Wondering which method you prefer(creaming or 2-stage) and why. Both for butter cakes and hi-ratio cakes.
I have been using the 2-stage method(dry ingredients in the bowl with fat and little portion of liquid, mixed at 2nd speed with the paddle, then the eggs and remaining liquid are mixed together and added in 2 stages)for a while but notice that sometimes my loaf cakes shrink(deflate) when pulled out of the oven. Maybe I'm incorporating too much air?
Does anyone have any info. about specific gravity of a cake batter?(someone just tried to explain the theory to me, but I think it's too technical and my brain is fried at the moment)

By W.DeBord on Friday, February 23, 2001 - 06:16 am: Edit

I pretty much don't use a two stage process as you describe. For butter cakes I'm mixing my fat, sugars and eggs then alternating between adding flour and buttermilk (or other liquids). But I tend to be pretty literal following written directions and have noticed quality differences when I've done my own thing with some recipes.

Depending on the cake you can definately incorporate too much air just like under beating can kill you. I also think the pan plays a role...I have some non-stick pans that I can't bake with, the cake has nothing to cling to and just keeps folding into the center as it bakes. I've think at times the coolness of my room has affected my cakes when I take them out of the oven too rapid of a temp. change.


For details I really like Flo Brakers book, she does a great job of explaining. She goes thru each cake catagory and how the eggs, fat, sugar and technique affect the gravity and texture of each cake. But one theory????I don't really understand you?