#1 Blended
Cakes made with this method: Very moist; a great candidate for adding mix-ins.
Basically stir together and go, the blended method is the easiest of all cake-prep types. Blended cakes are typically made with oil rather than butter, since oil is much more easily incorporated with the rest of the ingredients.
Blended cake batter tends to be more liquid than most; oftentimes the recipe will call to “pour” the batter into the pans, rather than scoop.
#2: Creaming
Cakes made with this method: Sturdy, yet soft textured. Easy to slice and stack in layers; also ideal for Bundt pans.
This cake mixing method is a classic, and the most common.
The creaming method starts with beating the butter and sugar together until they’re lightened in color and fluffy.
Eggs are beaten in one at a time.
The creaming method then adds the dry and liquid ingredients alternately to the butter mixture.
The usual method is a third of the flour, half the milk, a third of the flour, the remaining milk, and finally the remaining flour; it’s helpful to scrape the bowl midway through this process.
Adding flour and liquids alternately ensures all the liquid (usually milk) will be thoroughly absorbed into the batter. If there’s a high amount of butter or other fat in the batter, it’s hard to get the liquid totally mixed in; the alternating technique helps reduce the percentage of fat overall (by adding some flour first). It also facilitates the formation of gluten, which binds the batter together.
#3: Foam
Cakes made with this method: Extremely light and airy. This high-rising, somewhat “resilient” cake slices best with a serrated knife or pronged angel food cutter.
The leanest cake in the bunch, foam cakes contain little to no fat: i.e. no butter or shortening, and no egg yolks.
Like some sponge cakes, foam cakes contain no leavening, depending on air whipped into the egg whites for structure. The whites are whipped into stiff peaks, usually with cream of tartar added to help with stability and volume.
Flour is carefully folded in, leaving as much air in the batter as possible. Most choose to fold in the flour with a spatula, but we’ve found that using the whisk attachment (the one that just moments before whipped up those whites) incorporates it easily and gently.
#4: Paste
Cakes made with this method: Tighter textured, though still moist. A great candidate for tiers. The most sturdy of the cakes; slices with minimal crumbs.
This moist and tender (yet sturdy) cake is an American favorite. Its slightly denser crumb makes it perfect for frosting as a layer cake.
Making a cake using the paste method (also sometimes called “reverse creaming”) sounds complicated, but it’s actually one of the most simple techniques of the bunch.
Soft butter and room-temperature liquids are beaten into the dry ingredients until the texture is “sandy.” The butter-coated flour slows the formation of gluten (which starts once flour comes in contact with liquid), and results in a slightly more sturdy cake that still offers soft texture.
Once the batter reaches that crumbly, sand-like consistency, milk and any flavors are added. Then eggs are mixed in one by one.
The batter, though pourable, is often thicker than other cake batters.
#5: Sponge
Cakes made with this method: Light and airy, with soft texture. Tend to compress slightly when stacked over two layers high.
Mildly sweet, sponge cakes are high-rising and light as air, with the perfect degree of moistness.
Sponge cakes can be made different ways. One way is beating egg yolks and sugar (or whole eggs and sugar) until a very thick foam-like batter is created. The batter is pale yellow in color, and falls off the beater in ribbons. Flour is then gently folded in.
Another way whips the egg whites separately from the yolks until soft peaks form. The yolk/sugar mixture is beaten until light, flour is mixed in, and then egg whites are gently folded into that mixture.
Either way the eggs are prepared, they provide leavening and loft for the sponge cake. This method dates back to before the widespread use of baking soda or powder, when trapped air was a cake’s only leavening.
The batter for sponge cake is very light, airy, and almost soup-like in consistency. Though it may be alarming, this is totally normal. It will bake up into the moist, delicious cake that we know as sponge.
#6: Gluten-free
Gluten-free cakes can be made any number of ways and with great success, much like their wheat-y counterparts. As with all recipes, be sure to read the directions carefully before starting.
https://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2017/04/28/cake-mixing-methods/
CAKE BATTER – MIXING METHOD
When I was in culinary school, our first lesson in the “cakes” section was the basic pound cake. Not only did we have to use the original “quatre quarts” recipe, we were required to cream the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon, by hand. We had to add the eggs one at a time, while trying to keep the proper texture of the batter. At the time it seemed a little ridiculous. We knew we’d never actually mix a pound cake by hand, especially in a pro kitchen. But the exercise did reinforce how important technique is, not only for pound cake but for all baking.
Precisely because the original pound cake recipe is so simple it’s the perfect vehicle to test how mixing technique can affect cake texture. It matters how the ingredients of a pound cake are put together. There is no hiding behind swirls of sweet frosting to mask a rubbery or dense cake. So lets learn about two cake batter mixing methods.
