CAKE FLOUR VS. ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
For best results when baking cakes, use cake flour. Cake flour produces a finer, softer texture. It is finely milled and is typically a bleached variety of flour and has a lower content of gluten-producing protein. The bleaching process in flour also raises the acidity of the batter, which allows the starch in the flour to absorb more moisture, further enhancing the cakes tenderness. If you can’t find cake flour you can substitute 3/4 cup all-purpose flour mixed with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch for each cup of cake flour called for in a recipe.
TEMPERATURE: EGGS, MILK & BUTTER
For a smooth batter you want to make sure that the eggs, milk and butter are at room temperature when mixing them into a cake batter. Cold eggs and milk can harden butter when mixed in. This can result in a curdled appearance. You can heat up butter and milk in the microwave but this is not ideal as overheating can occur. The eggs you can put them in a bowl of warm tap water to bring them to room temperature. Once you put the eggs into warm water the cold eggs will bring the water temperature down so drain the first lot of water and then refill with more warm water from the tap. This should bring the eggs to room temperature after about 5 minutes. Ideally, you want to let the butter, milk and eggs come to room temperature on there own but if you have not planned ahead use these techniques.
OVER BEATING BATTER
We have all learned that over beating a batter can cause the cake to become tough due to over working the gluten.. This is the case when you use all-purpose flour as it contains more gluten than cake flour. When using cake flour (very low gluten content) beating it for a short period of time actually helps smooth and aerate the batter. Once the batter is mixed, beat it on high speed for five seconds and you will notice it immediately transforms into a smooth emulsion, ensuring that the ingredients are evenly dispersed.
AIR BUBBLES IN BATTER
Large air bubbles in a cake can be pretty unsightly in a beautiful slice of cake. You can avoid this by dropping the pan onto your countertop to burst any bubbles. Once you have filled your pan with batter and smoothed the top with a spatula drop it from about 3-4 inches above the countertop. The impact will force large air bubbles out and settle the batter in the pan, producing a more even shape. Only do this for cakes leavened with baking powder and baking soda. Egg foam cakes like the Genoise need the air bubbles to rise.
