Topic: the bottom of my cake is hard


cassidyb    -- 01-04-2008 @ 6:23 AM
  can anyone help me pls and explain,as to what happened to my cake,,i noticed that the bottom of it has hard portion (spots) as if, some of the ingredients fell there and harden,,i dont know how to explain it..does anyone know the explanation of it? how can i avoid it? please help..thank you

cass


TableBread    -- 01-08-2008 @ 8:26 AM
  Cassidy,

Fear not there are some common symptoms that could be causing this.

1. Ensure that you are mixing your ingredients thoroughly but not over mixing.  You know you're there when you don't see any dry ingredients like flour.
2. What color is your cake pan?  
   - A shiny pan will reflect heat resulting in a soft or undercooked bottom.  
   - A dark pan will result in an OVERcooked bottom (sounds like this may be your problem)
   - A dull pan (silver looking but not shiny) which gives an even bake throughout

So, in short, check your pan and make sure your ingredients are good a mixed.  

Hope this helps Smile

~TableBread



My home is in the kitchen, everything else can be found here: http://tablebread.blogspot.com


swsha4    -- 01-12-2008 @ 11:59 AM
  TableS-- What kind of pans to you like best for cake baking?   I no longer use teflon at all due to all the bad news about teflon toxins.   I have been trying glass pans but the baking seems a bit different with them. I do like them though and wonder if I could adjust my times or temps to make them work better?


TableBread    -- 01-12-2008 @ 12:11 PM
  For cake baking I like using the light metallic pans.  They aren't shiny and they aren't dark gray almost black either.  

Bad: http://www.bakingshop.com/bc/img/RCPA-9.jpg
Good: http://www.pastrychef.com/assets/images/large/mini_baking_pans_large.jpg


The metal doesn't reflect the heat and at the same time doesn't absorb so much that it burns the bottom.  You can usually pick these up at any well stocked store.  Some of the stores I go to are - Michaels (a craft store), Bed,Bath, and Beyond, and Linens and Things.  These stores usually have a great selection of baking pans.

Hope this helps.




I can usually be found in the kitchen, everything else can be found here: http://tablebread.blogspot.com


swsha4    -- 01-12-2008 @ 12:19 PM
  Those photos look a bit like teflon or siverstone (same chemical) coated to me.  I wouldn't want to use them or the aluminum you showed under "bad pans".  As you most likely know aluminum also gives off toxins that are now known to be very bad.  

Sure wish there was a way to use my glass pans.  At least I know that nothing is coming off of them!    Smile


TableBread    -- 01-12-2008 @ 3:43 PM
  I guess to attempt to be even more specific - it's the COLOR that you should be looking at.  I wasn't trying to point you to a specific product.  I don't know of any specific brands that don't have some form of coating.  Again, it's the COLOR I was trying to demonstrate.

Also, the aluminum pan actually does have a purpose.  My best jelly roll pan is aluminum and I wouldn't have it any other way.

One last thing, if you absolutely cannot stand the thought of using anything other than your glass pan AND you believe that aluminum is the devil (I've personally never heard of this and when I did some research I found a 'myth' that you may be thinking of: http://www.pgacon.com/KitchenMyths.htm I refer you to the middle of the page under 'Aluminum causes Alzheimer's') then I guess you could try layering your glass pan with a sheet of aluminum and then layering the aluminum in wax or parchment paper.  Almost like creating your own non-stick pan.  Now, I have never felt the need to do this but hey, each to his/her own.

I hope this helps.  Let us know what you try.



I can usually be found in the kitchen, everything else can be found here: http://tablebread.blogspot.com


swsha4    -- 01-12-2008 @ 3:57 PM
  Don't know anything about any specific diseases such as the Alzheimer's you mentioned but with Teflon, small it turns into vapor and rather low tempertures and the amounts are getting pretty high in humans at the cellular level.  Can't be good.  With metal pans, small bits come off when cooking and are ingested.  Aluminum being a soft metal has a higher "flake off" rate.  Some metals are pretty toxic.  We all know about lead, for example.

Here is some more info on this:

http://www.rebuild-from-depression.com/blog/2007/11/cookware_reducing_toxins_in_yo.html


TableBread    -- 01-12-2008 @ 5:42 PM
  Good info to be aware of.

Well, let us know how your next cake comes out Smile

I can usually be found in the kitchen, everything else can be found here: http://tablebread.blogspot.com


cassidyb    -- 03-05-2008 @ 4:52 AM
  thank you all for the tips..i really appreciated it..it turned out that the recipe was faulty coz i tried the other cake recipe, it didnt appear hard.
anyhow,,again, i really really appreciated the replies..thank you



cass


swsha4    -- 03-05-2008 @ 7:02 AM
  And my cake turned out great too.  

I went ahead and used the glass pans and lined the pans with waxed paper and had no problem at all.  The fact that they were see through had no bearing on anything.  And when you think about it, why should it? Clear would not reflect or deflect heat, only shinny would.  

So the thickness of the pans made everything cook very evenly.  I did have to allow a couple of extra minutes, however, to allow the thick pans to warm enough to start the cooking process.

Someone told me that another option is ceramic pans.    


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