TRADITIONAL CREAMING VS. REVERSE CREAMING (OR TWO STAGE CREAMING)
The traditional creaming method starts by beating together the butter and sugar. The sharp edges of the sugar crystals cut through the butter to create lots of little air bubbles. The eggs are added one at a time and the flour is added last. As soon as the flour is added gluten, the protein in the flour that gives baked goods their structure, will start to form. As the cake bakes the air bubbles trapped in the butter will expand in the heat of the oven producing, in theory, a light and airy cake.
Reverse creaming, aka two-stage creaming, is an alternate technique used by many bakers (including me). Reverse creaming starts by beating together the flour, sugar and butter. Gluten won’t start to form until the flour comes in contact with water (in the egg whites). Coating the flour molecules with butterfat before the eggs are added creates a barrier which slows the formation of gluten. Reverse creaming should, in theory, make a cake with a more tender and velvety texture.
CAKE BATTER TESTING 1, 2, 3
One way to compare mixing techniques is to run side-by-side tests. For each test I mixed one batch using the traditional creaming method and one batch using the reverse creaming method. Each batch of cake contained exactly 8 ounces each of cake flour, granulated sugar, unsalted butter and eggs. The butter and eggs were at ideal room temperature, between 65-70°F. All cakes were baked in identical 9”x 5” loaf pans at 325°F in a convection oven.
For a good cake batter all the ingredients should be at room temperature.
At first glance, the cakes made with the different mixing methods looked very similar, but once I cut and tasted the cakes the differences became apparent.
The cake made with the traditional creaming method had a very tight crumb and contained a few pockets of air. The cake was a little chewy with a slightly bouncy texture. I pinched a piece of the cake between my fingers and it held together a moment before breaking up.
The cake made with the reverse method also had a tight crumb, but it was very consistent with no air pockets. The texture was softer and more tender. When I pinched a piece of that cake between my fingers it broke apart more easily.
While there wasn’t a tremendous difference between the cakes, the cake made with the reverse creaming method was softer and more tender. Which is why reverse creaming is my preferred mixing method.
https://www.baking-sense.com/2017/02/28/cake-batter-mixing-technique/
The general objectives in mixing batters and dough are:
- Uniform distribution of ingredients;
- Minimum loss of the leavening agent;
- Optimum blending; and,
- Development or prevention of gluten.
Flour is made up of particles of protein, glutenin and gliadin, which when mixed with moisture in the recipe, produce gluten. Mixing serves to physically break apart these proteins into smaller pieces and expose the moisture-loving portions, so the two blend together more effectively. Gluten is the magical elastic substance which traps and holds air bubbles which expand from the gas from the leavening. Gluten also allows you to roll out pastry into thin sheets that don't fall apart. During baking, it stretches like a net to contain the expanding air bubbles during rising. At a certain point in baking, the stretched flour proteins become set, resulting in the structure of the baking recipe.
Mixing is a general term that includes stirring, beating, blending, binding, creaming, whipping and folding. In mixing, two or more ingredients are evenly dispersed in one another until they become one product. Each mixing method gives a different texture and character to the baked good. The implements used, such as blades, whisks, spoons, etc., themselves make a difference. They have a great impact on what happens during mixing.
STIR: This method is the simplest, as it involves mixing all the ingredients together with a utensil, usually a spoon, using a circular motion.
BEAT: The ingredients are moved vigorously in a back and forth, up and down, and around and around motion until they are smooth. An electric mixer is often used to beat the ingredients together.
BLEND: Ingredients are mixed so thoroughly they become one.
BIND: Ingredients adhere to each other, as when breading is bound to fish.
CREAM: Fat and sugar are beaten together until they take on a light, airy texture.
CUT IN OR CUTTING IN: To distribute solid fat in dry ingredients by Bench Scraper, two knifes (in a scissor motion), a pastry blender, your fingertips or with a food processor fitted with a steel blade, until finely divided.
WHIP OR WHISK: Air is incorporated into such foods as whipping cream and egg whites through very vigorous mixing, usually with an electric mixer or whisk.
FOLD: One ingredient is gently incorporated into another by hand with a large spoon or spatula. It creates little aeration.
