Basic Baking

• Batter


  Flour, egg, sugar, and liquid mixture of pouring consistency
• Confectioner's sugar


  Highly powdered sugar in which cornstarch has been added for easy blending
• Cake


  Also known as pound cake in the early years. With the passing of time, variations were introduced to meet customer preferences
• Gateaux


  French word for cake
• Filling


  The mixture put inside a baked product, as in cream filling placed in a cream puff shell
• Glaze


  A glossy coating
• Hybrid cake


  A cross-breed of shortened and unshortened cakes. It has the characteristic of both cakes: light, spongy and also tender due to the presence of fat or oil
• Mixing


  Act of putting or blending ingredients into one mass
• Method


  A step-by-step procedure in making a recipe
• Preheat


  To set the oven at the required temperature in a recipe while working on the ingredients
• Technique


  A unique way of executing a step in a method
• Streusel


  A German term for "sprinkle". A crumbly topping made of flour, sugar, and fat commonly sprinkled on quick breads, cakes, and pastries
• Tortes


  A rich multilayered cake with fillings
• Yema


  A Filipino candy made by cooking condensed milk with or without egg yolks until it becomes very thick
• Variations


  Different forms of the same recipe or product
• Torte


  A rich, multilayered cake filled with whipped cream, butter cream, mousse, jams, or fruits. It can be made with or without flour but instead with nuts, breadcrumbs, sugar, egg, and flavorings.
• Gateau


  A small light cake or pastry with fillings like custard, fruits, or nuts. It is a French word for cake.
• Petit Four


  A small baked product or confectionery taken as dessert.
• Classification of Cakes


  • Unshortened Cakes
  • Shortened Cakes
  • Hybrid Cakes
• Unshortened Cakes


  They do not have fats. Hence, they are spongy and light due to the incorporation of air brought about by the beaten eggs whites. They are called "foam cakes". The two common kinds are white sponge cake and yellow sponge cake.
• Shortened Cakes


  They contain fats or shortening. They are richer than unshortened cakes due to their fat content. The two types are pound cake and butter cake.
• Pound Cakes


  Leavened by air, which is incorporated during the creaming of butter and sugar by steam that expands the product as it being baked. They are called the "mother" of all shortened cakes. The name "pound" comes from the use of one pound each of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour.
• Butter Cakes


  Slightly compact but light, tender, and velvety in texture. They are leavened by carbon dioxide which comes from the addition of baking powder or baking soda. They are further leavened by air brought about by the creaming of shortening the beating of eggs, as well as by the steam while they are being baked.
• Variations of Butter Cakes

  • Addition of more eggs
  • Addition of more fats and butter
  • Addition of more flavorings like coffee, chocolate, nutmeg, and sour cream, and spices like cinnamon, cloves, and all-spices
  • Addition of raisins, nuts, and dried fruits
  • Addition of fresh like bananas, oranges, peaches, pineapple, mangoes, etc.
  • Addition of alcoholic beverages like rum, brandy, sherry, or bourbon whiskey
  • Use of special sugars like honey, glucose, corn syrup, maple syrup, molasses, and caramel
• Hybrid Cakes


  They are a cross between the shortened and unshortened cake. They are light and spongy similar to the unshortened cakes, but contain oil that is a characteristic of shortened cakes. All varieties of chiffon cakes belong to this type of cake.