Pro tip: tried reverse creaming for my birthday cake and it turned out way denser than I expected

I made a yellow cake for my niece's 3rd birthday last weekend using the reverse creaming method from the King Arthur blog. The texture came out almost like pound cake instead of fluffy, which nobody at the party really liked. I think it works better for recipes that call for buttermilk, not just regular milk. Has anyone else had this issue with basic vanilla cakes?

2 comments

2 Comments

blair_allen17d ago

Wait... you used regular milk with reverse creaming? That's wild, man. I've been baking for years and I swear by buttermilk for that method. The acid in the buttermilk reacts with the baking powder to give it lift. Without it, you're basically making a dense, heavy brick. Your niece's party must've been a letdown with that texture. I'd say try it again with some good buttermilk next time, maybe even add a splash of vinegar to your regular milk if you're in a pinch. The science behind it is pretty straightforward once you mess up a cake or two learning.

abbyc3317d ago

My sister once made a cake for our cousin's wedding shower and used expired buttermilk she found in the back of the fridge. That thing smelled so sour we told the bride it was a lemon cake and nobody knew the difference. @blair_allen your point about the acid is good though, I bet my sister would've ended up with a brick too if she'd just used plain milk.