Hi Everyone,
We’re back for more kitchen chemistry! I wanted to talk about dry cakes. I know what you’re thinking. Eww. It happens though. You follow the recipe – because who wouldn’t? And the cake comes out..well..kindda dry and heavy.
What to do??
The most probable causes for this common kitchen mistake are :
Your ingredients were not measured properly. Maybe you added too much liquid or much too little, it may also be there was not enough rising agents like baking powder or baking soda. One of my first cakes ever instead of adding 9 oz of sugar I added 9 cups; let me tell you that cake was so dense it was more like a tootsie roll!
If we’re talking about a ready made cake that turned heavy – perhaps it wasn’t stored in an airtight container/ or covered in frosting- those two ways to seal moisture.
If you are making cupcakes and the paper peels away, often it is because the cupcakes are too dry, but it can also be too much moisture. Confusing much?
When you take the cupcakes out of the oven, don’t let them sit and cool in the baking pans, because often as they cool they develop drips of condensation which can “pull” the paper away from the cupcake.
If your cupcakes or cakes peak and crack it may be your oven is too hot or your cupcake holder or cake pan was over filled.
However if your cake or cupcakes have any of these issues, don’t throw them out just yet! There is an easy remedy – drizzle a very liquidy glaze all around the cake. It will infuse some moisture back into your cake or cupcake. Then you can either serve it with the glaze or cover it in frosting. Ah! The moisture is back.
If you still feel that the entire cake is too dry to save, don’t despair! You can either turn it into cake pops or trifle. I know, the options are endless.
Both involve adding a lot of moisture. For the cake pops you will be infusing buttercream into the cake so it is very soft.
Chose to make trifle? Pour liquor over the cake before topping it with whip cream and fruit.
~Love From Our Kitchen to Yours
A Taste of Home in Israel