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Aisha
April 17, 2017
Great tips as usual, though I usually mix the yolks by hand as I don't have a hand mixer (yes I get a workout and yes I usually make small recipes, requiring 4 not 8 yolks).
I don't own a tube pan and haven't found any where I live, so I've always converted recipes to fit into a narrow tall-sided loaf pan that i have. And they seem to work ok, though unmolding is a pain because it doesn't have a removable bottom.
But I have always wondered whether I could just bake them in a round cake pan. I know a genoise can be baked that way (oddly enough I've often had more success with genoise than sponge). And there are many times when I would have rather baked a flavored sponge for a birthday cake rather than bake and soak Genoise.
Is there any reason why a sponge would not work in a round cake pan? (my worry would be the lack of central support but I'm not sure how big of an issue that is)
If it does work, any tips on what size plan to choose depending on the size of the tube pan?
I don't own a tube pan and haven't found any where I live, so I've always converted recipes to fit into a narrow tall-sided loaf pan that i have. And they seem to work ok, though unmolding is a pain because it doesn't have a removable bottom.
But I have always wondered whether I could just bake them in a round cake pan. I know a genoise can be baked that way (oddly enough I've often had more success with genoise than sponge). And there are many times when I would have rather baked a flavored sponge for a birthday cake rather than bake and soak Genoise.
Is there any reason why a sponge would not work in a round cake pan? (my worry would be the lack of central support but I'm not sure how big of an issue that is)
If it does work, any tips on what size plan to choose depending on the size of the tube pan?
Alice M.
May 26, 2017
I'm sorry I missed this last month. Yes, yolks by hand works too, but not all home cooks are going to find it easy to expend that much energy getting yolks really light and fluffy for cakes that require that.
Absent a tube pan, a tall narrow loaf pan sounds smart. The need for a tube (or tall narrow loaf) depends on the cake. A tall really really light and airy and moist sponge will need that central support or narrow pan. Genoise, as you well know, is less tall, less airy, and less moist so it works fine without a tube. I would suspect that if a sponge recipe calls for a tube, it might need one. However, if you are willing for your cake to be less tall—say 2 inches or so, you can bake the batter in a 9x13 pan (metal not glass) instead. I do this for some of the chiffon cake recipes in my book, Flavor Flours, and I think I may have sone it with an Angel Food years ago! Basically, just think "sheet cake" instead of tube cake!
Absent a tube pan, a tall narrow loaf pan sounds smart. The need for a tube (or tall narrow loaf) depends on the cake. A tall really really light and airy and moist sponge will need that central support or narrow pan. Genoise, as you well know, is less tall, less airy, and less moist so it works fine without a tube. I would suspect that if a sponge recipe calls for a tube, it might need one. However, if you are willing for your cake to be less tall—say 2 inches or so, you can bake the batter in a 9x13 pan (metal not glass) instead. I do this for some of the chiffon cake recipes in my book, Flavor Flours, and I think I may have sone it with an Angel Food years ago! Basically, just think "sheet cake" instead of tube cake!
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