WANTED – Explanation for Cake Debacle

     Offerings at Bernardsville Farmer’s Market this morning!

Baking a cake is pretty simple, right?  We’ve all done it time and time again! Well, here’s a mystery for all my pastry friends- please help!  I experienced an unprecedented event on Thursday evening.  I made a delicious orange chiffon cake recipe – I have a weakness for chiffon/sponge cakes, finding them both nostalgic and nice and light – perfect for Summertime desserts.   I followed the directions perfectly and had an abundant amount of luxurious batter.  As I filled the pan, it seemed high – my egg whites having perfectly glossy and stiff peaks.  As I baked the cake I noticed it rose up well above the cake rim – hmmm…. I watched it as the minutes ticked on………did I just have too much batter? – maybe because I used extra large vs large eggs- I’ve done this many times before without any dire consequences –  9 whites and 7 yolks.  Well, the cake took a good 8 minutes longer to bake than directed hmmm again- I had developed a considerable feeling of dread along the way watching this.  I never like to use 9 eggs and have something come out sub-par.  Anyway, I tested the cake for doneness – it was fine, and I maintained my hope for getting this out of the pan without having to disturb too much of its perfectly formed dome with a serrated knife.  I removed the cake from the oven and carefully inverted it over a tall bottle to cool – as all chiffon and angel cakes need to do.  Much to my horror, the entire cake promptly fell out of the pan onto the counter – in two pieces,no less!  Disaster and a sinking heart!  What had gone wrong?  (I didn’t have the stomach to photograph this mess.) A chiffon cake that doesn’t stick to the sides of the pan? It had risen up the sides perfectly, as with a soufflle, using the walls as its support.  What a disappointment – can any of you cake bakers identify? It did have 1/2 cup vegetable oil – is this the culprit?   Anyone who has an idea of what happened, please send me a note!   It was a well reviewed recipe from Epicurious – Gourmet 1992.  Oh well, nothing ventured – but I winced as I threw this cake in the trash! (In hindsight maybe I could have used it for a trifle.)  I have made hundreds of cakes over the years but I have never had one fall out of the pan onto the counter in one steaming mess!  Ugh – failure!  I’m just glad I wasn’t serving this cake to guests that night!

I woke up this morning to a nice treat – the two part episode of Baking with Julia was on  – the one when Martha Stewart makes her wedding cake for 50 people.  This was on the Create Channel at 6am this morning.  For all of you who thrive on such a two-day endeavor, this is a great 2 part episode to watch – complete with marzipan cherries and decorations, a nice almond dacquoise and showing how to assemble a multi-layer cake effectively.  I never tire of watching this – it is very good instruction.  By the way, fellow pastry classmates, Chef Toba, who we all oogled across the hall in her coveted classes (aka Toba Garrett) has a new book out – Professional Cake Decorating.  I am planning on a “tune up” class with her in the Fall!

This weekend I am off on another field trip weekend – the first Bernardsville Farmer’s Market and Three Tarts Bakery at 164 9th Avenue, then to Palma on Cornelia Street for a Father’s Day dinner!

Here are scenes from the Bernardsville Farmer’s Market, where, I picked up an interesting tip – place leaves from a Rose-scented Geranium along the bottom of your prepared cake pan, say,your favorite Vanilla-scented Bundt cake, and add the batter.  For those of you who love scented geraniums (I do) this sounds like a terrific idea.  I got it from the lady who waited on me from the Hensler Farms spot.  Sounds like a great idea – I’m going to try it!

That’s all for now.  Have a lovely SUNNY day!!!!!!!!!