# high-ratio cake problem



## venom21 (Jul 22, 2010)

hello all,

so i bought the CIA pastry book and have tried to make a high ratio cake from the book twice.  first time the center was collapsed by the outer edges towards teh pan were very nice.  i believe i messed up the amt of milk that i was supposed to use.  the second time it came out of the oven looking beautiful.

i let it cook for a few min in the pan then flipped it onto a wire rack and peeled the parchment paper off.  the thing shriveled down in size so much!  i froze it over night thinking it would be easier to cut then the next day when i did use it, it seemed very gummy.

is this because i froze it? or do you suspect it was anothre reason.  thanks!


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## bekazu (Sep 22, 2009)

Without seeing the cake my answer is an assumption but I'll give it a go. I went to leCordon Blue so I haven't seen the recipe from the CIA book but it should be similar enough.

If your cake is gummy when it cools my first response would be that it is underbaked still despite it looking great when it came out of the oven. 

I always do a visual check first, the cake should be pulled away from the pan slightly all the way around the edges.  If you gently touch the center the cake should bounce back, ie no visible indentation remains.  As a last resort give it a poke with a wooden skewer. 

Check to make sure you are using the right type of flour, too much protien = too much gluten which makes things chewier.


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## m brown (May 29, 1999)

The chocolate cake formula requires 32 oz of flour.

I have spoken with the editor about this issue.

make sure you use a cake flour - it is high ratio and can withstand the high fat/sugar called for in the formula.


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## m brown (May 29, 1999)

also, when baking a flour based item, an internal temperature in the center should reach 197 - 201 f.

even if it looks done, even if you stick in a toothpick.

this will insure that it is fully dehydrated, coagulated, carmelized and gelatinized.


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## bekazu (Sep 22, 2009)

m brown said:


> also, when baking a flour based item, an internal temperature in the center should reach 197 - 201 f.
> 
> even if it looks done, even if you stick in a toothpick.
> 
> this will insure that it is fully dehydrated, coagulated, carmelized and gelatinized.


Ooh thanks, I always forget that temperature can be used to determine doneness (is that a word?). Maybe this is the answer to a little struggle in my department.


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## chefpeon (Jun 14, 2006)

To be honest, it's really hard to tell you what went wrong without knowing exactly what the recipe is and your mixing technique in making it. We can all throw out guesses at best, but that can lead you down the wrong road. Please provide more info, and we can better narrow down what the problem might have been.


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## gstoumbos (Nov 12, 2010)

if you put 32 oz flour plus 71/2 oz cocoa powder and the sugar is only 2 lb 2 1/2 oz.that means that the sugar is less then the starch.please help me to fix this recipe because the texture and taste is great!but it always collapse towards the center.


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## chefpeon (Jun 14, 2006)

> if you put 32 oz flour plus 71/2 oz cocoa powder and the sugar is only 2 lb 2 1/2 oz.that means that the sugar is less then the starch.please help me to fix this recipe because the texture and taste is great!but it always collapse towards the center.


Here's a link for cake faults and their causes. Perhaps this will help you.

http://www.greatknives.com/Pastryfolder/cake_faults.htm


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## kathy1 (Jan 17, 2011)

Hi,

I just got into baking about 2 years ago.  Anyway I have been eyeing the chocolate high ratio cake in the CIA book.  I see your comment about the 32 oz of flour.  Did you make it with less flour as it states in the book and have a problem?  Also any other good high ratio cake recipes out there?  Thanks.

Kathy


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## eriehle (Oct 22, 2013)

A true high ratio cake, where the weight of the sugar is equal to or greater than the weight of the flour, is difficult to accomplish with butter as the fat.  The high-ratio method was developed for use with high-ratio fats, fats with added emulsifiers.  When the sugar content is high, more water is needed to put the sugar into solution, and emulsifiers are needed to hold all this liquid and fat together.  Cake flour is also beneficial, since it is highly bleached, it absorbs more water than other flours.

I use the book you mention as the textbook in my baking classes, but I don't use those recipes for high-ratio cakes.  They just don't work well, as they are formulated with butter.


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## joelzer0 (May 30, 2013)

I have done these many times. I have found beat success by starting with the dry ingredients and add in about half the liquid to make a paste. Once it is lump free add the rest slowly. Bake until it smells like the the cocoa is burning. The entire side should pull away before removing. Otherwise it will get a spare tire. Lastly a bread oven gives me great results.


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