Desserts are popular in the GM. A dessert maybe as simple as a fruit gelatin or as elaborate as a decorated cake. The AFRS has a wide variety of recipes for all types of desserts.  The AFRS also has step-by-step procedures for the preparation and service of desserts, but the end result is often determined by the dedication and experience of the Mess Management Specialist (MS) that prepares the dessert.

CAKES

Cakes are popular desserts in the GM. A wide variety of colors from a few basic recipes are possible through the use of varied shapes, frostings, or fillings. Cakes are easily made in large quantities and they are less perishable than many other types of desserts. Service in the GM is greatly facilitated by the use of cakes for dessert because they can be made up ahead of time.

Types

Cakes can be divided into three separate types according to the ingredients and the proportions of the ingredients used in each. The three types are batter cakes, foam cakes, and chiffon cakes.

BATTER CAKES.- Batter cakes contain shortening. They include the pound cakes (loaf type)

containing a high percentage of fat, the plain cakes (basic type of layer) containing smaller percentages of fat, and the chocolate cakes (incorporating cocoa and soda) such as devil's food and mild chocolate cakes.

FOAM CAKES.-Two kinds of foam cakes served in the GM are angel food and sponge cakes. Angel food cakes are foam cakes that are leavened by air beaten into the egg white. Cream of tartar is added to the egg whites to make them firmer when they are beaten.

Sponge cakes are foam cakes containing baking powder and whole eggs. The eggs are combined with the sugar and heated until the mixture is lukewarm (110F), and then the mixture is beaten.

CHIFFON CAKES.- Chiffon cakes contain both foam and batter, mixed separately and folded to a mixture.

The subdivisions of the three types are many and dependent upon the method of incorporating the ingredients and upon the variation of ingredients added to the basic recipe. Batter and sponge-type cakes are the ones normally prepared in Navy dining facilities; consequently, further discussion will relate only to these.

Functions of Cake Ingredients

Each ingredient in a basic recipe has a specific function.

Flour furnishes structure and is used to hold the other materials together in making a cake. It should be a general-purpose flour.

Sugars, used chiefly as sweeteners, have a tenderizing effect resulting from their ability to soften flour protein and starches. By lowering the caramelization point of the batter, sugars allow the cake crust to color at a lower temperature. Sugars also help to retain moisture in the baked cake, thereby keeping the cake moist and edible for several days.

Shortening carries the air that is incorporated in the finished cake batter. This air has a tenderizing action on the cake by virtue of its leavening action. Thus, shortening is considered to be a tenderizing agent.

Eggs furnish structure, moisture, flavor, and color. Egg whites for whipping must be free from grease or traces of egg yoke-as little as one-tenth of 1 percent will adversely affect the whipping quality.

Milk, water, fruit juice, or coffee can be used as the liquid in cake. Liquid is needed to combine and actuate all other ingredients. It controls the consistency of the finished cake batter.

Salt brings out the flavor of the other ingredients. Leavening is accomplished in three ways: (1) incorporation of air during mixing, (2) chemical leavening, and (3) vaporization of the liquids in the dough by the heat of the oven.

Cake Mixes

Cake mixes are convenient to use as they require shorter preparation time, less storage space, no refrigeration, and less training and experience to prepare successfully than cakes made from recipes using the basic ingredients. Cake mixes are available in a variety of flavors and preparation instructions are printed on the containers. Cake mixes are complete mixes that require only the addition of water. They contain a leavening agent, bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), packed separately inside the container. The soda packet should be mixed thoroughly with the dry ingredients before adding water. Cheesecake mix is combined with milk before mixing. No baking is required. Recipes for variation to cake mixes are given in the AFRS.

Cake Making

In addition to the proper selection of ingredients, accurate measuring, and proper mixing, other factors influence the finished product.

CAKE PANS.- Cake pans should be handled carefully so they do not warp or bend. You should not use pans that are bent out of shape because cakes will be uneven in shape and cola. Cake pans maybe greased or greased and dusted with flour, or they may be lined with wax or kraft paper. Some recipes call for a pan coating made from shortening and flour mixed together. Pans for angel food cake should not be greased because the fat will keep the cake from rising. Each AFRS cake recipe specifies which method is used.

PAN CLEANING.- If grease is allowed to build up in pans, especially in comers, it can become rancid and give a very objectionable taste. Care should be taken to clean baking pans thoroughly each time they are used.

