Making Cake. — Part T 1443 



does a flour containin.s: more starch and less gluten. Therefore, if bread 

 flour is used witliout beinj^ mixed with cornstarch, less floiu- than the recipe 

 calls for is needed, or else more fat than is specified should be included 

 in the cake; otherwise it may be tough and bread-like. The same con- 

 ditions would result from the use of too much pastr>' flour. If there is 

 too little flour in a calve, it will fall, because there is not enough gluten to 

 stiffen on baking and to hold the cake up. The starch in flour acts as 

 a binder. It absorbs water, thickens the cake, softens it, and gives it 

 body. 



Sugar 

 Granulated sugar 



Sugar to be used for cake should be fine-grained rather than coarse- 

 grained, since fine-grained sugar dissolves in smaller particles than does 

 coarse-grained, and thus it may be more thoroughly and easily incorporated 

 into the batter; and when fine-grained sugar is used in making cake, 

 more air is included than when coarse-grained sugar is used, and the cake 

 has a finer grain. 



Brown or powdered sugar 



If brown or powdered sugars are to be substituted for granulated sugar, 

 the substitution should be by weight instead of by measure. This is 

 because the same measure, both of brown and of powdered sugar, ^vill 

 vary greatlv in weight. If sifted and piled lightly into a measuring cup, 

 one and one third to one and one half cupful of powdered or brown sugar 

 will be required to equal one cupful of gi-anulated sugar ; while either may 

 be packed very closely into the cvip, and the weight will then approxi- 

 mately equal one cupful of granulated sugar. There is no doubt that the 

 baker's method of weighing rather than measuring ingredients for cake 

 making would improve results in the household if only the housekeeper 

 would accustom herself to the same practice. 



Sugar adds moisture to the cake. If too little sugar is used, the result- 

 ing cake may be light, but it will tend to be bread-like and coarse in texture. 

 On the other hand, too much sugar causes the cake to rise very light in 

 the oven at first, but it may fall before the baking is finished. The crumb 

 mil then be moist and sticky, and the crust will be sugary and gummy. 



Baking powders and soda 



Baking powder is a chemical preparation made from soda, an acid 

 substance, and a dr}4ng agent. When brought into contact with water 

 the acid acts on the soda, and a gas, carbon dioxid, is produced, which 

 helps to make batter and dough mixtures light. 



