What makes a cake soft and fluffy?

Question

I've been baking cakes for a year now...they come out well but differently each time :) Sponge cake especially...is sometimes soft and fluffly...sometimes slightly hard...does anyone know increase/decrease of which ingredient brings this change?

Answer 1

whip the whites until they form soft peaks, then fold them into the rest of the ingredients trying to keep as much air as possible in the whites. don't mix them, just fold them.

Answer 2

I, too, have found myself in search of that elusive "perfect" texture. So many different things factor in! Mixing makes a big difference. The idea is to get as much air into the mix as possible (mechanically by mixing and chemically with baking soda/powder and egg whites). I've become extremely careful to measure carefully, mix just enough to blend out most of the lumps, and apply cooking time and temp accurately.

Answer 3

I bake cakes alot and I seem to get good results if I measure ingredients to the tee,
do not over mix(with mixer of by hand)
and put an oven thermometer in oven to make sure it heats correctly. Good luck, you sound like you love to bake and that is so fun isn't it? I love to bake!

Answer 4

Don't forget that humidity makes a difference also. They're right that the beating of the eggs matters...and their temperature when they're beaten. But the overall temp and humidity make a difference.

Answer 5

if you have very nicely beat eggs that make they cake fluffy and make sure you beat the batter well to.And its good to blow out the yolk or use egg whites instead.

Answer 6

The eggs, but make sure you beat the mix really well, that helps to, and makes it moist.

Answer 7

That's a tricky question.

Answer 8

Was interested to know the answer too

Answer 9

baking soda maybe?>

Answer 10

egg whites