Welcome to class #6 of 7 in the “Cake Batter” course. We’ve been using the traditional “quatre quarts” pound cake recipe as a tool to understand the science of cake batter.
This post will explore another ingredient in cake batter, butter.
Pound cakes made with butter, shortening and oil
After experimenting with mixing technique and how to use salt and leavening to improve the cake texture and flavor, we began to look at each of the core ingredients of the basic pound cake and their respective roles in cake batter – butter and other fats is the subject of this class.
To learn general information about the science of butter and other fats please visit the Baking Ingredients – Butter & Other Fats page. This class is specifically about butter and fats in pound cake batter.
The ingredients that strengthen the cake structure (flour and eggs) need to be balanced with the ingredients that weaken the cake structure (sugar and fat).
To create a moist, sweet and tender cake that bakes up with a nice even crumb the four main ingredients have to work together.
In classes 3 & 4 we looked at the two structure builders, flour and eggs. Class 5 was all about one of the tenderizers, sugar.
Now we’ll learn about the other tenderizer, butter (and other fats).
Fat is a Tenderizer in Cake Batter
Fat acts as a tenderizer in cake batter. First, because it adds moisture and richness to the cake and, second, because fat interferes with gluten formation in the flour and with coagulation of the eggs.
Solid fats, like butter and shortening, are also the vehicle for creating air pockets in the cake batter. A light and airy cake will fall apart more easily in your mouth, which creates an impression of tenderness.
The three main fats used in cake batter are butter, shortening and oil. Certain fruit purees can also used to replace some or all of the fat in some cake recipes.
Lets look at each and find out the advantages and disadvantages.
Testing Butter in cake Batter:
So, I went back to the kitchen for more pound cake testing. I baked 5 pound cakes using various amounts of butter, shortening and vegetable oil. Otherwise I kept to the traditional quatre quarts recipe, using of 8 oz of each ingredient.
You can see from the shape of each cake slice that the cakes rose differently.
So, as I pretty much already knew even before running the tests, for a pound cake, butter is the only way to go.
Using oil, shortening and even fruit purees can work in other cake recipes, but not for pound cake.
When we’re done experimenting with all the ingredients for this “cake batter” course, we’ll use all we’ve learned to create Pound Cake Perfection.
In This comprehensive post about creating a great cake recipe you’ll find the perfected pound cake recipe, and lots of great information to help you adapt and create your own cake recipes.
Mixing Methods
Salt & Leaveners
Flour in Cake Batter
Eggs in Cake Batter
Sugar in Cake Batter
Paul Gardner
Greetings! I was talking with my wife and telling her that I’ve never been satisfied with the pound cakes I’ve baked. There’s always something wrong with them. I told her I wanted to “gain a name” for baking the best pound cake in the neighborhood. She reminded me that at my age (73), just being known to be alive and breathing is accomplishment enough. Anyway, I started looking on the web for helpful hints and found your website. I went through the 7 lessons, and today, being as careful as I could, I weighed out everything by grams and baked my first pound cake using your recipe. It is one of the best cakes I’ve made, and I wanted to thank you for putting the lessons and recipe together. A few more cakes and I’ll have the basics down, then I’m going to start experimenting. One quick question, is there someplace on your site that would give me some guidelines in adding fruit and cream cheese to a pound cake recipe? That’s one cake I’d love to bake.
Thank you again, you’ve made this old duffer a happy camper.
Eileen Gray
Hi Paul, glad you’re enjoying baking at 73 years young. As far as adding in fruit and cream cheese; Cream cheese is pretty. At some point I do plan to post a cream cheese pound cake recipe, just haven’t had time to do the testing yet. But I would start with the butter and milk in the Perfect Pound Cake recipe. Replacing some of the butter and the milk with cream cheese would be the place to start. Fruit is a bit trickier since you’re adding water, acid, fiber and other stuff. Something like blueberries is easy since you can just fold them in. But I’ve had a devil of a time adding something like strawberries or peaches, which have lot and lots of water.
Celia Repucci
Hi Eileen, I recently baked my first sourdough bread from my own starter following your directions. The taste was fabulous but I was disappointed in it’s rising. The bread was moist and kind of flat. I was wondering what you think I did wrong. Also I was wondering about the initial kneading of the bread with the hook. How long should I be kneading the bread initially. I took a bread course before that instructed me to stretch the dough and it should form a window that does not break. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. I love your teaching and recipes. Celia
Eunixe
I have found cake recipes using 35% fat whipping cream… how is this compared to butter and cake texture?? Thanks
Eileen
As long as the recipe is balanced, adding whipped cream can give a cake a lovely texture. I use whipped cream in my Strawberries & Cream Bundt cake.
Aidan
How does the cake react to salted vs unsalted butter?
Eileen
There wouldn’t be much of a difference, but I would omit the salt in the recipe since there is salt in the butter.