Advice on Batter (1 Viewer)

[clerahi]

Hi Angie,

Based on the cakes I've made so far and the rainbow cake trials, it seems baking on the middle shelf of our oven gives the best results. For a layer cake, this means baking in 2 or 3 batches depending on how many layers there are. I'm fine with this, however it raises the question whether to also make the batter in batches or in one go and store in the fridge? I've seen both ways as the answer to that question on the internet, and a few variations too .

The reason I'm asking is when I make batter for things like pancakes and Yorkshire Puddings, I always stand it for 30 minutes (in the fridge) so the starch grains in the flour have chance to swell. This gives a lighter pancake or Yorkie as the starch grains in the flour have softened and burst when you put the batter in the hot pan or hot pudding tray. The batter also thickens while its standing, so the consistency is different to when it was first made.

Assuming starch grains in cake batter also swell when standing, this suggests the consistency of each batch of cakes baked (and therefore layers) would be different. This then points to making the batter in batches while other layers are in the oven. If the ingredients are weighed and the recipe is followed, the batches of batter should be reasonably consistent.

I've probably answered the question myself in writing this out... I wondered what your thoughts or experience are?

 

[Angie]

After making numerous cakes in many different ovens, I have often found that the middle shelf always gives me the best results even though I have a fan assisted oven.

Yes, I agree that chilling the batter for your Yorkshires may help with the rising process. This is because when the starch molecules are cold, they attract water and swell. Then when you heat it, you move into gelatinisation. I'll not get into a science lesson, or we'll be here all day.

Ideally, you want to use the mixture as soon you've mixed it because that is when you'll get the best results. Mainly because you've worked the ingredients incorporated the air, and after putting all that work in, you want the optimum output. You'll also have to put it in the oven straight away if it contains leavening agents because as soon as the wet ingredients hit the dry, your chemical reaction starts, and you need to get it into the oven pronto to ensure the best rise.

Note:

• I would never bake a batter from the fridge, however, I know some people do it, the problem with this is that you're starting your bake off at a very cold temperature when it hits the oven, so it has to acclimatise first, leading to a possible denser or not as fluffy cake.
• Rapidly changing the temperature of ingredients can cause issues which is why I bring everything to room temperature before I start.
• If starting with a very cold batter, you'll also have to bake it for longer too.

I always stipulate when baking, you should always use ingredients at room temp, however for making things like pastry cold cold cold all the way but for batter for me, no.

As for batches, when I made numerous cupcake batches for my classes, I would always make each batch from scratch at room temperature. Bake one batch, and then time it so that as soon as one batch was done, the next batch would literally be going straight in that way nothing is sitting about after you've just spent time creaming, whisking and working your batter to optimum state for baking.

 

[clerahi]

Thanks Angie