Chocolate Cake, Devil Food Cake, Sacher Torte

Today was the first day of my Intro to Pastry class. Pretty much what this class is going to be is like cake baking 101, and then after we learn how to bake different kind of cakes and mouses and put them together we take a cake decorating 101 class for 5 weeks. So not only were my hopes of eating cake after class with a glass of wine ruined, but I found out that for the next five weeks we do everything in weekly stages and then all of a sudden I'll have to throw a cake eating party on Friday or Saturday night! Not exactly the worst thing in the world..... Today we made three different types of cakes which had different kinds of fats in them so we could see how different fats are handled in baking. The cakes were a Chocolate Cake, Devil Food Cake, and Sacher (a german cake named after the founder..) We did each of these cakes in different methods of preparation (MOP), so each separate cake formula will be categorized by the MOP.

Things that I learned today when making these cakes, but that apply to all of the cakes: The quick way for determining that a cake is done is by touching it with your hand and if the cake springs back and looks firm its done (faster and cooler then the tooth pick technique). Bakeshops sometimes use water and milk powder instead of milk because it is much cheaper and less perishable then milk, doesnt have the same quality of taste though. If you are using vanilla extract you must scale this with your eggs or milk, if you leave it scaled by itself the alcohol will start evaporating before you use it.


One-Stage (Chocolate Cake), panned in cupcake tins.
This is a variation of the one stage yellow cake which is a common cake that is used in professional bake shops because it is quick to produce. This formula calls for liquid shortening which can not be substituted because of its consistency and how the shortening coats the gluten is not replicated with butter. Liquid shortening is often used only for cakes because of this characteristic.

Formula: yields 2.5 lb
12 oz. (150%) Whole eggs
5 oz. (62.5%) Milk
5 oz. (62.5% ) High-ratio liquid shortening
1/2 oz. (6.25% ) Vanilla extract
11 oz. (137.5% ) Sugar
5 oz. (81.25% ) Cake flour
1.5 oz. (18.75%) Natural cocoa powder
0.25 oz. (3% ) Baking powder
0.12 oz. (1.5% ) Baking soda
0.25 oz. (3% ) Salt

*In baker's percentages, substitute natural (not Dutched) cocoa powder for part of the flour, so the flour and cocoa together total 100%
** This formula is from Gisslen, Professional Baking, Ed. 5, Pg. 405

MOP: one-stage
Put eggs and fluid shortening into Kitchenaide mixing bowl. Combine and sift dry ingredients (flour, leaveners, cocoa), add the sifted dry ingredients on top in mixing bowl. Put sugar on top. Use whisk attachment on low speed, after it starts to incorporate stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Put the machine into high speed and mix for one minute (to emulsify the shortening). Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl, return the mixer into 1st speed and slowly trickle down the milk on the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed back to a high speed and let it mix for another 6 minutes.


While this is mixing spray your pan (muffin tin) and then put liners in each hole. Spraying before you put the liners in helps to get off any excess batter that might have stuck to the pan.

Stop the mixer and use a portion scoop (a 20 scoop works perfectly) to fill the tins 3/4 of the way up.
Bake at 350° F in a convection oven (325° F in a conventional oven) until done.



Two-Stage Mixing Method (Devil Food Cake), in 9" pan
*This method was the Chef Mark way of doing the two-stage method, with time is money and production in mind.

