David Tamarkin

thanks bye oh i mean i understand why she's frustrated but chocolate pancakes sound good yeah but not when you're hoping for a cake not when you're hoping for a cake but it's just saying i might have to make those uh this weekend you know she checked her baking powder and that was a smart thing to do because the first culprit is the leavening so checking the powder is a smart thing to do and the fact that her baking powder is still alive still kicking makes me think that perhaps there's too much of it in this recipe or maybe she's

putting it in a little too generously. And I would recommend pulling back on that because what happens when you have too much leavening in the cake, no matter where it comes from, is you can get that cake to rise too high and then it leads to a great fall. That's actually life advice too, you know? Don't get, don't, you know, stay humble.

putting it in a little too generously. And I would recommend pulling back on that because what happens when you have too much leavening in the cake, no matter where it comes from, is you can get that cake to rise too high and then it leads to a great fall. That's actually life advice too, you know? Don't get, don't, you know, stay humble.

So that would be my first course of action is to pull back on the baking powder, see if that makes a difference.

So that would be my first course of action is to pull back on the baking powder, see if that makes a difference.

I do. But it's because my leaveners are from like 2015. And honestly, they're still kicking. But you got to check.

I do. But it's because my leaveners are from like 2015. And honestly, they're still kicking. But you got to check.

I know. It's about 99 cent box of baking powder. I don't know, Jessica. Maybe next year. Maybe for my maybe as a birthday gift.

I know. It's about 99 cent box of baking powder. I don't know, Jessica. Maybe next year. Maybe for my maybe as a birthday gift.

It's such a bummer. That the pat test, the gentle press in the middle is so key. And I understand why you don't always trust the toothpick test. But I just want to tell bakers, if you have not sort of gotten used to the feel of a well-baked cake in the oven, get used to it. It's so helpful. And if neither of those things works, break out the maple syrup.

It's such a bummer. That the pat test, the gentle press in the middle is so key. And I understand why you don't always trust the toothpick test. But I just want to tell bakers, if you have not sort of gotten used to the feel of a well-baked cake in the oven, get used to it. It's so helpful. And if neither of those things works, break out the maple syrup.

Yeah, exactly. Let's go to our next caller.

Yeah, exactly. Let's go to our next caller.

You hear bakers talk about reverse creaming because it's one of the best things ever. I love a reverse cream cake. And I don't think I really understood just how delicious and the impact of reverse creaming until our 2022 recipe of the year, which was a coffee cake that used reverse creaming. The texture on a reverse cream cake is, I mean, it's buttery.

You hear bakers talk about reverse creaming because it's one of the best things ever. I love a reverse cream cake. And I don't think I really understood just how delicious and the impact of reverse creaming until our 2022 recipe of the year, which was a coffee cake that used reverse creaming. The texture on a reverse cream cake is, I mean, it's buttery.

It's decadent in a way. Yes.

It's decadent in a way. Yes.

Yes. So many traditional cakes start by creaming the butter and the sugar. And the point of creaming the butter and sugar is to incorporate some air into the cake. That helps it rise. With reverse creaming, you cream the butter and the flour and the other dry ingredients first.

Yes. So many traditional cakes start by creaming the butter and the sugar. And the point of creaming the butter and sugar is to incorporate some air into the cake. That helps it rise. With reverse creaming, you cream the butter and the flour and the other dry ingredients first.

This can be counterintuitive because we're all told, for good reason, to not overwork our flour because then gluten will form. And as Jessica was just talking about with cake flour, it can lead to a texture that you don't want. However, when you cream butter and flour together, the butter coats the flour and therefore prevents gluten from forming when you add the wet ingredients.