Rose's Heavenly Cakes (87 page)

Scales that have the ability to eliminate (tare) the weight of the bowl also make it possible to add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl, one after the other, rather than having to use separate bowls for each. Dry ingredients can then be mixed together, eliminating the need either to sift the flour or to sift the dry ingredients together.

Another benefit of weighing is the ease of decreasing or increasing recipe yields. And once in a great while, I have completed a batter or dough and suddenly wondered if I remembered to add an ingredient. When there is the slightest doubt, all I need to do is weigh the final unbaked product. If it is less than what I know is the total weight of the recipe, my suspicions are confirmed and I can add the missing ingredient.

If you have never baked by weight, borrow a scale and try it just once. I guarantee you will be an instant believer. Most bakers, including myself, prefer the metric system for its precision in weighing small quantities. There isn't any adjustment necessary if you have a metric scale and the recipes give metric amounts. If you do not have a scale with a digital readout, round off the grams to the nearest convenient number. The amount will still be quite accurate as, after all, 1 gram is only about 1/28 of an ounce.

Despite having made my case for why weighing rather than measuring is so much more desirable and enjoyable, I know some people resist partly because they don't know which scale to choose.

The three electronic scales that I have worked with for several years and that I can swear by are the Mettler laboratory scale (model number SB16001), retailing for more than $2,000; the My Weigh (model number KD-7000); and their stunningly designed Über—retailing respectively at $35 and $95 (see
Equipment Sources
). All three scales can be used to weigh in the avoirdupois (ounces/pounds) or metric systems (grams/kilograms). When I asked the owner of My Weigh how the company could keep the scales at so affordable a price and yet maintain such high standards of quality and exacting accuracy, he said, "The prices are low because we believe in lower-margin, higher-volume sales. We also keep our costs extremely low by producing and distributing the scales ourselves." If everything in life were designed with such thoughtful integrity, it would indeed be a better world.

Scale Specifications

The Mettler's accuracy to within 0.1 gram is sufficient to weigh something as small as a teaspoon of baking powder and its range of up to 35 pounds/16,000 grams makes it possible to weigh ingredients for a large wedding cake in one huge bowl.

The accuracy of the My Weigh KD-7000 and the Über is to within 1 gram, making it suitable for quantities larger than small amounts of baking powder. My Weigh does produce a scale accurate to 0.1 gram up to 300 grams, the MX300 (around $30), and one accurate to 0.01 gram up to 200 grams, the i201 (around $100). The KD-7000 weighs from 1 gram/0.1 ounce to 7,000 grams/15 pounds 7 ounces. The Über weighs from 1 gram up to 6,000 grams/13 pounds 3.5 ounces.

Special Features on My Weigh Family of Scales

My Weigh is a company that invites consumer response and suggestions. As a result of consumer feedback, there is finally an electronic scale in a price range affordable for the home baker that can be operated by adaptor as well as battery. What is most important about it, however, is that its automatic power-off can be disabled so that it doesn't inconveniently time out when you are in the middle of weighing and get distracted for a few minutes. (Don't you just
hate
when that happens?)

The scales have other features: They are small and compact, not taking up much counter space. They have an adjustable-angle backlight timer with an option for how long to stay lit, a hold option for large pans that hide the display, and, of course, a tare option (which removes the weight of the bowl and the last ingredients added).

The Über's keypad is an electrostatic touch pad—the buttons register your touch without your fingers actually touching the keys. The sleek one-piece stainless steel design allows for easy cleaning. The display is a high contrast Superlight red LCD.

Special Care for All Scales

Follow the manufacturer's directions for care, such as to avoid water and direct sunlight.

If using batteries, change them often, as accuracy decreases as the battery ages. I prefer using the A/C adaptor.

Altitude, temperature, and seasonal changes affect weight with about a 2 percent deviation; that is, the weight will be off 2 grams for every 100 grams. Every time the earth changes its rotational path (as it does each season), gravity at a specific location can change just slightly. The only way to keep scales absolutely accurate is to recalibrate often. But it is still a far more accurate and reliable system than volume measure.

