BPA 100: Pound Cake, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Pain d'Epice

BPA 100
Day 9, Wednesday
11.12.2008

Marble Pound Cake, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Pain d’Epice

Pound Cake – ½ recipe
Full recipe in Friberg

3 eggs
3 egg yolks
1.5 tsp vanilla
1.5 tsp water
228 g butter
255 g vanilla sugar/ granulated sugar
½ tsp salt
7 oz cake flour1 oz cocoa powder plus 1 oz water

This cake calls for the creaming method. There is no leavening agent in the cake, it is achieved by air/mechanical leavening/ creaming. It takes time and is not something to be rushed. Be sure the butter is softened and the eggs are at room temperature. Begin on speed 1 then add the sugar. You can use vanilla or plain granulated sugar. Vanilla sugar can be made by storing scraped vanilla beans in sugar for a couple of weeks. This adds great flavor to the sugar. It can also be done with herbs or mint.

Have the whole eggs, yolks, water, and vanilla extract whisked together. The mixture will need to cream for at least 10 minutes. A traditional pound cake takes 1 lb of eggs, 1 lb of sugar, and 1 lb of flour. This recipe has extra egg yolks which give it a nicer mouth feel and a richer flavor. Add the salt into the sifted flour or the butter; it is best to put it in right away as to not forget it. Scrape the bowl frequently to make sure everything is incorporated. In a small bowl combine the cocoa powder and water to make a paste. Use a sieve if there are any lumps. This will be used for the marbling effect in the cake.

When the butter is light and fluffy move it up to speed 2 and slowly add the eggs. It will take 5 or 6 additions, starting with a small amount and more as you go along. The sugar will begin dissolving with the addition of the eggs. The mixture should be smooth and fluffy.

It can be moved to speed 3 if it starts to split, or add 1 tsp of flour to absorb some of the excess moisture. The slow addition of the eggs should take around 20 minutes. When it is done sprinkle the flour in and cut and fold the mixture.

Add 1/3 of the batter to the cocoa paste. There should be no lumps and it should have a dark cocoa color and enough batter to keep it light in the cake. the bottom 1/3 of the way up with batter. Spread the batter to the sides creating a space in the middle for the cocoa batter mixture.

The consistency of the two mixtures should be similar. Top the pan with the remaining white batter ¾ of the way to the top. Moisten a fork with water or oil and with a corkscrew motion twist the fork through the cake, top to bottom, forward and back.

The cakes took around 1 hour to bake at 350 degrees F. Watch it closely and after around 25 minutes a thin crust will form on top, using an oiled paring knife, dock the cake by slicing the crust right down the middle. This will release some of the pressure and air that has been building in the cake while baking. Keep and eye on the cake, when it has a nice golden crust and a caramel smell, test it with a skewer. It should come out with a couple of moist crumbs on it; some light carry over baking will occur so it is best to take it out before it becomes dry.

Tips for a nice poundcake:
-Do not over cream the butter
-Do not use very soft butter
-Fold lightly
-Add enough water to cocoa to make the paste and add enough batter for similar consistencies
-Double pan if the cake is taking longer than 1 hr to bake
-Cover the top with foil if the color is getting to dark

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

3 oz butter
5 oz light brown sugar
3.5 oz butter
7 oz sugar
1.5 eggs
1.5 tsp vanilla
8 oz cake flour
210 ml of milk
1 T baking powder½ of a pineapple

This cake uses the creaming method and will finish with alternating dry and liquid ingredients. Combine the 3 oz of butter and 5 oz of brown sugar and spread into the bottom of the cake pan with an offset spatula. Clean, core, and slice the pineapple.

Arrange the slices on top of the butter brown sugar mixture, slightly overlapping to cover the base of the pan.

For the batter, cream the butter and sugar. Slowly add the eggs and vanilla. Sift the flour and baking powder and add the salt. Begin by adding a small amount of flour, then some of the milk, and continue until both are finished. Pour the batter over the pineapple.

Bake at 375 degrees F.

Pain d’Epice

50% pastry flour
50% rye flour
.6% salt
3.0% baking soda
1.5% baking powder
1.25% ground ginger
.6% cinnamon
.3% ground cloves
1.25% anise
1.25% orange rind
20% currants
75% honey
50% water, hot
25% butter

Yields 2 lbs= 32 oz
Total = 279.75%
32/ 279.75= Conversion Factor= .114
Multiply all percentages by .114 to find weight in oz of each ingredient

5.7 oz pastry flour
5.7 oz rye flour
.068 oz salt/ 1.92 g salt
.342 oz baking soda/ 9.7 g baking soda
.171 oz baking powder/ 4.8 g baking powder
.1425 oz ginger/ 4 g ginger
.0684 oz cinnamon/ 1.9 g cinnamon
.0342 oz cloves/ .97 oz cloves
.1425 oz anise/ 4 g anise
.1425 oz orange rind/ 4 g orange rind
2.28 oz currants/ 64.6 g currants
8.55 oz honey
5.7 oz hot water
2.85 oz butter/ 80.8 g butter

This cake will be made using the well muffin method. Sift the flours, leaveners, and spices together over parchment. Melt the butter slightly and mix with the hot water and honey. Create a well in the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients.

Add the honey, butter, and water mixture and fold lightly until just incorporated. Fold in the currants and orange rind.

Pour into a sprayed loaf pan and bake at 375 degrees F. It will take around an hour to bake. Check with a skewer for moist crumbs.