I'm sorry I'm not sure what you mean by a combination method.
Although the professionals should weigh in here, I rely on June Hemmons Hyatt, in A Piece of Cake (republished as The Perfect Cake) who divides cakes into two main types: shortening (or butter) cakes "with baking soda or baking powder for the primary leavening, with air as the second source." She lists layer cakes, loaf cakes, tea, coffee and pound cakes etc.
You basically cream the butter and sugar, add whole eggs one at a time, then alternate the flour and milk in 3 additions. She characterizes these cakes as fine-crumbed and moist, "American Style" cakes.
She calls the second category "foam cakes" which rely on beating whole or separated eggs. She includes sponge, angel, roulades, meringues and flourless tortes; she characterizes these as lighter and drier than American-style creamed cakes. For these, I would say you usually beat the whites (and yolks, if not an Angel or meringue) until just stiff, beat the yolks with sugar until very pale and the batter "forms the ribbon" when beaters are lifted, add any flavorings, and sift dry ingredients well. The ingredients are usually combined with a light folding motion per the instructions with a large flat silicone scraper in such a way as to avoid deflating the whipped whites. For sponge style cakes, fats are included in the form of either melted butter (for gènoise) or oil (for chiffon cakes).
Please let us know if you have a specific recipe or technique in mind so that we may help you further.
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Although the professionals should weigh in here, I rely on June Hemmons Hyatt, in A Piece of Cake (republished as The Perfect Cake) who divides cakes into two main types: shortening (or butter) cakes "with baking soda or baking powder for the primary leavening, with air as the second source." She lists layer cakes, loaf cakes, tea, coffee and pound cakes etc.
You basically cream the butter and sugar, add whole eggs one at a time, then alternate the flour and milk in 3 additions. She characterizes these cakes as fine-crumbed and moist, "American Style" cakes.
She calls the second category "foam cakes" which rely on beating whole or separated eggs. She includes sponge, angel, roulades, meringues and flourless tortes; she characterizes these as lighter and drier than American-style creamed cakes. For these, I would say you usually beat the whites (and yolks, if not an Angel or meringue) until just stiff, beat the yolks with sugar until very pale and the batter "forms the ribbon" when beaters are lifted, add any flavorings, and sift dry ingredients well. The ingredients are usually combined with a light folding motion per the instructions with a large flat silicone scraper in such a way as to avoid deflating the whipped whites. For sponge style cakes, fats are included in the form of either melted butter (for gènoise) or oil (for chiffon cakes).
Please let us know if you have a specific recipe or technique in mind so that we may help you further.