While most of us are familiar with the classics like yellow, white, and chocolate cakes, there are many different types of cake.
Most of them begin with creaming butter and sugar, which is then mixed in with eggs, flour and leaveners like baking powder or soda. These cakes are dense and sturdy enough to hold thick icings and frostings.
Butter Cake
Butter Cake is a popular American cake that’s often served at parties. It’s a traditional cake that doesn’t take a lot of time or ingredients to make and is a delicious dessert.
It can be made in different shapes and flavors, but a classic butter cake is made with flour, sugar, eggs, butter, and some kind of leavening agent like baking powder or soda. It is a popular choice for wedding receptions and other celebrations because it’s usually light and fluffy and can be decorated as desired.
The most important thing to remember when making a butter cake is to cream the butter and sugar together before adding the eggs. This helps to keep the emulsion in the batter and prevents it from curdling. If the emulsion is disrupted, the eggs will break down and cause the cake to collapse and become denser.
After creaming the butter and sugar, add the eggs one at a time. This allows the eggs to aerate the cake and help it rise.
As you continue to add the eggs, alternately add the flour and milk. This helps to keep the emulsion intact and reduces gluten formation so that the cake is tender.
Another important thing to remember when making a buttercake is to grease and flour the pan properly. This will ensure that the cake doesn’t stick and can easily be lifted out when it’s done baking.
You can store this cake at room temperature for a few days or put it in the refrigerator for longer storage. However, you’ll want to let it cool completely before cutting into slices.
Foam Cake
There are a lot of different types of cakes. They differ based on taste preferences, occasion, and ingredients used. However, most people are familiar with the classics like yellow cake, white cake, and chocolate cake.
The most common difference is the type of fat that is used. Butter cakes are made with butter or oil and may contain a leavening agent like baking powder or baking soda. These extra ingredients help contribute to the dense and moist texture of the cake.
Alternatively, foam cakes are made without any butter or oil and usually involve egg whites in the batter. Foam cakes also don’t use a leavening agent to help them rise.
Foam cakes, like angel food cake and sponge cake, have a lighter, airier texture than butter or shortening cakes. A light meringue frosting or buttercream is perfect for them.
When making a meringue, there are several factors that affect it, including sugar, temperature, acid, and whipping time. When whipping, make sure to separate the eggs before combining them with the mixer. If you don’t, you could end up with a lumpy meringue.
Another factor that affects a meringue is the amount of fat. A small amount of fat can prevent the meringue from becoming stiff and firm enough to hold its shape.
A few ounces of butter or shortening is usually enough to keep the cake from deflating, but adding too much can cause it to become dry and crumbly. To prevent the cake from drying out, place it in the oven as soon as it’s ready to bake. Poke a toothpick in the center of the cake to test whether it’s cooked all the way through.
Chocolate Cake
Chocolate cake is a popular dessert that uses cocoa powder to flavor the batter. The batter is then mixed and baked until it turns out as a dense, crumbly, moist cake. This type of cake is usually topped with a frosting or icing.
A great way to make this cake extra delicious is to add cream cheese icing. This tangy icing is thick and velvety and compliments the chocolate cake.
Another way to make your cake extra tasty is to use a rich chocolate ganache on top of it. This ganache will harden and create a solid layer on the cake, making it look more beautiful and taste richer than just a plain frosting.
For the best results, use a natural unsweetened cocoa powder for your recipe. Dutch processed cocoa powder has higher levels of acidity, so it will affect the overall taste and texture of your cake.
Most chocolate cake recipes call for milk to help create a creamy texture in the cake. However, you can substitute sour cream, buttermilk, or yogurt for the milk. This will create a different taste and flavor in the cake, but it also makes it much easier to bake with!
If you want to make a chocolate frosting to top your cake with, there are several recipes that you can try. These are all easy to make and they’ll turn out beautifully!
You can make the frosting up to 3 days in advance and store it at room temperature until you’re ready to use it. You can also freeze it up to 2 months. You can thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and rewhip it until it’s light and fluffy again before frosting your cake.
Yellow Cake
If you’re looking for an old-fashioned vanilla cake with a soft crumb and just the right amount of sweetness, this yellow cake recipe is for you! It’s easy to make and is the perfect cake to use as a base for your favorite buttercream frosting. You can even add berries, nuts, or shaved chocolate to this delicious cake!
The most important part of making a good yellow cake is beating the butter and sugar until it’s light and fluffy. This helps aerate the cake and makes it more tender.
When the batter is combined, you can then add the eggs one at a time. It is important to beat the eggs well in order for them to be incorporated into the cake batter without becoming lumps or streaks.
While many cake recipes don’t call for additional egg yolks, the extra fat from the yolks adds moisture, tenderness and a beautiful yellow color to the cake. You can also fold whipped egg whites into the batter to lighten it up.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the egg whites need to be at room temperature when you add them to the batter. Otherwise, the cake will be tough and dry.
The recipe calls for 3 cups of cake flour, but you can easily substitute all-purpose flour if you like. You can also use sour cream in place of some or all of the buttermilk to lighten up the cake even more.
This simple and delicious cake is sure to become a family favorite! It’s made with a few basic ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry, and is the perfect dessert to enjoy during special occasions!
White Cake
If you’re looking for a cake that’s perfectly white in color and has a soft, moist texture, then look no further than this classic white layer cake. It’s delicate, elegant, and perfect for so many occasions! Pair it with a velvety whipped buttercream frosting and you’ll have yourself a delicious treat.
Unlike yellow cake, which usually uses whole eggs, white cake recipes use only egg whites, making the cake a lighter and less dense. This type of cake also tends to be more spongy, according to Susan Reid, food editor at King Arthur Flour’s Sift Magazine.
You can achieve a light, fluffy white cake by using cake flour rather than all-purpose flour in your recipe. The bleached flour will give your cake a pure white color and create a thin, fine crumb inside.
In addition, Reid advises bringing all your ingredients to room temperature before you begin mixing. This will help prevent lumps from forming and make your baking process go smoother!
It’s also important to not overbake this type of cake. You want to bake it until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean and with few crumbs.
For this recipe, you’ll need all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, vanilla extract, milk, and butter. Once you have the ingredients, combine them in a large bowl.
Then, fold the egg whites into the rest of the batter. This step is crucial; it helps to keep the cake light and spongy while ensuring it’s white in color. It’s best to do this by hand, so you don’t deflate your egg whites. When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack.