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#1
09-20-2009, 09:57 AM
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Cake, cake, cake! Need recipe help!
Hey, I'm a pretty good cook, generally. Some things I can make quite well, where other things, I haven't really done too much of.
Cakes fall into this category. I've made some cake-like breads, which were yummy and good. But not a true cake. I tried to make one, last week, from a recipe off the internet, from a search for, 'simple cake recipe'. It was very simple, but wasn't very good, and didn't come together like a cake at all. I could tell it wasn't right before I baked it. It came out somewhat cake-like, and I iced it and we ate it, but it wasn't great. I was convinced the person who posted this abomination of a recipe had never actually made it. I have found the very best way to acquire recipes is from someone who actually makes it, regularly. Some of my best successes, for all sorts of dishes, have come from recipe threads here on the dope. So I'm asking you to help a girl out and offer up some of your favorite cake recipes. (Please remember I am not a pro, simple is better.) (While I am mostly interested in cake, if you've got some other favorite recipe you adore, please feel free to share!) 
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#2
09-20-2009, 11:46 AM
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What kind of cake? Layer cake that you would ice? Or something like a pound cake or bundt cake? Or, something like stir-it-in-a-bowl-without-using-a-mixer cake that you'd cook in an 8x8 pan? Any particular flavors you're looking for?
I can post some after I learn more about what you are looking for. In the meantime, here are some sites that have trustworthy recipes: www.thepioneerwoman.com/cooking (especially good since you're learning about cakes, very step-by-step with TONS of pictures) www.pbs.org/everydayfood www.myrecipes.com www.epicurious.com Also, half the battle with cakes and baked goods is knowing some basic rules and techniques. A great site with this sort of info is www.baking911.com. She also has trustworthy recipes, but I think you have to join the site to get them. Last edited by Claire Beauchamp; 09-20-2009 at 11:47 AM.
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#4
09-20-2009, 12:29 PM
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Quote:
And, come to think of it, a lemon cake recipe, which I will also post. And Pioneer Woman has some nice orange muffins which you could practise your cake-making skills on while you're waiting for other recipes. (You could probably make them with lemon instead of orange, come to think of it...)
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#7
09-20-2009, 06:20 PM
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friend elbows
Here is a simple, never miss chocolate cake: longhair's chocolate cake recipe 2 1/2 cups flour 2 cups sugar 1/2 cup cocoa (hersheys unsweetened cocoa) 2 rounded teaspoons baking soda 1 cup soured whole milk (add a teaspoon of vinegar to the milk don’t use skim or 2%) 1 cup vegetable oil 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 2 eggs 1 cup hot water (add last) combine all dry ingredients, then add liquid ingredients, with hot water last. put into 9x12 floured baking dish and bake at 350 till a toothpick in center comes out dry, (approx 45 minute)
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#8
09-20-2009, 07:55 PM
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A couple of people have mentioned the Pioneer Woman- I tell you you cannot go wrong (especially now its fall) with her pumpkin cake w/ Whiskey Cream. It's TO DIE FOR! Or to KILL FOR!! (you pick) and it's really, really easy. For some reason, now that I've baked that cake, my mom thinks that I have this gift of baking that no one else in our family has (it's not true, and a little annoying). So be warned, if you bake that cake for friends or family, you may be destined to bake a cake for every gathering there-after.
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#9
09-20-2009, 08:47 PM
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My wife's most excellent chocolate cake recipe. The secret ingredient sounds nasty, but if you think about it, it's just an emulsion of vinegar, oil, and eggs, all normal cake ingredients.
Quote:
__________________
"In politics, everyone regards themselves as moderate, because they know some other sumbitch who's twice as crazy as they are." -Timothy Tyson
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#10
09-20-2009, 08:53 PM
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The best cake in the whole world
http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/11/ga...ness-goodness/ If you go with it, let me know, there's a few changes that need to be made for it to turn out just right.
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#12
09-20-2009, 11:06 PM
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This is one of my favourites, adapted from two singularly incompatible recipes into one sweet, sticky treat. You have to get your hands on blood oranges. You can use dairy milk in place of the soy if you prefer.
Blood Orange Cake 1/3 cup olive oil 2 small blood oranges 1 cup soymilk 1 tsp apple cider vinegar 2 tbs cornstarch 1 1/2 cups flour 3/4 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg 1/2 tsp salt 3/4 cup + 2 tbs sugar 2 tsp vanilla 1 tsp almond essence Glaze ingredients: Juice and zest of one blood orange 1/2 cup of powdered sugar For the Cake: Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease a 9″ springform cake pan. In a mixing cup, combine the soymilk, vinegar and cornstarch and set aside. Roughly chop up the blood oranges – use organic to be sure they’re pesticide free – skin and all, discarding the tops and tails and being careful to remove the seeds. Put the orange chunks in a food processor and blend with the olive oil until you have a marmalade consistency puree. Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix the soymilk mixture with a fork to dissolve the cornstarch and pour into the flour mixture. Add the oil and orange mix, sugar and vanilla and almond essence, and mix well. Pour mixture into pan and bake for 25-30 minutes Glaze: Combine glaze ingredients and mix until powdered sugar is dissolved. If using springform pan, poke holes in the cake with a skewer and pour glaze over the cake while it is still hot and in the pan. Otherwise, turn the cake onto a plate and pour the glaze over it. Allow cake to cool and syrup to soak in before eating. I've been meaning to try making it with oranges and lemons instead, as a sort of marmalade cake, but haven't get there yet.
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#14
09-21-2009, 07:38 AM
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Quote:
If you haven't baked a lot of box cakes, start there. After you get good at that, the trick is to find good recipes and to sift the flour! and get all the dry ingrediants mixed well together. Look for recipes that add moisture, traditional cakes are often fairly dry and we - in our "pudding in the mix" cake world, like moister cakes.
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#15
09-21-2009, 10:23 AM
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I used to bake cakes from scratch every time. But the quality of most cake mixes is almost as good as homemade, and the cost is comparable. Store-bought frosting is inedible, though.
If you insist on baking from scratch ... The Betty Crocker Cookbook is not what you'd call haute cuisine, but their cake recipes are pretty darn good. Unlike with recipes pulled off random Internet sites, you can be sure that each recipe has been tested many times before Betty Crocker will publish it. I'm partial to their recipe for Black Midnight chocolate cake, but I'm not sure it appears in the latest edition of the cookbook. This recipe, I think, is identical to the one in my book, except that it should specify cake flour. The first few times you cook something new from scratch, follow the recipe exactly. If it says to sift the flour, sift it. If it says to use cake flour, don't use all-purpose. If it says to preheat the oven, do that. The recipe might not say so, but you should let the eggs warm to room temperature before adding them. After you've gained confidence, then you can start experimenting with different things.
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#16
09-21-2009, 01:20 PM
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In my experience, baking can be as much about technique as recipe sometimes. Don't overbeat the eggs, sift the flour (and measure by eight, preferably), use parchment paper to line pans, LET THINGS COOL, etc.
Also, ingredients matter. Be sure your baking soda / powder is fresh or it just won't rise right. I made that mistake with the last cake I made...
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#17
09-21-2009, 01:55 PM
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I came here to post the Guinness cake recipe, same as Joey P. Believe me, it is the best cake I have ever tasted, let alone made. And it's really simple to make. Here's an Americanized version of the recipe.
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#18
09-21-2009, 02:47 PM
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Hershey's Black Magic Cake - the mix is almost liquid, but oh my...SO good! I've used it as a bundt, cupcakes, 2 - 9" layer cakes. Fill it with some type of chocolate mousse or raspberries and make your own chocolate frosting. To.die.for.
Lemon Cake - (has blueberries in it, which you could probably omit). The fresh lemon zest in it makes it a very wonderful and refreshing cake. I didn't make the icing, as I just made a simple glaze of lemon juice, zest, powdered sugar and a bit of water.