SCALING.- Scaling too much batter or using the wrong size pan can cause the cake to fail. Follow the instructions given on the specific recipe card. The AFRS cake recipes are designed to yield the correct amount of batter for standard 18- by 26-inch sheet cake pans. Use only lightweight sheet pans. If heavier sheet pans are used, they will cause overdone products. Other pan sizes may be used such as 9-inch layer pans or 16-inch square sheet pans. A listing of pans and sizes is found on the AFRS guideline cards.

OVEN TEMPERATURES.- Set the oven at the temperature specified in the recipe or in the cake mix directions and allow enough time for it to reach the correct temperature so that the cake can be placed in the oven at the specified baking temperature as soon as it is mixed. The oven thermostat should be checked from time to time to make sure it is working properly.

Allow space in the oven between the pans so that heat can circulate. Cake pans should be placed so that they do not touch each other or the sides of the oven.

If the oven is' too hot, the cake will have a peaked, cracked surface and will be too brown. It will also be dry and shrink excessively. If the cake is baked too rapidly, the outer edges will be done while the center will be uncooked and the cake will fall when it is removed from the oven. If the temperature is too low, the cake will not rise well. The AFRS guideline cards give the cause of cake defects and failures.

BAKING.- During baking, the proteins in the flour and eggs coagulate and the starch in the flour swells and absorbs moisture, causing the cake to become firm. Baking takes place in four stages. In the first stage, the batter is fluid and rises rapidly as the leavening develops. In the second stage, the batter continues to rise and the cake becomes higher in the center than at the edges. Bubbles rise to the top, the surface begins to brown, and the batter begins to become firm on the edges. In the third stage, the cake has completed rising and it becomes freer and browner. In the fourth stage, browning is completed and the structure is set. When you are baking in a conventional oven, do not open the oven door until baking time is almost ended or the cake may fall.

USING CONVECTION OVENS.- Baking times are shorter and cooking temperatures lower in convection ovens than in conventional ovens. The AFRS guideline cards list specific times and temperatures. Overloading convection ovens will cause cakes to bake unevenly. When operating a convection oven, you should turn off the fan when loading and unloading. To load cakes into convection ovens, you should start with the bottom rack and center the pans, taking care not to touch the heating elements. Leave 1 to 2 inches between pans so air can circulate. After you load the cakes, allow them to bake for 7 to 10 minutes before turning on the blower. Or, if the fan has two speeds, use the lower speed.

Check the cakes in about one-half the cooking time specified in the convection oven owner's manual. If the cakes are baking too quickly (cooked around the edges, but not done in the middle), reduce the heat 15F to 25F and use this lower temperature for each successive load. The oven vent should be open when baking cakes. If the vent is closed, the moisture in the oven will keep the cakes from rising. A fully loaded convection oven will bake cakes more slowly than a partially loaded oven.

TESTING FOR DONENESS.- To determine if the cake is done, touch the center of the cake lightly. If an impression remains, return the cake to the oven for 3 to 5 minutes more and then retest. A toothpick or wire cake tester may be inserted into the cake. If no batter clings when it is removed, the cake is done. Batter cakes will shrink slightly from the sides of the pans when done.

COOLING.- If space is limited, cakes may be cooled, frosted, and served in the baking pan. If the cake is to be removed from the pan for icing, decorating, and service, allow it to cool for about 15 minutes or as directed in the specific recipe. Remove jelly rolls from pans while they are hot. Paper liners should be removed while the cake is still hot. If allowed to cool, the paper will cause the cake to pull apart and tear. Generally, however, for most cake items use a spatula to gently loosen the cake around the sides of the pan. Cover the cake with the bottom side of a clean pan of the same size and invert both pans. The cake should drop easily onto the clean pan. Cakes baked in loaf pans should be cooled completely in an upright position before they are removed. Cut around the sides, tilt the pan, and slide the cake out gently.

CAKE CUTTING.- To prevent breaking, cakes should be completely cooled before icing and cutting. Cakes baked in standard-size sheet pans are usually cut into 54 square pieces, 6 across and 9 down.

For other cake shapes consult the AFRS guideline cards. To cut a cake use a knife with a sharp, straight edge and a thin blade. Dip the knife in hot water before cutting and repeat as necessary to keep crumbs and frosting from clinging to the knife. Cut with a light, even motion. A loaf cake or fruitcake should be cut with a slow sawing motion. Fruitcakes cut easier if they are chilled first.

STORING CAKES.- Cover cakes with moistureproof paper and place them in a clean area with a temperature range of 75F to 95F where they will not absorb odors. Cakes should be served within 1 to 2 days for best quality.