Preparation
Collect the
utensils
needed
Start making
the cake
Arrange the
oven shelves
in the right
position
Preheat the
oven to the
required
temperature
Measure the
ingredients
Prepare the
cake tin
Use of
raising agents
What are raising agents?
• Substances that help flour rise.
• Usually used in making cakes, buns or
bread to make them light, tasty and easy
to digest.
• Types include air, steam and chemical
raising agents.
Air
Moisture
Chemical
raising agents
Video
Principles:
Air
Moisture
Chemical
raising agents
Air expands when
heated, thus pushing
the flour mixture up
and making it light in
texture.
We can incorporate air
into the flour mixture by:
Air
Moisture
Chemical
raising agents
Sieving flour
We can incorporate air
into the flour mixture by:
Air
Moisture
Chemical
raising agents
Beating the mixture
We can incorporate air
into the flour mixture by:
Air
Moisture
Chemical
raising agents
Rubbing fat into flour
We can incorporate air
into the flour mixture by:
Air
Moisture
Chemical
raising agents
Creaming fat and sugar
We can incorporate air
into the flour mixture by:
Air
Moisture
Chemical
raising agents
Whisking eggs
Principles:
Air
Moisture
Chemical
raising agents
When the mixture is
heated, the moisture
changes to steam and
its volume can increase
up to 1600 times
slowly. This can help
the mixture rise.
Principles:
Air
Moisture
Chemical
raising agents
• When a chemical raising
agent is mixed with
moisture and heated, it
produces carbon dioxide.
• Carbon dioxide expands
when heated and makes
the flour mixture rise.
Common examples:
Air
Moisture
Chemical
raising agents
Baking powder and
bicarbonate of soda
In making flour mixture, air is incorporated
while moisture and chemical raising agents
are added.
Moisture
Air
Chemical
raising agents
When heated, different raising agents expand
and push up the mixture, making it rise.
In further cooking, the gluten around the
gas bubbles hardens. This fixes the shape
of the mixture.
Rubbing-in method
Creaming method
Whisking method
Characteristics of
cakes made:
Rubbing-in method
Creaming method
Whisking method
• With less fat.
• With rough texture.
Examples:
Rock buns
Coconut loaf
Cheese scones
Rubbing-in method
Basic
proportions
Flour
1
Fat
1/
Sugar
1/
Video
1/
3
2
1/
3
2
Basic ingredients
Flour
100 g
Baking powder
1 tsp
Butter or margarine
30-50 g
Castor sugar
30-50 g
1/
Egg
2
Milk or water
11/2 tbsp
Pastry blender
Uses:
Cut fat into flour.
Advantages:
• Save time.
• Prevent the fat
from melting
during rubbing-in.
Video
Characteristics of
cakes made:
• Have more fat, sugar
and
egg.
Rubbing-in method
• Rich and moist.
Creaming method • Can be stored longer.
Whisking method
Examples:
Queen cakes
Victoria sandwich
Creaming method
Basic
proportions
Flour
1
Fat
1/
Sugar
1/
Video
22
1
-1
Basic ingredients
Flour
Baking powder
100 g
1 tsp
Butter
50-100 g
Castor sugar
50-100 g
Eggs
1-2
Milk
optional
Characteristics of
cakes made:
• Have light texture and
look porous.
Rubbing-in method
• They have no fat, they
will get dry easily.
Creaming method
Whisking method
Examples:
Steamed sponge cake
Sponge cake
Whisking method
Basic
proportions
Egg
1
Basic ingredients
Flour
50 g
50 g
Sugar
25 g
Castor sugar
Flour
25 g
Eggs
Video
2
Tips for whisking
 Keep eggs at the room temperature.
 If the weather is cool, put the mixing
bowl over a pan of hot water when
whisking.
 Besides electric mixer, we may whisk
either with a balloon whisk or a rotary
whisk.
• Make sure the oven temperature is correct.
• Do not open the oven door while the cake
is baking.
• Test the cake before taking it out.
• Cool the cake on a cooling rack before
decorating or serving.
1
2
3
Video
Removing a cake from a tin
After cooling the
cake a little, insert
a palette knife or
a round-ended
knife between the
tin and the cake.
Slide the knife
gently around the
sides.
Video
1 2 3 4 5 6
1 2 3 4 5 6
• Oven not hot enough.
• Baked too long.
• Not enough air added.
• Too little raising agent.
• Too much liquid, flour or fat.
1 2 3 4 5 6
• Not enough liquid.
• Too much flour.
• Too much raising agent.
1 2 3 4 5 6
• Too much raising agent.
• Flour not mixed well.
• Oven is too hot.
• Over beating.
1 2 3 4 5 6
• Too much raising agent.
• Not enough baking time.
• Oven door opened during baking.
• Uneven heat in the oven.
1 2 3 4 5 6
• Tin not lined evenly.
• Mixture not spread evenly.
• Flour and raising agent not
mixed well.
1 2 3 4 5 6
• Baking tin is too small.
• Too much flour.
• Oven is too hot.
• Placed too high in the oven.
THE END