By The Dinner Service

Re: Sorry about yet another question
12 Oct 2008 11:16

you know when you're making a sponge cake and a recipe calls for creaming the butter and sugar with an electric whisk, then whisking your eggs in and so on, why does the recipe then call for "folding in" the dry stuff? is there a reason for that? Why not just whisk in the flour as well as surely that will add to the "lightness" of the cake? I must admit, half the time I can't be bothered folding, I just carry on and whisk it in. Never had a problem. Am I missing something?

Replies

By cupcake

Re: Sorry about yet another question
12 Oct 2008 11:34

I must admit I like to be fairly gentle once I've creamed the sugar and butter. I only lightly beat the eggs and fold and mix in the flour without being too vigorous. I think if you work the flour too much it can make the gluten stickier and then the sponge tends not to be a light.

Though I know that people do whisk all their ingredients in an electric mixer and still have great sponges. So I guess its which ever method suits you at the time.

xx:)cupcake

By jeni_hope

Re: Sorry about yet another question
12 Oct 2008 11:36

I was taught that the weight of the flour would squash out all the air you've so carefully whisked and beaten into the mixture - so the less you move it around the better. But I'm too impatient to make decent cakes so don't take my word for it!!

By Honey

Re: Sorry about yet another question
12 Oct 2008 11:36

As you know, there are two methods for making a sponge cake DS. One is the 'folding in' method, the other is the 'all in one' method. You seem to successfully mix the two!! You fold in so as not to knock our the air again... this method you would use if using something like butter for a good flavour. However, if you want to use a soft margarine (lighter in texture), then you can do the 'all in one' method and just bung everything into a bowl and whisk vigorously. Both work well. I used to make my sponges with Stork margarine, but now prefer to make them with butter as I don't eat margarine. I must admit, I fold in with my Kenwood on the lowest spead and it's fine. Perhaps they don't rise quite as much... but the flavour is far better.

Honey :-x

By Sheelagh, Rossett nr Chester

Re: Sorry about yet another question
12 Oct 2008 11:40

Must admit - I make pretty well all my cakes now by the all-in-one method using electric hand-mixer - always seems to work fine for me x

By The Dinner Service

Re: Sorry about yet another question
12 Oct 2008 12:15

I knew it meant a bit of science. Thanks for the interesting feedback.
DS XX

By Gravy Queen, Buckingham Pantry

Re: Sorry about yet another question
12 Oct 2008 13:15

TDS how about starting your thread with the title of what its about rather than a Sorry? No need to apologise, here everyone is glad to help!
I always thought folding was a method used to keep the air in.

By Janice, USA

Re: Sorry about yet another question
12 Oct 2008 19:31

A good question dinner service. I find it interesting that my brownie recipe, though containing the usual cake ingredients only in different measurements and using a different method, comes out so different to a regular sponge cake (really chewy in the centre). I don't always sift my flour and it never seems to make a difference. Same as at school when a dozen students, using the same recipe and method would get different results. Interesting! Also when making a dish for an occasion when we want it to look perfect, it never does! Oh the mysteries of life!

By The Dinner Service

Re: Sorry about yet another question
12 Oct 2008 19:58

GQ, I was just aware that it was the third question in the space of about ten minutes that's all. You didn't have to click on the thread to see what it was about - it was only about a centimetre away from the title. No effort. No big deal. Why go to the trouble of mentioning it? There are many threads on here which don't specify what they're about. Maybe you just enjoy being picky with some people. Don't understand why.

By Gravy Queen, Buckingham Pantry

Re: Sorry about yet another question
12 Oct 2008 20:12

Total over reaction TDS. No need.

By cake eater

Re: Sorry about yet another question
12 Oct 2008 21:41

yes, the flour must be gently folded in, otherwise it takes out the air that has been whisked in.

By Merrie

Re: Sorry about yet another question
13 Oct 2008 20:06

DS I put everything into the bowl and whisk it altogether with my electric whisk. And I soften the butter in the microwave so it mixes in easily. Don't know whether this is right or wrong but my cakes always come out light as a feather ....
Merrie ( :0) xxx

By jeni_hope

Re: Sorry about yet another question
14 Oct 2008 08:40

TDS.
If there is a clue in the title about the contents of a thread it makes doing a message board search easier when very little more than the title comes up. It just makes life a little easier