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#19
09-21-2009, 02:54 PM
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Update
I decided to start with longhair75's recipe, it seemed simple enough. It's in the oven as I type this, but I am less than confident. It went together wonderfully, I sifted the flour. Up until the cup of hot water at the end. Then it looked less like cake batter and more like soup. Leaking from the springform pan, yikes! A quick review of the recipe shows it calls for 1 cup veg oil, 1 cup milk PLUS 1 cup hot water. Is it just me, or is that a lot of liquid for a cake with 2 + 1/2 cups of flour? But, then, what the hell do I know. We shall see, at any rate. Thank you all for your suggestions, I really appreciate it very much. I might try the mayonnaise cake next, and definitely the lemon cake. I'll probably give a miss to anything with coffee in it, though, as I'm not a fan. Still, I appreciate your input, truly.
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#20
09-21-2009, 03:14 PM
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If you're worried about coffee or beer in a cake I'd say you're missing out. Each heightens the flavor the chocolate, and believe me you don't taste it. For mine I just use a tsp or tbs of espresso granules to make the coffee.
As far as baking in a springform pan, I generally reserve those pans for something that has a crust and where the batter is pretty thick. ie: cheesecakes
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#21
09-21-2009, 03:47 PM
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If you don't mind using a mix, this is the best cake I've ever made. It's a little of both worlds...it uses a cake mix, but you fancy it up with extra ingredients.
Sinister Chocolate Cake 1 Devil’s Food cake mix 1 Package instant chocolate pudding mix (5.9oz size) 1 Cup sour cream ¾ Cup vegetable oil 4 Eggs ½ Cup hot water (I substitute strong, hot coffee for this) 2 Cups miniature chocolate chips (I think I actually use less than this…usually just under half a bag) ¼ Cup milk Preheat oven to 350 Combine cake mix, pudding, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs, milk and hot water in a large bowl. Mix well, and then stir in chocolate chips. Pour into greased Bundt pan and bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Satiny Chocolate Glaze ¾ Cup chocolate chips (I substitute chocolate truffles) 3 Tablespoons butter 1 Tablespoon corn syrup Combine ingredients in a small microwavable bowl. Microwave on high for 45 seconds. Remove from microwave and stir until melted. (microwave in 15 second intervals if more time is needed)
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#22
09-21-2009, 04:07 PM
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Ok, this may be heresy, but here goes.
First, a little story. My mom knows a "cake lady" who makes awesome and cheap wedding cakes. I don't know how she can tease buttercream into such shapes and designs, but she does. She made my mom this amazing layer cake with the best lemon cake EVER. Moist, flavorful, and just amazing cake. We had her do my sister's wedding too. I looked forward to that cake for months, I say. Months. It didn't disappoint. I found out a few weeks later that she just makes her own icing. She uses a cake mix. I was, to put it mildly, surprised. Cake mixes actually work pretty well. Experiment, but damn that lemon cake was good. I can have an expensive palate about a lot of things, but I could not tell the difference at all. Just learn to make really good icing.  My only exception to this is chocolate cake. I didn't care as much for the cake lady's chocolate cake. I think it's something about the quality of the cocoa; the only chocolate cake I really went for was mom's red velvet cake with dutch cocoa from Penzey's. Chocolate cake mix is a bit too "flat" in taste. Last edited by fluiddruid; 09-21-2009 at 04:08 PM.
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#23
09-21-2009, 04:17 PM
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....waiting to see if friend elbows liked my cake recipe......
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#24
09-21-2009, 05:31 PM
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Well, I have to say....
It looks like a perfectly lovely cake, came out of the pan easily, after cooling, I have just iced it. (With store bought icing. Silly me, I thought master the cake first, then worry about the icing! I must say I am surprised at the number who are recommending I use a mix. I will definitely consider it. But I'd at least like to successfully make a few from scratch first.) We will be having it with tea, very shortly! My hopes have been raised and I expect nothing but wonderfulness now! Stay tuned! Last edited by elbows; 09-21-2009 at 05:32 PM.
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#25
09-21-2009, 05:54 PM
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Quote:
1)No thanks, I don't like beer 2)Dude, there's beer in here, awesome 3)This cake is great, I can really taste the beer. If they don't know it's there, they can't taste it. Hell, even if you DO know it's there, you can't taste it...not even a little bit. It's like saying you can taste the flour in cookies.
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#26
09-21-2009, 06:09 PM
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Thank you Longhair75, it was a wonderful cake.