Formula: yields 1 lb 14 oz.
6 oz. (100%) Cake flour
1 oz. (17%) Cocoa
0.12 oz. (2%) Salt
0.18 oz. (3%) Baking powder
0.12 oz. (2%) Baking soda
3.5 oz. (58%) Emulsified shortening
8 oz. (133%) Sugar
4 oz. (67%) Milk
0.09 oz. (1/2 tsp) (1.5%) Vanilla extract
3 oz. (50%) Milk
4 oz. (67%) Eggs

*Milk should be skim but can use whole instead
**Emulsified shortening can be replaced for butter but you would have to adjust the milk and butter slightly.
*** This formula is from Gisslen, Professional Baking, Ed. 5, Pg. 404


MOP: fast two-stage
Combine all "wet" ingredients except eggs.
Put Flour, leaveners, cocoa, salt (dry ingredients), sugar, and shortening into mixing bowl. Use the pedal attachment and mix on first speed. You want to mix it until the shortening starts to break up (like in the picture to the right), add a little bit of milk into the mixture at this time. It should start to look darker and more "cakey" immediately. Increase the speed to 4th speed on the Kitchenaide (2 on the Hobart).
Combine the eggs, milk, and vanilla. Turn the machine down to first speed and add half of the wet mixture in. Increase the speed to 4 briefly to incorporate the wet ingredients and then turn it down to scrape down the bowl. Return the machine to fourth speed and let it mix for 2-3 minutes.
While you are waiting for it to mix you can prepare the cake pan with spray and then a circular parchment paper on the bottom.
After 2-3 minutes turn down the machine and scrape down the bowl. Taste it to make sure the balance is right. Put it back in first speed and add the rest of the wet ingredients. Mix briefly, to incorporate, scrape down bowl before putting it into fourth speed for another 3 minutes.


Pan immediately. You can knock down the pan to get it to be a little more flat.
Bake at 350° F in a convection oven (325°F in a conventional oven)





Modified Creaming Method: Sacher Torte, in 10" pan
Sachertotorte: The classic chocolate cake Sachertorte originated at the Hotel Sacher, an elegant hotel built in 1876, directly across the street from the Vienna Opera House. The cake became so popular that many bakers tried to imitate it, even though the hotel kept the original formula a secret. As a result, there are many recipes claiming to be authentic. Of course, the original is still available on the menue at the Hotel Sacher. Astrians serve the cake with a generous portion of unsweetened whipped cream because the texture is somewhat dry. (Gisslen, Pg. 403)

Formula: yields 1 lb 8 oz.
4.5 oz. (337%) Butter, softened
3.67 oz. (275%) Fine granulated sugar
4 oz. (300%) Egg yolks
6 oz. (450%) Egg whites
2 oz. (150%) Fine granulated sugar
1.33 oz. (100%) Cake flour
1.33 oz. (100%) Cocoa powder
1.75oz. (137%) Powdered almonds, toasted

*If you are leaving the misenplace out for any amount of time wrap the egg yolks so it doesn't form a film.
**This formula is from Gisslen, Professional Baking, Ed. 5, Pg. 402

MOP: modified creaming method
Place larger portion of sugar 3.67 oz.) in mixing bowl, add softened butter in bits (if butter is not soft you can pre mix it to heat it up, you can whack it with a rolling pin to soften it, or you can put it in a proof/hot box quickly to soften it..). Start creaming the ingredients until the mixture starts to pick up on the sides of the mixing bowl. Stop the mixer and scrape the mixture down. Put on medium speed and turn the timer on to 7 minutes. Begin to add eggs in three stages, if you add it too fast the batter will not emulsify. When eggs are incorporated continue mixing until the seven minutes are up.

While it is mixing sift cocoa and cake flour together. Also prepare your cake pan with spray and parchment circle on the bottom. When it is done mixing, remove the mixing bowl and set fold in the dry sifted dry ingredients and the almond flour by hand.

In a separate very clean mixing bowl add egg white and smaller portion of sugar (2 oz.). Use whisk attachment and whisk until mixture reaches a medium peak (medium peak means its still but when you hold the mixture up it bends slightly off the whisk).

Fold the egg whites into the batter with your hands until it is fully incorporated, should look a little lumpy because of the un sifted almond flour. Pan the batter in a greased pan, smooth it out with your fingers or spatula. Do not knock down as you will disturb the leavening agent (whipped egg whites).



Bake in a 325°F convection oven (300°F conventional)