Sponge cake texture

[thebrowns10]

Hi I am new to group. I treated myself to Kenwood electric mixer (model MultiOne) as I had been using an electric hand mixer and my sponges were great, but my sponges since using new electric stand mixer definitely denser, any tips and secrets to get really light sponges using my new machine please, thanks

 

[Becky]

Welcome to the forum! It's odd that your sponges are denser from using the new mixer, I presume you're using the same recipe? Make sure you cream the butter and sugar together first thoroughly, you want it to be light and fluffy before adding the eggs (one by one). When you add the flour you need to be careful not to overmix, which is easier said than done with a mixer. Too much mixing once the flour is added will build up the gluten, which is something you want to avoid with cakes.

On a related note, what do you think of the MultiOne? I've been tempted by it myself, but I was put off by the fact that the food processor attachment is quite small.

 

[thebrowns10]

Hi I am new to group. I treated myself to Kenwood electric mixer (model MultiOne) as I had been using an electric hand mixer and my sponges were great, but my sponges since using new electric stand mixer definitely denser, any tips and secrets to get really light sponges using my new machine please, thanks

Welcome to the forum! It's odd that your sponges are denser from using the new mixer, I presume you're using the same recipe? Make sure you cream the butter and sugar together first thoroughly, you want it to be light and fluffy before adding the eggs (one by one). When you add the flour you need to be careful not to overmix, which is easier said than done with a mixer. Too much mixing once the flour is added will build up the gluten, which is something you want to avoid with cakes.

On a related note, what do you think of the MultiOne? I've been tempted by it myself, but I was put off by the fact that the food processor attachment is quite small.

Thanks for your reply, will keep trying, sorry I haven’t used the processor yet, I suppose it depends on how much you would use and what exactly you would use it for, thanks for taking the time to reply.

 

[Flo Fennel]

Hello I'm new here too. I've started making cakes so invested in a Kenwood, but I can't get it right - not sure how long to mix! Any advice please?

 

[Becky]

Thanks for your reply, will keep trying

Great, let us know how you get on!

Hello I'm new here too. I've started making cakes so invested in a Kenwood, but I can't get it right - not sure how long to mix! Any advice please?

There is some useful advice in this article - it's about cookies, but the principle for creaming butter and sugar together are the same for cakes too:

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

You want to cream them together for long enough that it is visibly lighter, and the texture should be a lot fluffier than when you start.

Here is the video that accompanies the article:

Let us know if you have any questions about it!

 

[Flo Fennel]

Thank you Becky, but what about all in one cakes?

 

[Becky]

All in one cakes won't be able to achieve the same kind of mechanical leavening you get from creaming butter and sugar alone, so I presume that the recipes compensate by increasing the raising agent. It's also easy to overwork the gluten in the flour with the all in one method. I'm not keen on them to be honest, I'd much rather do things the traditional way, it's easier to get a good result.

 

[Flo Fennel]

Thanks Becky

 

[Mrs Mosey]

Hi I am new to group. I treated myself to Kenwood electric mixer (model MultiOne) as I had been using an electric hand mixer and my sponges were great, but my sponges since using new electric stand mixer definitely denser, any tips and secrets to get really light sponges using my new machine please, thanks

Just a thought, could you maybe overbeating?

 

[Becky]

Just a thought, could you maybe overbeating?

Yep that's a good point, overworking the gluten can make a cake dense.

 

[BakingApprentice19]

Cake batter sux but such a great reward