The Essential Guide To Baking

BAKING POWDER: Make sure that your baking powder is fresh. Baking powder loses strength with

age and will ruin your cake. When in doubt −− buy fresh.

COCOA: Cocoa will absorb odors. Make sure that the cocoa you use is fresh. Push through a

sifter if lumpy.

BUTTER: Butter goes rancid quickly and will also pick up odors. Make sure that you only use

fresh, tightly wrapped butter in your cake mix. Let the butter get a little soft before using,

but do not let separate. Butter should be cool, but not cold when you blend with the other

ingredients.

WATER: Use ice cold water in all your cake mixing, whether from scratch or from a boxed premix.

Ice cold water will keep the baking powder strong until the cake goes into the oven. Ice cold

water will chill the shortening and keep the shortening from breaking down in the creaming

process.

MILK: Milk and milk products give the cake flavor, cause your cake to brown and helps hold

moisture. Use fresh milk, buttermilk and milk powder in your cake mixing.

OIL: Some recipes call for salad oil. You should always make sure the oil is fresh. All oil

goes slightly rancid in time and will pick up odors.

VANILLA EXTRACT: Vanilla is the primary flavoring for cakes, use plenty.

ALMOND EXTRACT: Almond extract gives the taste of cherries. Use a LITTLE Almond extract along

with Vanilla to perk up white cake and white icing.

ORANGE EXTRACT: The taste of Orange extract compliments chocolate perfectly. Add a LITTLE

Orange extract along with Vanilla to perk up chocolate cake and chocolate icing.

NUT−MEATS: Nut−meats enhance all kinds of cakes, but always make sure they are fresh.

CORN OIL, MARGARINE, WHIPPED BUTTER, WHIPPED MARGARINE OR ANY

LOW CALORIE MARGARINE: Never substitute these in your recipe. They require special recipe

changes that takes a lot of experimenting.

COCONUT: Use fresh, moist coconut in your cake and icing. Freshen up a package of dry coconut

by putting with a couple of tablespoons of water in a quart jar and shaking.

Helpful Tips With Cakes