First ever cake from scratch

[fcrosson]

My 14 year old son came home with a "Hershey's Best Loved Recipes" cookbook from the school library, and asked if I could make this cake for him.

It was called "Chocolatetown Special Cake". I said "I'll do my best, but you know cakes are not something I know how to do".

It turned out pretty well.but kind of dry. I'm hopeful that some one with some baking experience can tell me how I might have tweaked it a little to make it a little bit more moist and perhaps a little richer. The ingredients were:
1/2 Cup Cocoa
1/2 Cup boiling water
2/3 Cup shortening
1 & 3/4 Cup sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
2 Eggs
2 & 1/4 Cups AP Flour
1 & 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp.Salt
1 & 1/2 Cup Buttermilk
The buttercream frosting was pretty standard I think, and was quite good.
Any suggestions will be appreciated.
Thanks, Fred

 

[kitchenelf]

There will be a real baker come along eventually. But my very best professional opinion to make it more moist is BUY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry, I just can't bake worth a lick!!!!

We have plenty of great bakers here and a few Pastry Chef's - hang in there and check back - you'll get an answer!

 

[Swann]

In my opinion the cake should not have been dry unless it was over baked. Make sure your oven temp is accurate. Keep baking from scratch for a better product and it makes you feel more accomplished and successful. I am afraid that I am a snob when it comes to prepared foods and mixes.

 

[ChefJune]

Swann is right to remind you that you probably need an oven thermometer to check the accuracy of the oven's temp. You can't make allowances for discrepancies if you don't know they're there. Then, when baking, it's important for me, anyway, to set a timer for the correct number of minutes. I'm really good at getting busy with something else and forgetting my cake, otherwise. Even a couple of minutes too long in the oven can make all the difference between perfect and dry.

As with anything else, tho... practice makes perfect. The more cakes you bake, the more feathery light your outcome will be each and every time. and pleeeeeease, don't use a mix! Scratch takes only a few minutes longer and tastes SO much better!

 

[fcrosson]

Thanks Swann and ChefJune. I do have an oven thermometer. However I've had it for years. Might be time for a new one. I did time it, so that wasn't the problem.
I really appreciate the words of encouragement. I was really quite proud that it turned out as good as it did.
Thanks again.

 

[XeniA]

Timing doesn't replace knowing the signs of a done cake. Did you do the toothpick in the middle test and the spring-back-from-the-finger test? They're easy as can be. If you don't know them, shout.

Also, did you sift your flour and measure very carefully, or did you scoop it out from the package straight? That can make a surprising difference in texture.

Past that ... if you really want to pursue (you'll make your son very happy if you do!) move to cake flour right from the start. I've been baking cakes for years and only just tried it. I was really struck by the tender result!

Good luck. Forget the mixes. Real cakes are worth every penny and every minute.

 

[Half Baked]

What a great bonding experience. Get your son in the kitchen with you.

 

[shpj4]

Happy Wednesday

Chocolate cake is not one of my favorites but I am sure that someone will come along to help you out it.

Thank you.

Jill and Jolie

 

[ChefJune]

Chocolate cake is not one of my favorites but I am sure that someone will come along to help you out it.

Thank you.

Jill and Jolie

I thought they already did!

 

[fcrosson]

The recipe said 35 to 40 minutes 350 degrees, I did the toothpick test at 30 minutes and took it out then. I didn't sift, although I did measure carefully. Next time I will sift and use cake flour. Great tip Ayrton, thanks.

 

[Constance]

That was good advice from Ayrton. I'm sure her suggestions will give you better results. But that doesn't look like a terribly moist recipe, either.
My daughter is the cake baker in the family. She made Kim a chocolate cake for his birthday from a Hershey's recipe book, and I'm wondering if it might be the same one. Hers was very tender, and not a bit dry, but it was more of a classic chocolate cake than an extra moist type. She made homemade chocolate frosting for it though, and used plenty, just as he likes, so he was a happy camper.

 

[Bridgett]

Also, just to be picky, fluff up the flour with a fork before you measure it out. Basically then, you're getting 2 cups of aerated flour rather than 2 solid cups of compacted flour - a little less flour just means a little less heavy.

I have never cooked with shortening, but i always use butter in my cakes, and probably a little more than that recipe listed. I'm not sure about the technical function of the boiling water, but i find whole milk makes for tasty and moist cakes.

Most importantly, congratulations on your first cake - and while practice makes perfect, i'm sure as long as you enjoy baking, and your son sees that you are making such an effort for him, no one will notice or care if the cakes start off a little dry.

