Baking School

For a baker, just as important as the flavor enhancements that sugar provides are the ways that sugar affects a baked good’s texture.

This is the fourth in a series of 7 “Cake Batter” classes. We’ve been using the traditional “quatre quarts” pound cake recipe as a tool to understand the baking science of cake batter. This post will explore another ingredient in cake batter, eggs. In the 3rd class we looked at one of the cake structure-builders, …

This is the third in a series of 7 “Cake Batter” classes. We’ve been using the traditional “quatre quarts” pound cake recipe as a tool to understand the baking science of cake batter. In this post we’ll look at what is arguably the most important ingredient in cake batter, flour. In the first class we …

In the first Cake Batter class we started the process of taking apart and examining the original pound cake recipe. Now we’ll learn about an important ingredient in cake batter, salt & leaveners. What’s a leavener? That’s just a name for baking powder and baking soda. They’re used in small amounts, but have a big …

This is the first in a series of 7 “Cake Batter” classes. Over the course of the series we’ll test how changes to cake batter mixing technique and ingredients can alter a cake’s taste and texture. This is how you can perfect your own recipes. Start with a base recipe, then tweak the ingredients and/or …

Learn how to make the quintessential layer cake. I’ll teach you how to build a 4 layer cake that looks professional and elegant with no wonky layers or lopsided frosting. Unlike almost every page of Baking Sense, this post is not centered on a single recipe, but rather illustrates how to assemble a beautiful 4-layer …

Have you ever wondered why vodka sauce tastes good even though you can’t taste the vodka? Why do we use alcohol to make vanilla extract? Should you even care about this if you just want to make a cake? Keep reading to find out… Sugar syrups for candy making are boiled to specific temperatures and …