It's Time to Bake a Cake and I Don't Know What to Do!

I have always wanted to explain the "correct" way of using this phrase. I learned in college English class that the usual phrase is incorrect, so, from wsu.edu comes the reason why it's incorrect:

The most popular form of this saying-"You can't have your cake and eat it too"- confuses many people because they mistakenly suppose the word "have" means "eat," as in "Have a piece of cake for dessert." A more logical version of this saying is "You can't eat your cake and have it too," meaning that if you eat your cake you won't have it any more. The point is that if you eat your cake right now you won't have it to eat later. "Have" means "possess" in this context, not "eat."

There now, did that explain anything or are you more confused? Then there's always the phrase that got Marie Antoinette beheaded. When she was informed that her countrymen, women and children were starving because they had no bread to eat, she replied, "Then let them eat cake." Now for more explanation: When Queen Marie was sitting on her royal throne she was oblivious to the fact that her people were not doing so well. There had been a poor harvest hence there wasn't much wheat to be ground into flour to be made into bread. However, for some reason known only to the french---cake was a worse way to get nutrition than was bread. Now I'm confused, if they couldn't make bread why could they make cake? Anyway, to this day, there is a debate as to whether or not Marie Antoinette actually said those words. I guess it doesn't matter if she said them or not, the lady did indeed lose her head.

There are wonderful cake mixes on the market---mixes that make light as a feather angel food or the always popular devil's food. Either way they taste pretty good. If you're like me, once in a while (or almost all the time) you like to start a cake from scratch and make a really special cake. Or, you want to make a cake that is a family favorite like a loaf cake or pound cake which are always better by scratch. If you have a pantry stocked with baking ingredients it only makes sense to use them and save yourself a trip to the store.

Every baker has a few secrets. The first thing you need is a tried and true recipe; something handed down from generation to generation because a good cake is never a hit or miss affair. The finest of ingredients must go into its making--cake flour or a reliable all-purpose flour, depending on the recipe, fresh eggs and high quality shortening or butter, and so on. All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Your grandma or great-grandma may have used a regular tea-cup or a coffee-cup for measuring, but remember, she always used the same cup. Today there is no excuse for haphazard measurements. Standardized measuring cups and spoons are available everywhere. It is important to know the correct way to use these measurer's.

* Always, always, always read the complete recipe carefully; be sure you understand it before you proceed. If you don't understand, call mom or grandma and yell "Help!"

* Mix ingredients according to directions of the specific recipe. If a recipe says to stir, beat, cream, whip or fold in, that is what you do.

* Always sift flour before measuring. Then spoon gently into the cup and level it off with a spatula or the straight edge of a butter knife. Sift again with the baking powder and salt.

* Dip a measuring spoon into dry ingredients called for, then level off.

* Press brown sugar firmly into the cup when measuring.

* Nested cups are helpful when measuring fractions of cupfuls.

* Press shortening or peanut butter firmly into the measure, being careful to not leave any air spaces and level off. Or use the old fashioned water-displacement method. For example: to measure 1/2 cup shortening, fill cup 1/2 full of cold water; add shortening until water rises to 1 cup level; then drain off all the water. (Personally, I have never used the water method.)

* To measure liquids, set the cup on a level surface and pour in the liquid until it reaches the correct mark. A cup with the 1-cup mark below the rim is best for measuring liquids.

* Measure all ingredients and set the oven for correct temperature before you begin to mix.

* Use the size of pan recommended in the recipe. And follow directions for oven temperature and baking time.

* A cake will rise during baking so the pans should not be filled more than two-thirds full. Spread the batter evenly in the pan. For layers and cupcakes be sure the batter is divided evenly among the pans.

* Place the pans in the carefully controlled preheated oven, as near to the center as possible and away from the sides. Also, don't place the pans directly under each other. If necessary, stagger the pans on two shelves. There should be plenty of space around each pan for complete circulation of heat. Check to make sure the oven temperature is accurate and correctly set.

* Regardless of the time given in the recipe always test the cake for doneness. Test the cake near the end of the baking time given in the recipe. The easiest way is to lightly press the center of the cake. If the cake springs back and has pulled slightly away from the edges of the pan, it is done. (I always check at the least amount of time. For instance if it says to bake for 30 to 35 minutes, I will test the cake at 30 minutes.)

* Follow the specific instructions given for removing the cake from the pans. Upon removing the cake from the oven, place the pan on a wire cake rack. Let it stand and cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes. Then, carefully loosen the cake from the edges of the pan. Place the cake rack over the top of the cake and invert (turn upside down) quickly. Leave the cake on the rack to cool completely. If a warm cake is placed on a board or plate the bottom will become soggy. If wax paper or parchment paper was used to line the pan, remove it from the cake.

* Cool the cake completely before frosting it (unless it's a frosting that is poured on the warm cake---remember check the recipe and do what it instructs.) If cakes are frosted while still warm, they absorb too much frosting and become soggy. To frost, brush off loose crumbs and place bottom sides together with filling and frosting. Cover the sides first then the top, spreading frosting to the edges with a light swirling motion.

Pumpkin Cake:

2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsps cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 cup butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg and 2 egg yolks, unbeaten
3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk
3/4 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

Measure sifted flour, add baking powder, salt, soda and spices. Sift together 3 times. Cream butter, add sugars gradually and cream well. Add egg and egg yolks, one at a time, beating until light. Add flour alternately with buttermilk, in small amounts, beating after each addition until smooth. Add pumpkin and nuts; mix well. Bake in 2 round 8 inch layer pans lined on the bottoms with paper, in 350 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until done. Cool completely and frost with fluffy frosting tinted orange. Garnish with small flowers.

There are more cake recipes at ruddysrecipes.blogspot.com