Chocolate Cake From Scratch
Decorating By jdelectables Updated 26 Jan 2006 , 3:14pm by SquirrellyCakes
Hi, all ~
I made a chocolate cake from the big "Chocolate" cookbook (by Lisa Yokelson, I think). Anyway, the cake was moist, which is a first for me baking a cake from scratch!, but it is very crumbly. When I put the frosting on it, it was breaking apart. What did I do wrong?
Thanks for any help!
Julie
That's what I was trying to do when it started breaking up.
I hate to even ask, but did you let it cool completely? Really moist cakes break apart easier if they are not completely cool.
Also, I have found that using a crumb coat before icing the cake helps with the crumbling as well. If you don't like using melted apricot jam, you can make a simple syrup (I usually use one cup of sugar and a half cup of water, plus flavor). Just let it dry first. This should give you a nice "crust" that will hold the cake together while spreading your icing.
Good luck!
Yes, I did let it cool completely. I actually baked it last night and tried to frost it today.
Not sure if this recipe called for cake flour but usually cakes with cake flour have a very delicate crumb and tend to break a bit easier. But icing it the next day with most cakes, is the way to go because the cake settles down a bit and is usually easier to ice. Sometimes it is just the recipe, sometimes the cake needs a couple of minutes extra cooking time.
hugs Squirrelly
Yes, it did call for cake flour. Wonder if I could substitute all-purpose?
Julie
Yes, it did call for cake flour. Wonder if I could substitute all-purpose?
Julie
Actually, you shouldn't. People do, they have to adjust amounts but the other ingredients are geared towards using cake flour if that is what is stated so you are best off sticking with that. I am wondering if it is possible that this was a recipe that was meant to be done by ingredient weights and you went by measured weight? For example if a recipe calls for 8 ounces of flour, they mean by weight not by one cup dry measure which is dry measure of eight ounces but doesn't work out to the same thing as by weight.
Did you change the method at all or make any substitutions? For example if a recipe calls for sour cream or milk, they do not mean reduced or no fat they mean regular.
Did the cake test done? Were the sides starting to pull away or did it test clean with a toothpick inserted in the centre or whatever method they prescribed to insure it was done?
Most newer recipes are made to use large eggs, if you use extra large eggs or do not use the size of eggs they had in mind, it can effect the texture.
Did you change the type of fat it called for? The type of chocolate or cocoa?
Hugs Squirrelly
The only thing that I did differently is used both unsweetened and semi-sweet chocolate instead of all unsweetened(didn't have enough). I adjusted the sugar done a tad.
Julie
The only thing that I did differently is used both unsweetened and semi-sweet chocolate instead of all unsweetened(didn't have enough). I adjusted the sugar done a tad.
Julie
Hi Julie,
That would be enough to alter the cake. The sugar content is fairly important as is the type of chocolate you use.
Unsweetened is the purest form of chocolate being made of solid chocolate liquor. Semi-sweet chocolate has some sugar, vanilla and cocoa butter added to it. So if you switch one for the other, don't adjust your sugar content. Also, don't espect the same rich chocolate taste when you use semi-sweet in place of unsweetened because you will get far less of a chocolate taste.
Try to always use the kind of chocolate a recipe calls for, it makes a huge difference in taste. Also the addition of cocoa butter to semi-sweet alters the fat content of your recipe which can make a difference if there was a fair bit of chocolate called for.
I buy my chocolate in bulk and one time the store confused the two different kinds of chocolate and had them in the wrong bins. Well they look exactly the same so I used the semi-sweet thinking I had unsweetened. Couldn't figure out why the cake had a slightly different texture and tasted, well, not chocolatey enough. Then I tasted one of the squares and realized what had happened.
Even reducing the sugar used in a recipe by a tablespoon can alter the sugar ratio and affect texture.
Hugs Squirrelly
Thanks, Mary Lou! Baking really IS a science!!
Julie
Haha, hi Julie,
Yes it is and believe me, I have tested all of the theories, haha! Sometimes I substitute or mess around with a method and have learned that nearly all of the time, there is some sort of effect. So the folks that wrote the books about the science or chemistry of baking, actually knew what they were talking about, haha! Imagine that!
One of my favourite discoveries (mistakes) was if you forget to put the sugar in your recipe at the right point, which is usually after the butter or fat is creamed you add the sugar then the eggs, well try putting it in at the end once the flour and everything else is mixed in. You get the weirdest texture and it doesn't rise right at all.
Hugs Squirrelly
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