There are many methods for combining the ingredients of baked products. In general, they are:
| METHOD | WHEN TO USE | HOW TO |
| TRADITIONAL MIXING METHODS | ||
| Creaming Method (Fat-Sugar, Cake or Conventional) | SHORTENED (BUTTER) CAKES COOKIES | It is done with sugar beaten into stick butter, margarine or shortening (solid, plastic fats), until light and fluffy. Eggs are then added. Finally, flour and dry ingredients added. This technique is used with our Ultimate Butter Cake (UBC) Recipe Tutorial. With some cookie recipes, you will not necessary beat the ingredients until light and fluffy. An example is Sarah's Thick-with-a-Chew Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Tutorial. |
| All Ingredient Method (Single Stage, Quick-Mix, One Bowl or Dump) | SOME CAKES and CAKE MIXES | All dry and liquid ingredients are mixed together at once. Our Wacky Chocolate Cake Recipe is an example. |
| Biscuit Method | QUICK-BREADS(Biscuits and scones) | Similar to the Pastry-blend method. Flour and all dry ingredients are combined. Fat is then "cut into" the flour mixture until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Liquid is added last. Dough is mixed just until moistened. Sometimes a short knead is done. We use this baking technique with our Tender and Flaky Sweet Biscuits Recipe. |
| Egg Foaming or Foaming Method (Conventional Sponge) | UNSHORTENED (FOAM) CAKES (Angel Food, Sponge or Chiffon Cakes) | Beaten eggs are one of the key's to success in making recipes. Whipping eggs (whole and/or yolks only or whites only) with a portion of the sugar.Try our Blue Velvet Chiffon Layer Cake Recipe Tutorial. |
| High-Ratio Mixing Method (Two Step or Quick-Mix; erroneously called the Two Stage Mixing Method) | HIGH RATIO CAKES | An alternate mixing technique for butter cakes, whether dense or light, developed by the Pillsbury Co. It is used anytime you have the weight of the sugar in the batter is equal to or greater than the weight of the flour. This involves mixing all the dry ingredients first, then beating in cold, but softened butter. Then, the eggs and liquid ingredients are slowly added. Mixing this way guarantees a smooth batter that doesn't separate, thus making for a light and delicate baked cake. However, cakes do not rise as high when using this method. SARAH SAYS: I did invent the first cake recipe with all-purpose flour using the Two-Step Mixing Method in 2008, with my Year Round Spice Cake Recipe. |
| Muffin Method (Two Stage or Two Bowl) | QUICK-BREADS(Loaves, Muffins, Pancake and Waffle Batters) and OIL CAKES | Dry and wet ingredients are mixed separately and then combined and folded until the dry ingredients just become moist. Take a look at our Chocolate Muffin Tops or Muffins Recipe. |
| Pastry-Blend Method | PIE CRUSTS | The fat is "cut into" the flour. Once the liquid is added, the dough should be mixed well, but not beaten at length for this will toughen the gluten. You'll love our Flaky Pie Crust or Pate Brisee Tutorial. |
| Little Aeration | FLOURLESS CAKES | Ingredients are mixed / stirred with minimal incorporation of air. Folding is a technique often used. We use this in our Frosted Fresh Cherry Cake Recipe Tutorial. |
| SARAH'S NEW MIXING METHODS | ||
| Easy Mix Angel Food Cake Mixing Method | ANGEL FOOD | Adapted in 2013 for Angel Food Cakes. See the Easy Mix Angel Food Cake Recipe and Tutorial |
| Healthy Oven Mixing Method | HEALTHY OVEN LIQUID OIL / FRUIT PUREES INSTEAD OF BUTTER RECIPES (Search using keywords: healthy oven) | I developed the in 1999 (Healthy Oven Baking Book, by Sarah Phillips, Doubleday, 1999). The wet PLUS sugar ingredients are mixed separately and then combined and blended until the dry ingredients just become moist. The wet, typically including fruit purees, such as applesauce) PLUS sugar ingredients are beaten until frothy for better aeration, before being combined with the dry. Includes the development of a new Healthy Oven Reduced-Fat Creaming Mixing Method used in the absence or lowering of traditional solid fat. |
| Sarah's Gluten Free (Gluten-free) Mixing Method | GLUTEN-FREE (Search using keywords: gluten-free) | Developed by Sarah Phillips in 2009. Aeration of gums, such as xanthan, necessary in the recipe. For example, yeasted bread dough made without wheat flour containing gluten lack extensibility or stretch. The xanthan gum adds in stretch.See the Sarah's Gluten-Free Yellow Butter Cake Recipe Tutorial. |
| Sarah's Sugar Free Mixing Method | SUGAR-FREE | I successfully developed New Mixing Methods when I developed sugar-free cakes, in 1999 and incorporated it into my gluten-free baking. This method helps aerate cakes in the absence of traditional crystalline sugar, and when using crystalline sugar substitutes. See the Healthy Oven Sugar-Free White Cake Recipe Tutorial |
| OTHER: Bread Mixing Method | BREAD |
http://www.craftybaking.com/howto/mixing-method-basics