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Finally got to bake a cake...

#1
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8/27/09 at 12:42am
  • Joined: December 2008
  • Location: UK
  • Post Count: 216
Finally got to bake a cake :)

I was a little heavy handed and had some dodgy sized tins with funny sloping sides that didn't like lining - got some ragged edges, but I was lucky and hit the oven temp & timing just about right first time I think.

Not spectacular - but an encouraging start. :bounce:

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#2
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8/27/09 at 3:05am
  • Joined: May 2009
  • Location: Syracuse, NY
  • Post Count: 79
It looks tasty! For years, I didn't think you could make a good cake from scratch, (at least I couldn't) but it was simply that I wasn't creaming the butter and sugar long enough. I recently did a review of "Rustic Fruit Desserts", and all of Chef Richardson's cakes call for creaming the butter and sugar for 4 - 5 minutes. What a difference! I'll never buy a cake mix again.
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#3
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8/27/09 at 8:16am
  • Joined: August 2006
  • Location: Rome, Italy
  • Post Count: 1,367
pretty good for a first cake and with less than ideal cake pans!
Congratulations and welcome to the world of bakers.
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#4
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8/27/09 at 8:35am
  • Joined: December 2008
  • Location: UK
  • Post Count: 216
Thanks singer, yes - it's not too punishing to have to test it. :lips:

I'm clearly not experienced, but I believe you're correct and much of the key to success is in spending time on that initial creaming of the butter and sugar.


Hi siduri & thanks :)

It's true I don't have the best of cake tins, but thanks to encouragement from 'bughut' from behind the scenes I decided to get over that and go with what I had.
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#5
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8/27/09 at 10:50am
  • Joined: January 2007
  • Location: UK
  • Post Count: 1,729
Is it a Victoria sponge?

If so, then creaming is the most important part of the process.

Well DONE!
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#6
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8/27/09 at 12:43pm
  • Joined: August 2007
  • Location: Scotland
  • Post Count: 1,319
Hey Andy, on the subject of tins. Did you ever try doing your bread in terracotta plant pots. Seems they give a great crust...And they look bonny.

"If we're not supposed to eat animals, why are they made of meat?" Jo Brand

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#7
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8/27/09 at 1:20pm
  • Joined: April 2009
  • Location: New York
  • Post Count: 123
mmm mmm yummy! Is it a vanilla cake with raspberry filling? Looks delicious:p
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#8
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8/27/09 at 1:57pm
  • Joined: August 2000
  • Location: Wisconsin USA
  • Post Count: 9,535
Good for you! I'm kind of new to baking, and I was greatly encouraged when I got comments here from people who knew (better than I did) what they were doing.

What's your next project? :bounce:

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#9
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8/28/09 at 2:22am
  • Joined: December 2008
  • Location: UK
  • Post Count: 216
Hi Ishbel, thanks and yes, Victoria sponge or pound cake, I understand they both use the same basic ingredients and ratios.

Hi bughut, that's a fun idea. :bounce:

I've not baked flower pot bread myself yet, but I have come across it . For anyone else that's interested, here's a link here that further down the page describes seasoning the plant pots before using to bake bread for the first time.

down---to---earth: Flower pot bread - UPDATED answers in comments

Hi Epi, it's not vanilla flavour with raspberry filling on this occasion, I only had strawberry jam and wasn't so confident about the outcome this time round to think to flavour the sponge. Still - now you've suggested it I'll be sure to get around to that combination fairly soon. :lips:

Hi Mezzaluna and thanks - Ooh don't know for sure about my next project. Cake wise, I need to do this again a couple of times. I'm also aiming at having a go at that great looking yellow cake that BettyR posted:-

http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/pastr...llow-cake.html

Finally to ring the changes a little, I also plan to have a go at the foaming sponge method and try a Genoise.
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