Solid Measuring Cups

Solid measures must have unbroken smooth rims in order to make it possible to level off excess ingredients. POURfect makes beautifully accurate cups in a set of nine useful sizes: 1/8, ¼, 1/3, ½, 2/3, ¾, 1, 1½, 2 cup.

If not weighing flour, the most accurate way to measure it is to set the cup on a counter and to sift the flour into the cup, allowing it to mound above the rim. Then take a metal spatula or straightedge and sweep it across the rim, removing the excess flour. Never tap or shake the cup as that packs more flour into it, and the cake will be dry and heavy.

Sugar is measured by the dip and sweep method. This means that you dip the cup into the sugar bin and, without shaking or tapping it, sweep off the excess on top.

Measuring Spoons

POURfect measuring spoons are my favorites because each one is perfectly accurate. They come in some unusual and practical sizes, starting with teaspoons— 1/64, 1/32, 1/16, 1/8, ¼, 1/3, ½, ¾, 1, and 1½ (½ tablespoon)—and both 1 and 2 tablespoons.

Cake Pans

The cake pans I recommend are true to size, measured from the inside, both top and bottom, so if you buy or order them by mail, you know what you're getting. If, however, you go to a store and purchase brands other than those recommended, bring along a tape measure. Pans may be marked 9 inches and actually be larger or smaller at either the bottom or the top, or both, which will affect the volume and the way the cake bakes. Many 9-inch pans are actually only 8 7/8 inches at the bottom, which results in a reduced capacity of about 1/3 cup. (This will still work for the recipes in this book.)

If you already have pans that are slightly too small, you can extend their capacity by coating the sides of the pan with shortening and lining the pan with a band of parchment that extends above the sides of the pan. Alternatively, you can fill the pans no higher than two-thirds full and bake the remainder as cupcakes.

If a pan is too small, the batter will rise above the sides, causing it to overflow and fall in the center. If the pan is too large, the sides of the pan will reflect the heat down into the cake batter, causing it to be pale, dry, and low in height.

Choose pans that are sturdy and light colored. Dark pans will result in very dark or burnt crust. If you already have dark pans, reduce the oven temperature by 25°F/15°C.

There are only a few basic pans you will need to make most of the cakes in this book. Specialty pans are fun and, where they are used in a recipe, wherever possible, I list a more commonly available alternative. The basic pans include:

Two 9 by 2-inch round cake pans

One 9 by 2½- to 3-inch loose-bottom or springform pan

One 10-cup fluted tube pan

One 10 by 4-inch (16 cups) angel food pan

One 8½ by 4½-inch (6 cups) loaf pan

One 9 by 5-inch (7 cups) loaf pan

One 13 by 9-inch (about 16 cups) baking pan (preferably straight sided)

One 17¼ by 12¼ by 1-inch half-sheet pan (measured from the top), 16 5/8 by 11 5/8 (measured from the bottom)

One or two 15 by 12-inch cookie sheets, aka baking sheets (measured from the bottom)

Two 6-cup or one 12-cup silicone or aluminum muffin pans

For the wedding cakes, two each: 6-inch, 8-inch, 9-inch, and 12-inch round baking pans

In this book, the cake pans used most for layer cakes are 9 by 2 inches because they are the most readily available, and because one pan makes a nice height for a single layer with enough height to allow it to be cut in half. For single layers, I created the recipe to mound slightly, as opposed to two layers, which need to be level in order to stack easily. (This is a function of the amount of leavening: More leavening weakens the structure and produces flatter, less domed layers.)

I find that layer cakes baked in pans that are higher than 2 inches have a coarse texture. The only exceptions in this book are
Miette's Tomboy
, which bakes in a 6 by 3-inch pan, and the
Torta de las Tres Leches
, which bakes in a 9 by 3-inch pan. These cakes were created by the bakers who contributed the recipes and are best baked in the recommended pans, which are commonly available. (If you purchase the loose-bottom or springform version, you can also use it for cheesecake.)

Heavy-gauge aluminum pans with a dull finish are ideal. Avoid black or glass pans, but if you already have them, bake at 25°F/15°C lower than the suggested temperature.

I prefer a nonstick surface on the inside of fluted tube pans because the cakes unmold best, allowing the designs to make perfect impressions on the cake's surface. For layer cakes, a nonstick finish is also ideal because it makes it possible to omit the parchment round, unless you are baking chocolate cakes, which have a tendency to stick more.

