Rubbish cakes

[barneyboo]

A couple of aunties of mine say that the cakes they make nowadays are not turning out the same as they used to do, even though they are using the same ingredients and following the instructions exactly the same. One of them said she had even tried changing the eggs to larger ones and using two teaspoons of baking powder but they still turned out flat. They have talked to other people who have had the same problem. Do you think that the ingredients are of inferior quality these days to be able to make them cheaper, and does anybody else out there have this problem ?. Some helpful advice would be really nice. Thankyou everybody !!!.

[$~Jeep~$]

Hi barneyboo,

Have not found any difference myself, and I bake quite a lot - biscuits and cakes.

I wonder if they have found it differs because of using fan ovens now, perhaps not getting the correct temperature?

Most cake recipes call for medium eggs, but having said that I have nearly always used large eggs (they do act as a raising agent). Lots of cakes (because of their original recipes dating back in time) advise using plain flour and (as you pointed out) using baking powder. This is used sometimes even when the recipe states Self-raising flour, but less quantity.

Hopefully somebody will hit on the reason, for you.

Jeep xxx

[JamesEverton]

Lock up the cooking sherry before letting them bake.

[Kim A]

Ask your aunties if they are making cakes with margarine or butter. All the margarines on the market now don't take too kindly to being creamed for too long - their substances break down and begin to curdle. If they are proper old baking aunties, they'll be trying to beat the sugar in with the marg until the crystals break down before adding the eggs. It cannae take it, Captain!
I usually make my cakes with butter, however, a few weeks ago, I had to make an emergency cake for someone and didn't have time to let the butter come to room temp first, so I went off and purchased a pot of Stork (the old fashioned cake-maker's fat of choice). Started the old creaming process with the sugar, whole thing went like a science project long before the sugar had dissolved. When I phoned the Stork care line, a 12 year old told me I'd beaten it too long. When I questioned this child expert, I was told that their Home Economists make cakes from it all the time and see no need to cream anything too thoroughly. Wonder where they learnt to cook? Hope that's useful (if longwinded!) Tell the aunts to go back to butter.

[$~Jeep~$]

I use both butter and Trex in all my baking. Trex has very little water added, so the amount used is 20% less than a recipe states (unless of course its from my Trex book - which is sadly disintegrating - it is so old). Have never had a problem with using both types of fat together, but I find that using caster sugar (most recipes use this) will cream quickly anyhow.

Kim : I've done just that before now, and have taken the butter solid from the freezer, measured amount needed, then zapped carefully) in the micro, so it is firm but still able to cream. Hasn't impaired baking.

Jeep xxx

[ermintrude35]

...I think it has a lot to do with the inferior quality of supermarket eggs ....