Cake Unit Study Guide

  1. List flours in order of protein content, from greatest to least amount of protein.

High gluten, whole-wheat, bread, all-purpose, pastry, cake

  1. Describe how protein content percentages affect the texture of baked goods.

Less protein = more tender; more protein = chewier

  1. What are cake, pastry, all-purpose, bread, whole-wheat, and high gluten flour used to make?

Cake – cakes; pastry – pie crusts/biscuits; all-purpose – general baking; bread – yeast breads; whole-wheat – breads; high gluten – bread-making

  1. What is added to self-rising flour, and how does that affect the final product?

Chemical leavener (baking powder)

  1. What are some examples of non-wheat flours?

Corn flour, rice flour, buckwheat flour, soybean flour, rice flour, and potato flour

  1. What is the difference between raw and turbinado sugar?

Raw is not fit for direct use

  1. How do you make brown sugar?

Add molasses

  1. What is another name for powdered sugar?

confectioners

  1. List the four liquid sweeteners and describe how they are produced.

Corn syrup – extracted from corn kernels; honey – bees collect nectar; maple syrup – sap of sugar maple trees; molasses – liquid by-product of sugar refining

  1. When making a simple syrup, describe what a ratio of 1.5:1 means? What would that simple syrup be used to make?

1-1/2 parts water to every 1 part sugar – medium simple syrup. Candied citrus fruits

  1. What are the three types of pastry bags? What is the difference between each?

Featherweight – reusable; plastic – disposable; parchment triangles – disposable & easy to make

  1. What are the two parts of a coupler? What is the purpose of using a coupler?

Base & ring; allows you to interchange decorating tips w/o changing bag

  1. Describe what following decorating tips are used to make..

Round tip:writing, dots, vines

Star tip:stars, shells, rosettes

V-shaped opening:leaves

Wide opening at one end, narrow at the other:rose

  1. How do you prepare a decorating bag before filling?

-Drop the coupler base, narrow end first, into the bag and push it down as far as you can

-Using a pen or a pencil, mark the spot on the outside where the bottom screw thread (closest to the tip) is outlined against the bag material

-Remove the coupler base from the bag and cut an opening at the mark

-Push coupler base down through the opening, place a decorating tip over the part of the base extending from the bag.

-Put the ring over the tip and twist it on, locking the tip in place.

  1. If icing is too thick, what should be added? Too thin?

Thick – water/milk; thin – powdered sugar

  1. List and describe the five steps to filling a pastry bag.

Step 1: Holding the bag: Hold bag with one hand and fold down the top of bag with other hand to form a generous cuff over hand.

Step 2: Filling the bag: Using a spatula, fill the bag with approximately ½ cup icing.

*do not overfill; icing may squeeze out the wrong end

Step 3: Pull spatula out: Squeeze the bag with your thumb and fingers against spatula to remove spatula leaving icing remain in bag.

Step 4: Close the bag: Unfold cuff and twist bag closed to force icing down into the bag

Step 5: “Burping” the bag: Squeeze some of the icing out into a bowl to release any air trapped in the bag.

  1. What is the difference between angle and direction when positioning a pastry bag?

Angle – position of the bag relative to the work surface

Direction – where the back of the bag is pointed

  1. Describe how to use the star tip. How do you make a star border?

-Hold bag straight up

-Tip should be 1/8” above surface

-Squeeze to form a star

-Stop pressureand pull straight up and away

Star boarder:Rotate hand from parallel to perpendicular to the body

  1. How does making a dot differ from making a star?

Stop pressure, pull off to the side

  1. List the different types of tougheners. What do they provide for the cake?

Flour, milk, eggs. Provide structure

  1. List the different types of tenderizers. What do they provide for the cake?

Sugar, fat, egg yolk. Make cake tender and soft & improve keeping qualities

  1. List the different types of moisteners. What do they provide for the cake?

Milk, water, juice, eggs. Bring moisture for gluten formation and starch gelatinization. Also improve keeping

  1. List the different types of driers. What do they provide for the cake?

Starch, flour, milk solids. Absorb moisture and give body/structure

  1. List the different types of leaveners. What do they provide for the cake?

Natural – steam/air. CO2 = baking soda/powder. Make cake rise

  1. List the different types of flavorings. Which flavorings activate baking soda?

Cocoa, extracts, spices, sugar, salt, butter. Activate baking soda: sour cream, chocolate, fruit

  1. What temperature should ingredients kept? Why?

70F. it will affect the batters ability to hold gases necessary to rise

  1. Describe the difference between the creamed fat/shortened method and the whipped egg method. Provide examples of each.

Creamed has chemical leaveners, whipped uses beaten egg whites as a leavener

  1. What are the steps of the creamed fat/shortened method?

-Sift dry ingredients together

-Cream butter or shortening until light and fluffy

-Add sugar and cream until mixture is fluffy and smooth

-Add eggs, one at a time

-Add dry and liquids alternately

  1. What is the purpose of beating egg whites in foam cakes?

Contribute to the structure eliminating the need for flour

  1. What ingredient should never be used for foam cakes? Why?

Fat; egg foam won’t be able to rise to its fullest

  1. Why are angel food cakes cooled upside down?

Enables egg proteins to stretch and set

  1. What are the three ways in which you can determine the doneness of a cake?

Appearance (light to golden brown); tough (bounce back when touched); cake tester (toothpick comes out clean)