 

[XeniA]

... fluff up the flour with a fork before you measure it out ... /

... a little more than that recipe listed ...

Bridgett, aerating is the primary function of sifting flour. I suspect a sifter does a more thorough job than a fork, although there are forks and forks, and forkers and forkers, I'm sure!

As for the "little more" -- it's advice I'd hesitate to give a newbie. Making cakes, after all, is a formula thing like all baking, and messing about too much with a good formula is unwise, at least until you know very much what you're doing.

Fred (that you're a father baking a cake for his son fills me with endless admiration!) you've done well so far and I'm so happy to hear you're planning a next time! Since your son obviously likes chocolate, may I suggest your next attempt be a different recipe? I swear by a cake in my "Joy" which the authors as well feel is "the best chocolate cake ever." It's a slightly different procedure than the normal, a bit more time-consuming, but the results are truly superb. Let me know and I'd be happy to post (administrators: may I do so if I credit the source?)

Winter's coming. What a lovely hobby for the upcoming months!

 

[XeniA]

A couple of photos for you, Fred...

The chocolate cake is the one I'm suggesting you try next. In this photo it's all tarted up as a German Chocolate cake, one of our all-time favorites. Do you like coconut and pecans?

The other photo is a fairly recent disaster. Just thought you'd like to know that even experienced cake-bakers have lousy days!

 

[Bridgett]

Haha, i'm sure a sifter does do a more thorough job than a fork. The purpose of aerating the flour with a fok before measuring it out is just to make the measure more accurate for a lighter cake - i.e. 1 cup of aerated ("fluffed up") flour, is obviously a little less and a little lighter than one cup of compacted flour.

Of course, once this has been done, you then proceed to sift the flour for the purpose of aerating it thoroughly, and actually incorporating air into the cake.

 

[EatWell]

I've only baked a few cakes in my time (and yes, my Mom taught me to do it from scratch). After figuring out that a good cornbread deserved a little sour cream in the mix, I tried it on a chocolate cake...adding a little. Shazaam.

The fact you did this for your son is awesome. I hope my girls and I (when they're big enough) can do the same.

 

[fcrosson]

I can't begin to tell you all how much I appreciate the help and encouragement.
Ayrton, please do post the recipe.
Thanks so much everyone.
Fred

 

[XeniA]

Hi again, Fred --

Sorry it's taken me a couple of days to post this!

Below is the recipe I swear by for chocolate cake. It's from the 1975 edition of "Joy of Cooking" --

* * * *
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. / grease & flour two 9" round pans

Prepare the following custard:

Cook and stir in a double boiler, over -- not in -- boiling water:

• 2 to 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 egg yolk

Remove from the heat when thickened. Have other ingredients at about 70 degrees. Sift before measuring:

• 2 cups cake flour

Resift with:

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat until soft:

• 1/2 cup butter

Add and cream until light:

• 1 cup sifted sugar

Beat in, one at a time:

• 2 egg yolks

Add the flour to the butter mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the following mixture:

• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Stir the batter until smooth after each addition. Stir in the chocolate custard.

Whip until stiff, but not dry:

• 2 egg whites

Fold them lightly into the cake batter. Bake in greased pans about 25 minutes.

* * * *

It's just that chocolate custard step that's a bit unusual, but I swear, this is one delicious cake!

Good luck, Fred. Let me know if you make it!

 

[fcrosson]

Hi Ayrton,
Thanks for The recipe. I really think the custard step might provide the moisture and richness I was looking in the first cake, which by the way seemed to me to taste better and have a better texture a couple of days later.
Is that possible or just my wishful thinking?
I'm going to be busy with end of fiscal year / inventory stuff until after the first of the month, so it will be at least a week before I bake again.
I'm thinking of your German Chocolate treatment, or perhaps some kind of Chocolate/mint combination. Sean(my son) loves Andes Mints.
I'll let you know how it works.
Thanks, Fred

 

[Katie H]

Also, just to be picky, fluff up the flour with a fork before you measure it out. Basically then, you're getting 2 cups of aerated flour rather than 2 solid cups of compacted flour - a little less flour just means a little less heavy.


To further clarify the sifting/aerating flour issue. I cook using an electronic scale and can tell you that a cup of unsifted flour weighs in at 5 ounces. A cup of sifted flour is only 4 ounces. You can see that a full ounce of extra flour can make your end product heavier.