to drop it on the floor.)

Edited October 1, 2014 by BrooksNYC (log)

[cakewalk]

If I had a lick of sense, I'd tackle trifle instead of cake, since the only way to screw up trifle is to drop it on the floor.

Tackle a cake. If it doesn't turn out so hot, use it in a trifle. (Then tackle another cake.)

[Tri2Cook]

Tackle a cake. If it doesn't turn out so hot, use it in a trifle. (Then tackle another cake.)

Exactly. And never mind the tiptoe through the tulips... damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead! When it comes to your basic "mix up the batter, dump it in the pan and bake it" cake, there's no practical reason why it matters if it's a plain yellow cake, a chocolate cake, a carrot cake, etc. Making a 12" carrot cake won't involve any special secret skills above and beyond making a 9" yellow cake. The only reason I'd suggest going with a smaller cake is because that's just a lot of cake to be faced with eating, no matter how good it is. The thing people selling books or classes probably wouldn't want widely accepted is that, short of over or under cooking, it really isn't all that easy to mess a cake up if you use a proven recipe and actually follow it. There are tricks to making cakes better and they're good to know but, even without them, you'll still get a pretty damn good result. So my advice is: pick a cake, any cake, and make it without hesitation or fear. As for how long to bake a cake, regardless of size, there's only one real answer... 'til it's done. Follow the time guidelines your recipes give you initially, learn the difference between a moist crumb and raw batter and if you over-bake it and it's dry, make your trifle or soak it down with a syrup and bury it in buttercream.