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Do you use simple syrup?

post #1 of 20
8/17/12 at 8:37pm
Thread Starter 
I recently watched an online tutorial in which the guy squirted each layer of his cake with simple syrup out of a sauce bottle to 'keep it moist'.
I had never heard of this. So was wondering how many people do??? On all types of cake?? Does it make a great difference??
TIA
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post #2 of 20
8/17/12 at 9:00pm
Only if my cake is DRY--which it ISN'T, so, no................

I've seen that same video........I spent a lot of my time shaking my head and cursing at the laptop screen........... icon_confused.gif Too much cutting and squirting for my tastes.............

Seems to me that if you make a nice, moist cake, then you eliminate the steps of having to boil sugar water down until it's syrupy and then having to squirt it onto the cake.

JMHO
Rae
I love you, but your emergency is not my crisis!

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.--Terry Pratchett (b.194
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I love you, but your emergency is not my crisis!

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.--Terry Pratchett (b.194
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post #3 of 20
8/17/12 at 9:04pm
Thread Starter 
That's kinda what I thought too blakecakes. If your cake is that dry, wouldn't u fix the recipe?? Just thought I may have been missing something??
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post #4 of 20
8/17/12 at 9:14pm
No, you didn't miss a thing.

He was working on a very dense, very dry cake. Without the simple syrup, it would have been like sawdust.

Certain recipes (mostly scratch--DON'T FLAME ME because we all know it's true) need an infusion of moisture after baking. With simple syrup, you can add the moisture and also bump up, or even change, the flavor of the cake.

It's a useful tool in the arsenal.

I had to use it once on a cake (I bake doctored mixes) that came out a bit dry. I didn't have time to re-bake, so I made up some vanilla simple syrup and it did the job. But, that was the exception and not the rule.

If you use simple syrup, use a light hand--squirt on a little in circles (like the video) or use a pastry brush to paint it on. A little goes a long way. Too much and your cake is mush.

HTH
Rae
I love you, but your emergency is not my crisis!

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.--Terry Pratchett (b.194
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I love you, but your emergency is not my crisis!

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.--Terry Pratchett (b.194
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post #5 of 20
8/17/12 at 9:22pm
I hobby bake doctored cake mixes and the ingredients in the dry base of the cake mix keep my cakes from being dry. By the time I add extra egg(s), sour cream and/or pudding mix, and whatever else I'm throwing in, they stay lovely and moist.

I tried spritzing simple syrup once. The overspray left a film of sugar on about a 3 foot swath of my kitchen, cabinets, and floor. There was ZERO difference in the taste of the cake. That was it for me.

I only do specific scratch recipes once in a while, and since they are my "tried and true", they are moist and don't need simple syrup either.
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post #6 of 20
8/17/12 at 9:27pm
Thread Starter 
Hmmmm another question. What are doctored mixes? Sorry to sound dumb!
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post #7 of 20
8/17/12 at 9:36pm
Box mixes to which additional ingredients are added.

Go to the recipes section and search WASC. It's a basic doctored recipe that many of us use. It's my standard.

Rae
I love you, but your emergency is not my crisis!

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.--Terry Pratchett (b.194
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I love you, but your emergency is not my crisis!

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.--Terry Pratchett (b.194
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post #8 of 20
8/18/12 at 4:01am
I use it to adhere my fondant to my ganache or fruitcake.

I only bake from scratch and don't have dry cakes , if your scratch cakes are dry , you need to have a look at your baking times or perhaps your recipe.

I too looked at the video , I believe you are talking about and couldn't believe the waste of cake and time with all the cutting down etc. I finished watching it and decided that I will stick to ganache and fondant.
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post #9 of 20
8/18/12 at 7:19am
I agree with the prior posts that simple syrup is not needed for moistness if you have a good cake recipe. I occasionally use simple syrup for additional flavor. Citrus juices, liqueurs (love Godiva chocolate, white chocolate and caramel liqueurs) , flavored rums (pineapple, coconut, banana) , vanilla and other extracts, can all be added to simple syrup. When brushed lightly over the cake layers it can really add a boost of flavor.
I'd rather be baking!
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I'd rather be baking!
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post #10 of 20
8/18/12 at 8:01am
I want to know if anyone has brushed it on cupcakes to keep them fresh longer?
Of course chocolate is the answer!
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Of course chocolate is the answer!
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post #11 of 20
8/18/12 at 8:25am
You don't need it if your cake is good, but it enhances flavors if you do put other things into it.
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http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/acaketoremember
http://www.youtube.com/karabuntin
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post #12 of 20
8/18/12 at 11:21am
OTOH, I use simple syrup on every cake, every time. It's what I was taught in culinary school and NO my cakes do not come out dry, and I DO bake from scratch. It just gives a little punch of flavor.
Answers to the most often asked questions re: SPS. SPS instructions are on Page 15 of the Sticky at the top of the Cake Decorating Forum. Supplies can be ordered from Oasis Supply, Global or BakeryCrafts.
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Answers to the most often asked questions re: SPS. SPS instructions are on Page 15 of the Sticky at the top of the Cake Decorating Forum. Supplies can be ordered from Oasis Supply, Global or BakeryCrafts.
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post #13 of 20
8/18/12 at 11:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by leah_s

OTOH, I use simple syrup on every cake, every time. It's what I was taught in culinary school and NO my cakes do not come out dry, and I DO bake from scratch. It just gives a little punch of flavor.



We did that in culinary school too.
http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com
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http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/acaketoremember
http://www.youtube.com/karabuntin
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post #14 of 20
8/18/12 at 7:32pm
I do it on cakes that were baked specifically to handle a syrup. It adds another depth of flavor, not moisture. Actually, the cake should be less moist if a simple syrup is a planned addition.

If the cake is dry, a new recipe or method is needed, not syrup.

I understand using it on every cake, but I doubt experienced bakers like leah_s are doing it to hide bad cake, but more as a planned, integral part of the total cake taste and texture.

For cupcakes, I often brush full strength liqueurs on the top. It's a great way to add flavor. But again, it is not used to fix a problem recipe or overbaked cake.
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post #15 of 20
8/18/12 at 7:53pm
Thread Starter 
Think I'll have to do some experiments! Do you add the liqueur/ flavour to the syrup once it's made? And is there a sugar/ water ratio to follow?
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