Silicone Pans

For several years, as spokesperson for Lékué of Barcelona (see
Equipment Sources
), I have had the pleasure of working with silicone, the fascinating new technology in cake pans and kitchen equipment. I have learned where silicone excels and about its significant advantages, and I have also learned about those instances where metal is the better choice. One of the problems about recommending silicone pans across the board for most pans is that not all silicone is created equal, and there is quite a variance in quality among products. Also, although layer cakes baked in silicone have a lighter, more even texture and shape (although, paradoxically, a little less high layer), and have a more moist, more delicious flavor, very few manufacturers produce a true-to-size 9 by 2-inch cake pan. Most are slightly larger. This makes them ideal to use together with a loose-bottom or springform pan baked in a water bath (see
Water Baths
) as it keeps the water from seeping in. But the slightly larger size results in very low layers if used for a batter designed for a standard 9 by 2-inch round cake pan.

Unlike aluminum, deep fluted silicone tube pans do not conduct the heat well to the center of the cake and may require as long as 20 minutes extra baking. Ideal for producing the most velvety and moist chocolate butter cakes, they do not bake yellow cakes evenly either in color or texture.

I find that silicone pans bake most evenly when set on a wire rack to allow for air circulation with the rack set on sheet pans for ease in transferring them in and out of the oven. Once baked, the cakes need to cool completely in the pan before unmolding. However, if the pans are small, as are the ones recommended for baby cakes or madeleines, they need only slightly more time to bake and can be unmolded right away. Silicone is considered the most nonstick substance for baking pans. If silicone pans are prepared properly (interior coated with baking spray with flour) and cooled completely, they will release the cake perfectly, with no crust stuck to the pan.

It is important to keep in mind that although silicone can withstand temperatures of up to 500°F/260°C or even slightly higher, it cannot be subjected to direct heat from either a broiler or cooktop. The only other way in which it can be damaged is by cutting it.

Silicone pans have advantages in addition to ease of unmolding and the superior quality of the cakes baked in them. The pans don't dent and they're easy to store. You can scrunch them up in a drawer or suitcase, and they always will pop back to their original shape. I'm confident that this exciting technology is here to stay and will continue to evolve in interesting and useful ways for the home baker.

Layer Cake Pans

My favorite manufacturer of sturdy straight-sided 2-inch-high nonstick cake pans is Chicago Metallic—their Professional Line (see
Equipment Sources
). They are dark gray in color but require the same baking temperature as lighter-colored pans. They are dishwasher safe. I also like Parrish Magic Line's (see
Equipment Sources
) sturdy round, square, and rectangular pans with perfectly squared corners.

Fluted Tube Pans

In this book I use fluted tube pans often for cakes that require no frosting or adornment beyond the exquisite design of the flutings. Nordic Ware (see
Equipment Sources
) wins the prize for the most beautifully designed and huge variety of cast-aluminum fluted tube pans. My history with Nordic Ware goes back a long way. (Coincidentally, it was my namesake, Rose Levy, who brought owner David Dalquist the first Bundt pan in the 1940s.) The late Rich Hecomavich, who worked for the company for many years, became a dear friend to me and all bakers and educated us enthusiastically about the pans. It was at a baking show where I first met him and fell in love with the Nordic Ware Rose tube pan. Rich was responsible for designing their Stadium Pan at my request when I said I needed a more masculine fluted tube pan for a groom's cake.

Some of my favorite Nordic Ware 10-cup fluted tube pans include the Bavaria, Elegant Heart, Rose Bundt, and, of course, the classic Anniversary Bundt, which works for 10 to 15 cups due to its narrow base and wider center tube. I also love the 6-cup Bundt (perfect for a two-thirds recipe for a 10-cup pan, or a half recipe for a 12-cup pan) and the adorable two-part fluted 3D Pumpkin Pan, the equivalent of one 10-cup fluted tube pan. Any recipe that calls for a 10-cup fluted metal tube pan can also be baked in the standard 12-cup Bundt pan.

If you have one of the older-style tube pans that has a dark lining or dark exterior, be sure to lower the oven temperature by 25°F/15°C.