Causes of Failure in Sponge Cake

Failure Possible Causes

1. Thick, hard and dark crust High temperature

Prolonged baking time
Too much sugar

2. Sticky crust Shortened baking

Too much sugar

3. Cracked crust Too stiff mixture

Eggs are overbeaten
High temperature

4. Poor volume Low baking temperature

Stale eggs
Over folding
Inadequate beating of eggs

5. Sunken top Cake pan not inverted immediately after baking

Cake removed from pan after cooking

6. Uneven texture Over folding

Inadequate beating/ blending

7. Coarse crumbs Eggs are under beaten

Inadequate beating/ folding

8. Dryness Overbeaten egg whites

Excessive flour
Less sugar
Low baking temperature

9. Sogginess Inadequate mixing

Inadequate baking

10. Heaviness Loss of air

11. Shrinkage Low temperature

Prolonged baking time

Preparing Specialty Cake

Cake specialties are elaborate types of cakes appropriate for special occasions. The preparation of such cake is
characterized by the following:

1. They make use of shortened or unshortened cake as base. For instance, Custard Roll and Macapuno Roll make
use of sponge cake as base. Base Torte makes use of shortened cake as bake.
2. Modified methods such as conventional, modified conventional, muffin, pastry, and one- bowl methods are
used.
3. They use techniques in mixing and baking which is different from those used in making basic cakes. Ex. Choco
marble cake
4. Additional ingredients are used for flavoring and coloring. These ingredients are either mixed with the batter,
used as filling, used as topping like custard, or used as coloring for instance, pouring rum in Mangor rum cake.
5. They are more colourful, elaborate, and come in varied flavors. The use of local ingredients like mango,
strawberries, macapuno, custard, coffee, cashew, peanuts, raisins, and pineapple lend varied delicate flavors
and coloring to the cake.
 Cause of Failures in Cake

Failure Possible Causes

Outside Appearance
1. Pale color Under baked, lack of sugar, wrong size of pan

2. Cracked or peaked High baking temperature, excessive flour

3. Over brown High baking temperature, excessive sugar, over baked

4. Poor volume Too low temperature, poor quality of eggs, expired leavening agent,
insufficient beating, under baked, too much oil, too much liquid, wrong size
of pan

5. sunken Pan not inverted to cool

Cake removed from pan while still hot

Inside Appearance
1. Uneven grain Too little liquid, under mixed, oven not preheated, too much oil

2. Crumbly Too much oil or sugar, under mixed

Texture
1. Dry Over baked

2. Soggy Under baked, under mixed, too much fat

3. Solid Too much flour, over mixed, over baked, wrong proportion of ingredient

4. Flavor ingredients Wrong proportion of ingredients, poor quality of ingredients

Characteristics of Good Quality Cake Specialties

1. Outside Characteristics
 Shape is uniform: free from cracks and peaks
 Size is uniform. Light in proportion to size
 Color is golden brown ( for the cake)
2. Inside Characteristics
 Color is even all over
 Grain is fine, round, thin- walled and evenly distributed
 Texture is tender, moist and velvety
 Flavor is pleasing and well blended

3. Fillings/ toppings
 Just the right amount of fillings
 Has the right consistency, neither flowing nor too tough or solid
 Contains the characteristic flavor of the kind of filling or toppings used
4. Overall Appearance
 Appropriate design used
 Decors are appropriate for the occasion
 Decors and trimmings are neatly arranged
 Good color combination
 Size and amount of decors are appropriate to the size of cake