Butter problems

[Susan Mcwhinnie cakes]

Hi all, I’m just wondering if anyone has been having the same problem as myself, over the last couple of months I’ve been having some cake issues basically the butter I buy is lurpak spreadable but it seems to have been affected by the heat so it’s breaking down between getting made-stored in shops, so when I’m beating butter/sugar I notice it’s a bit wetter than normal so when I add the correct amount of eggs it turned to liquid so loosing all the air in the mix resulting in a dense dry cake instead of my usual supper soft springy cakes, just wondering if any of my fellow cakers are having the same issues? Thanks in advance xx

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Hi all, I’m just wondering if anyone has been having the same problem as myself, over the last couple of months I’ve been having some cake issues basically the butter I buy is lurpak spreadable but it seems to have been affected by the heat so it’s breaking down between getting made-stored in shops, so when I’m beating butter/sugar I notice it’s a bit wetter than normal so when I add the correct amount of eggs it turned to liquid so loosing all the air in the mix resulting in a dense dry cake instead of my usual supper soft springy cakes, just wondering if any of my fellow cakers are having the same issues? Thanks in advance xx

Welcome to the forum. My guess is the temperature of the butter. Most recipes call for room temperature butter when creaming which is incorrect. Beating causes friction heat. Too much heat and your butter will break. Below is a link to a post on the proper way to cream butter. It was written by Stella Parks, a James Beard award winning cookbook author. I have been creaming butter in this method for about 20 years; so I can attest to the accuracy of Parks method.

Sarah Phillips who has a website called Craftybaking also talks about creaming butter using cold butter. Link below.

Using butter at 65°F ( 18°C) is taught in most culinary baking programs. I don’t understand why recipes for the home baker instructs use of room temperature butter. Room temperature butter is just simply too warm to cream.

Spreadable butter is blended with oil to keep it pliable. That may also be contributing to the problem. When I need my butter to be more pliable, such as when I am laminating dough, I use Kerrygold butter. How butter is tempered in the manufacturing process will determine how pliable, hard, or brittle it is when chilled. Kerrygold has perfected the art of tempering butter to create a nice pliable butter that stays pliable when chilled.

Correct way to cream butter

https://www.seriouseats.com/2015/12/cookie-science-creaming-butter-sugar.html


Scroll down to the section title “Butter Temperature”

https://www.craftybaking.com/howto/mixing-method-creaming

 

[Susan Mcwhinnie cakes]

Welcome to the forum. My guess is the temperature of the butter. Most recipes call for room temperature butter when creaming which is incorrect. Beating causes friction heat. Too much heat and your butter will break. Below is a link to a post on the proper way to cream butter. It was written by Stella Parks, a James Beard award winning cookbook author. I have been creaming butter in this method for about 20 years; so I can attest to the accuracy of Parks method.

Sarah Phillips who has a website called Craftybaking also talks about creaming butter using cold butter. Link below.

Using butter at 65°F ( 18°C) is taught in most culinary baking programs. I don’t understand why recipes for the home baker instructs use of room temperature butter. Room temperature butter is just simply too warm to cream.

Spreadable butter is blended with oil to keep it pliable. That may also be contributing to the problem. When I need my butter to be more pliable, such as when I am laminating dough, I use Kerrygold butter. How butter is tempered in the manufacturing process will determine how pliable, hard, or brittle it is when chilled. Kerrygold has perfected the art of tempering butter to create a nice pliable butter that stays pliable when chilled.

Correct way to cream butter

https://www.seriouseats.com/2015/12/cookie-science-creaming-butter-sugar.html


Scroll down to the section title “Butter Temperature”

https://www.craftybaking.com/howto/mixing-method-creaming

Welcome to the forum. My guess is the temperature of the butter. Most recipes call for room temperature butter when creaming which is incorrect. Beating causes friction heat. Too much heat and your butter will break. Below is a link to a post on the proper way to cream butter. It was written by Stella Parks, a James Beard award winning cookbook author. I have been creaming butter in this method for about 20 years; so I can attest to the accuracy of Parks method.

Sarah Phillips who has a website called Craftybaking also talks about creaming butter using cold butter. Link below.

Using butter at 65°F ( 18°C) is taught in most culinary baking programs. I don’t understand why recipes for the home baker instructs use of room temperature butter. Room temperature butter is just simply too warm to cream.

Spreadable butter is blended with oil to keep it pliable. That may also be contributing to the problem. When I need my butter to be more pliable, such as when I am laminating dough, I use Kerrygold butter. How butter is tempered in the manufacturing process will determine how pliable, hard, or brittle it is when chilled. Kerrygold has perfected the art of tempering butter to create a nice pliable butter that stays pliable when chilled.

Correct way to cream butter

https://www.seriouseats.com/2015/12/cookie-science-creaming-butter-sugar.html


Scroll down to the section title “Butter Temperature”

https://www.craftybaking.com/howto/mixing-method-creaming

thank you

Welcome to the forum. My guess is the temperature of the butter. Most recipes call for room temperature butter when creaming which is incorrect. Beating causes friction heat. Too much heat and your butter will break. Below is a link to a post on the proper way to cream butter. It was written by Stella Parks, a James Beard award winning cookbook author. I have been creaming butter in this method for about 20 years; so I can attest to the accuracy of Parks method.

