Cakes are basically a baked batter, that is made up of
eggs, fat and flour with maybe some other raising agent
and various other ingredients added for flavour and texture.
There are three basic ways of putting these ingredients
together to incorporate as much air as possible into the
mixture resulting in light tasting and delicate melt in
the mouth properties, this is then baked in the oven and
served cold.
Celebration cakes have always been very popular, from a
small birthday cake, to the most elaborate of wedding cakes
with run outs and pastillage show pieces. They were usually
of the rich fruit cake variety, however these days they
can be made from all types of cake or gateaux of all different
shapes and sizes. They can be decorated with various icings,
fondants or ganaches depending on the nature and flavour
of the cake and the chefs flair, imagination and artistic
talents
The general accepted definition of a gateau is a cake with
more than two layers
Cake and sponge production methods
There are commonly three types of production for cake
/ sponge
- all
in method -
whereby all the wet ingredients are combined, all the
dry ingredients are combined and one is folded into
the other (normally dry into the wet).
- creaming
method - butter and sugar are beaten together or
'creamed' until a light mixture is obtained, and thus
incorporates air into it. The remaining ingredients
should be added carefully so as not to dispel the air
previously beaten into it.
- foaming
method - the eggs and sugar are whisked over a bain
marie to form a sabayon, and then removed from the heat
and whisked until cold and the remaining ingredients
folded in.
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