Very moist and delicious, chocolaty without being too sweet, very nice! I'm sorry I ever doubted you, and bow to your superior knowledge! It was most yummy with a large mug of tea, my husband enjoyed it as well. Thank you again!
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#28
09-21-2009, 06:14 PM
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I disagree with folks about cake-mix cakes. They're almost a different dessert entirely: they tend to have a much tenderer crumb and be significantly moister than most homemade cakes, but their flavor tends not to be nearly so good, by virtue of using bottom-shelf ingredients (in the case of yellow or chocolate cakes) and not using fresh ingredients (in the case of lemon and similar cakes). They're closer to candy than to high-quality cake.
I enjoy them, but they're not the same as a homemade cake IMO.
__________________
"In politics, everyone regards themselves as moderate, because they know some other sumbitch who's twice as crazy as they are." -Timothy Tyson
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#29
09-21-2009, 06:40 PM
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The Cake Mix Doctor by Anne Byrn is lots of fun to read. If anyone here liked cake from a mix and were prepared to eat each and every creation, I would bake my way through the whole book. It's all in the frosting, of course. Why IS canned frosting so foul, by the way? I mean, I know it's all chemicals and stuff, but you'd think by now 'they' would have learned to make something decent tasting instead of glop you'd put on your Betty Crocker baked in a 9x13 pan for a bunch of 8 year olds.
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#30
09-21-2009, 06:52 PM
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Quote:
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#31
09-21-2009, 07:55 PM
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About mixes:
Yes, lots of bakeries use them, and the customers are none the wiser. There are commercial-grade mixes, they're not just pulling up to Kroger and loading a case of Duncan Hines into the van. I have a relative who is a professional pastry chef -- at one time he was the highest-paid wedding-cake baker in the state -- and HE uses mixes for layer cakes. Speaking of Duncan Hines, if one is going to use a mix, that's the brand to get. If you can, get the kind that calls for you to add some real butter. That's what said relative uses. It's true, a lot of people who have only ever had mix cakes think scratch cakes are weird. It's a strange world we live in. Sarah Phillips has some scratch recipes that mimic the texture of mix cakes on her site baking911.com, but I think you have to join the site to get them now. And, it's also true, canned frosting is just not even worthy of the name. It's sweet gunk in a can.
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#32
09-21-2009, 09:07 PM
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Well then, I have to ask for icing recipes now don't I?
See I was making the cake from scratch and using store bought icing. Apparently this is not good? Now I'm unsure about starting another thread or continuing to exploit this one. I'll try here, I think, if I get no responses maybe I'll start another. So, how about it? How do you make your icing from scratch? Is it difficult or suitable for a beginner?
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#34
09-21-2009, 09:13 PM
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Peanut butter icing.
6 TB Peanut butter - creamed. Beat in 2 cups powered sugar Beat in 1/4 c milk and 1 t vanilla. Beat in 2 - 2 1/2 cups powered sugar. Add enough milk to make it into frosting (which won't be much). Another one - one cup chocolate in chunks, 1 c. cream. Heat cream. Pour over chocolate. Ganache. Whip it when cool to get frosting. Replace peanut butter with butter and you have a basic buttercream. Add some melted chocolate (late or you just get melted butter) and its chocolate frosting.
__________________
One day, in Teletubbie land, it was Tinkie Winkie's turn to wear the skirt.
