Online Cooking School Forum

Janine V. answered on 25 Sep 2014

Best Answer

Choosing Your Ingredients

Making a moist cake requires not only skill in the kitchen but also a basic understanding of the chemistry of baking. Choosing the right ingredients can go a long way to making a moist cake. For example, protein from flour and eggs provides the stiffening and drying agents for cake -- what makes a cake "set." Egg whites in particular dry out a cake, so baking experts recommend using just the egg yolks for a moister cake.Unfortunately, the ingredients that make a cake soft and supple have similar effects on your belly -- sugar and fat. For a moister cake, try adding an extra quarter-cup of sugar to the recipe, a little extra butter, or a touch more oil (oil can slow down gluten production during the baking process, which can dry out a cake).If tinkering with the protein/fat ratio doesn't provide the desired moistness, try adding an extra moistening agent to the batter before baking -- sour cream and mayonnaise are two popular choices.Be careful with your ingredients, though. One mistake many novice bakers make is confusing "moist" with "wet." Beginners often try to undercook the cake, or dump in gobs of moistening agents (such as sour cream, mayonnaise, or applesauce). But going overboard with moistening ingredients often leads to little more than a soggy, wet mess.

Choosing the Correct Oven Temperature

No matter how carefully you measure your ingredients or ingeniously substitute moistening agents, your work will go for naught if you fail to bake the cake for the right time and at the right temperature. Understanding how your oven works is key in this step of the process -- electric ovens and gas ovens behave differently, as do ovens at different altitudes. Do not over-bake, at all costs -- the first few times you make a recipe, make liberal use of a cake tester and check on the cake regularly.

Janine V. answered on 24 Sep 2014

It depends what cake it is. A hot simple syrup (if you drink alcohol a quick and delicious syrup is by cooking out the alcohol from Kahlua, Frangelico or a Caramel Vodka with a little sugar) poured onto the cake after baking can give a lovely moist texture. This must be done as soon as the cake comes out of the oven.

You can also increase the butter a little in the recipe. If you can give me the recipe I can have a loot at it for you and give exact quantities?

Bianca F. answered on 29 Sep 2014

I use oil or mayo. Whether the recipe calls for it or not. Play around, have fun. A recipe for me is only an idea or guideline.Make your cakes the way you enjoy them with your family and friends.