Sarah Phillips who has a website called Craftybaking also talks about creaming butter using cold butter. Link below.

Using butter at 65°F ( 18°C) is taught in most culinary baking programs. I don’t understand why recipes for the home baker instructs use of room temperature butter. Room temperature butter is just simply too warm to cream.

Spreadable butter is blended with oil to keep it pliable. That may also be contributing to the problem. When I need my butter to be more pliable, such as when I am laminating dough, I use Kerrygold butter. How butter is tempered in the manufacturing process will determine how pliable, hard, or brittle it is when chilled. Kerrygold has perfected the art of tempering butter to create a nice pliable butter that stays pliable when chilled.

Correct way to cream butter

https://www.seriouseats.com/2015/12/cookie-science-creaming-butter-sugar.html


Scroll down to the section title “Butter Temperature”

https://www.craftybaking.com/howto/mixing-method-creaming

Thank you, I actually was reading craftybaking couple of days ago, I’m really struggling and with 7 cakes this week I need everything to run as smoothly as possible ‍ My problem with the lurpak butter block is that I find that does the opposite and it’s kinda too hard so my mix seems too stiff, I added in some milk to loosen it but didn’t want to add too much or it might curdle!

I’m 90% sure it’s the butterfat gets too warm and emulsion breaks down or something along those lines but how the heck can I rectify that problem! It’s a hit or a miss to which butter has been affected Ive been doing this for a few years now and never had an issue like this and I’m getting frustrated with myself as I know my cakes need to go out perfect as I’m not wanting my valued customers going else where xx

 

[Norcalbaker59]

@Susan Mcwhinnie cakes,

Are you checking the temperature of your butter before you begin mixing? I always stick a instant read thermometer into my butter (and other ingredients) to see where I am at temperature wise before I begin to mix. I also take the temperature of my finished batters and dough to see what the finish temperature is because that is ultimately one of the most important factors. I shoot for a finished dough or batter temperature of 70°F (20°C).

That’s very strange that the spreadable Lurpak is hard given “spreadable” butter should be pliable right out of the refrigerator. If other variables remain the same (same formula, mix method, ingredients temperature, etc.) I recommend you contact Lurpak Customer Service for advice.

Given so many orders are due this week, changing the better brand isn’t a good idea. So Lurpak customer service seems like your best bet for suggestions at the moment.

I think too Stella Parks discussion and visuals on the correct way to cream butter is helpful as well. She shows the progression of how the texture and the density of the butter changes as it warms up from the friction heat and more air is trapped in the butter.

 

[Becky]

Welcome to the forum @Susan Mcwhinnie cakes

Lurpak Spreadable is a mix of butter, water, and oil - I'd recommend using pure butter instead. It has a much lower fat content (less than 60%) and I always get best results when using a high fat-content butter - ideally around 80%.

 

[Susan Mcwhinnie cakes]

@Susan Mcwhinnie cakes,

Are you checking the temperature of your butter before you begin mixing? I always stick a instant read thermometer into my butter (and other ingredients) to see where I am at temperature wise before I begin to mix. I also take the temperature of my finished batters and dough to see what the finish temperature is because that is ultimately one of the most important factors. I shoot for a finished dough or batter temperature of 70°F (20°C).

That’s very strange that the spreadable Lurpak is hard given “spreadable” butter should be pliable right out of the refrigerator. If other variables remain the same (same formula, mix method, ingredients temperature, etc.) I recommend you contact Lurpak Customer Service for advice.

Given so many orders are due this week, changing the better brand isn’t a good idea. So Lurpak customer service seems like your best bet for suggestions at the moment.

I think too Stella Parks discussion and visuals on the correct way to cream butter is helpful as well. She shows the progression of how the texture and the density of the butter changes as it warms up from the friction heat and more air is trapped in the butter.

Hi again sorry I’m just replying just been so busy but all I can say is thank you soo much after these dementing last couple of months I have finally got this problem corrected thanks to your advise! Who knew creaming could be so technical lol especially after no problem since starting my business, thanks again my thermometer is now my best friend xxxx

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Hi again sorry I’m just replying just been so busy but all I can say is thank you soo much after these dementing last couple of months I have finally got this problem corrected thanks to your advise! Who knew creaming could be so technical lol especially after no problem since starting my business, thanks again my thermometer is now my best friend xxxx

@Susan Mcwhinnie cakes,
Sorry for the delayed response I’ve been out of town and then came home with a horrific cold. So glad to hear your problem has been solved. Ingredient temperature and finish dougj and batter temperature is not discussed very much in home baking circles. Yet it is critical to a successful product;
so much so that it is standard procedure in a commercial kitchen to check the temperature of everything.

Hope you get some rest soon it sounds like you’ve really been busting it