Page 45 - Chocolate Cake Doctor

C H O C O L A T E C A K E M I X 1 0 1 27

6. Plain chocolate mixes and pudding for layers, Bundts, tubes, and sheet
mixes bake differently. The plain mix cakes: Press lightly with your finger,
bakes up more beautifully. The and the cake should spring back.
chocolate pudding mix bakes flatter. With brownies, you must rely on
The plain mix is softer in texture, the timing. If in doubt, pull them out a
pudding mix denser and wetter. few minutes before you think they
are done.
7. Use shiny pans. If your pans are dark,
the edges of your chocolate cakes will 10. Use your nose. When chocolate cake
darken and harden as they bake. is done, it smells done. You can train
your nose to pick up on that strong
8. Don’t overbake. Cocoa has a drying effect
aroma of chocolate and cooked eggs.
on cake batters, causing them to bake
It is an intoxicating smell, and you
more quickly. Be cautious. Get to know
will remember it all your life. In fact,
your oven, whether it underbakes or
researchers have found that students
overbakes. Use a kitchen timer or write
exposed to the smell of chocolate
down the exact time the cake went in the
while studying for exams can then
oven. A dry chocolate cake will not taste
recall the material better if they are
as delicious as a moist chocolate cake.
exposed to the smell of chocolate
9. You can’t rely on visual doneness as while taking the exam. SATs in pastry
easily with chocolate cakes. They don’t kitchens, perhaps?
turn golden brown, and by the time the
layers pull away from the sides of the
pan, they might be overdone. The
fingertip press test is most reliable

deluxe.” Does this mean it contains pud- The doctoring improves the flavor, but a
ding in the mix? lot of times the crumb is too smooth and
A. Duncan Hines cake mixes do not con- the cake is almost too moist.
tain pudding, even though the label says A. Substitute butter for vegetable oil.
“moist.” Increase the amount of fat in the recipe.
The cake will be a bit flatter, but the crumb
Q. What is the best way to get a crumb should be heavier. Also, omit the sugar in
that closely resembles a homemade cake? the recipes, as sugar acts as a tenderizer.