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#35
09-21-2009, 10:18 PM
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Quote:
Quote:
Everything you ever wanted to know about icings & glazes Basic Buttercream from baking911.com 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening 1/2 cup butter or margarine 2 tablespoons milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 4 cups sifted confectioners sugar (approximately 1 pound) Optional: 3-4 tablespoons light corn syrup per recipe to thin for icing cake. 1. Cream butter and shortening with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. 2. Keep icing covered with a damp cloth until ready to use. 3. For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerate in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. 4. Re-whip before using. --------------------------------------- Cream Cheese Frosting from Southern Living 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup butter, softened 2 (16-ounce) packages powdered sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla extract. ------------------------------------- Ganache If you like chocolate, ganache can go either way (heh, heh). Let it cool and beat it with a mixer, and it's spreadable (if dense). Warm it up a little and pour it on, it's a glaze that sets up beautifully. http://baking911.com/chocolate/ganache_truffles.htm
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#36
09-21-2009, 10:34 PM
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This is my favourite no-fail cake recipe - I usually don't bother with the almonds
Peaches and cream cake: 1 1/2 c SR flour 3/4 c cream 3/4 c caster sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp Vanilla essence 1x425g can peach slices (drained and chopped) 110g pkt flaked almonds 1 - Sift flour into a large bowl, lightly beat in sugar, cream, eggs and vanilla with a wooden spoon until well combined. 2- Fold in peaches, pout mix into a greased and floured 23cm round cake tin. 3- Sprinkle top evenly with almonds. Bake in a moderate oven (180 degrees C) for 50-55 mins or until firm and coming away from sides of the tin. 4- Allow to cool in the tin for 5 mins. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Serve with cream. Store in an airtight container in the fridge
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#37
09-21-2009, 10:53 PM
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The cream cheese recipe I used for my cake (btw, you can't taste the coffee.. you couldn't even taste the cinnamon I'd forgotten I'd put in the coffee when I made it that morning for my morning cuppa..) was simply
8oz cream cheese 1/2 cup butter 2 cups icing sugar 1tsp vanilla extract Blend cream cheese and butter, add the icing sugar and blend until smooth and add the vanilla extract at the last. I'm not a fan of too sweet stuff myself, and it was nice and creamy IMO, a perfect compliment to the cake.
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#38
09-22-2009, 01:04 PM
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Here's a very, very simple and FAST chocolate cake that I've been baking recently.
1 1/2 cups flour 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (e.g. Fry's) 1 teaspoon baking soda (not baking powder) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup sugar 1 1/4 cups water 1/4 cup vegetable oil 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 tablespoons plain white vanilla Preheat to 375 F. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a baking pan (9-inch round, 8-inch square, or 9x6-inch rectangle). In a small bowl, combine the water, oil, and vanilla, Pour into the dry ingredients and whisk with a fork to combine. Add the vinegar and stir just until the vinegar is distributed around the batter. (The batter will change colour.) Bake for 25-30 minutes.
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#40
09-22-2009, 02:59 PM
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Quote:
The episode then goes on to teach how to make butter cream frosting.
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#41
09-23-2009, 08:52 PM
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Quote:
Last edited by matt_mcl; 09-23-2009 at 08:53 PM.
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#42
09-24-2009, 10:13 AM
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Quote:
Quote:
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#43
09-24-2009, 03:36 PM
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I STRONGLY disagree with using a box cake. I don't know what it is about them, but no matter how doctored they are the taste of box cake shines through. If you don't mind the taste of box cake then fine, but I know I'm not alone saying this.
I was at my second cousin's girlfriend's house and she served a cake, saying how long she slaved over it, and as soon as I tasted it I just knew. She'd added liquor and cherries and a really nice glaze, but it couldn't hide that flavour. I asked her if she'd started from box cake and she was shocked I could tell.
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#44
09-25-2009, 12:02 PM
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Today I baked the lemon cake Lunar Elf linked to!
And I made my own glaze! It is cooling now and promises to be a fabulous end for our dinner this evening! Thank you all for your advice and links and encouragement. (But I don't believe I'll be switching to box cakes anytime soon!) Thanks again.
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#45
09-25-2009, 12:27 PM
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Congratulations! May these be the first of many fabulous cakes that come out of your oven.
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#46
09-25-2009, 10:31 PM
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Quote:
 For reasons that totally baffle me, however, Betty Crocker and Duncan Hines have lent their name to a spackle manufacturer, who for inexplicable reasons has chosen to claim the spackle comes in "flavors". As this is sold in the grocery store, I don't trust it, and prefer to go to the hardware store for my drywall-repair needs.  Anyway - get a copy of The Cake Mix Doctor. This book has a pretty good discussion of the development of mix cakes and why they produce a pretty decent result, and are nearly fool-proof. The rest of the book is a ton of recipes that start with a cake mix, then get improved. To my sorrow, I actually haven't *made* any of the recipes, but they all look pretty good.
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