How to make a fluffy sponge cake that really works?

Dry cakes or "crumble" cakes have no place in the pastry world, as any pastry chef or pastry chef would agree. But all too often, a seemingly innocent cake falls victim to a textural tragedy.

But as always, there are ways to prevent such a textural tragedy in confectionery. The preparation of various cakes has certainly taught us a lot.

1. Use sour cream.

To prevent a dry cake, add a creamy and slightly wet ingredient. Milk is usually one of the main ingredients in a cake recipe . It is among the ingredients to thin the batter and lighten the crumbs. Sour cream is also a creamy and slightly wet ingredient, but it is often forgotten.

In addition to the milk, add a tablespoon or two of sour cream between the ingredients. Of course, the use of sour cream depends on the recipe, but do not underestimate the power of this ingredient! If you are not a fan of sour cream or don''t have any at home, plain yoghurt is a great substitute.

2. Keep the butter at room temperature!

I''m sure this sounds like a broken record, but it still happens that among the ingredients it says room temperature butter, but we overlook it. If a recipe calls for room temperature butter, use room temperature butter. Pure and simple.

Most cake sponge preparation starts with: "...mix butter and sugar". Butter is able to hold air and a creamy texture is created when the butter traps air. During baking, this trapped air expands and the result will be a fluffy cake. Without properly mixed butter = no air = dry, not fluffy cake at all.

But let''s say your butter was at the correct room temperature. You started mixing it with the sugar and when they reached a creamy texture, you continued mixing. There is a good chance that your butter and sugar will over-mix, meaning that the butter will trap more air than it should. As the batter bakes, this extra air will be ''evacuated'' and you will have a cake that is too dry.

For best results, mix the butter and sugar for about 1-2 minutes.

3. Baking soda and baking powder?

If the cake is too dry, flour is usually the main culprit. But it''s not always the case. In this case, the cake sponge probably needs more help to rise; hence baking powder or baking soda. This tip is not very simple (ha!) because these two ingredients are quite special.

If a recipe contains a lot of acid, such as lemon juice and buttermilk, and the recipe calls for too little baking powder, the result will be a dry cake. In this case, you may need to add baking soda, which will react with the acid and create a fluffier sponge.

4. Oil?

The ratio of wet to dry ingredients determines the degree of moistness of the cake. If too much flour and not enough butter are added, the cake will be dry, which is logical.

On the other hand, if there is too much milk and not enough flour, the cake will be too wet, which again is logical. The key is to find the right balance between wet and dry ingredients. If you notice that the cake is too dry, add a little oil next time.

5. Double the quantities, the sooner the end?

Never. For the absolute BEST taste and texture, never double the ingredients written on the recipe. If you need double quantities, make the dough twice. Doubling a recipe risks adding too much sour cream, too much or too little mixing. Baking powder and/or baking soda may not be completely distributed, which could leave a bitter taste in parts of the cake.

6. Cake recipes?

Here. When the BAM brand and Urška Jerman, who creates under the name Cake O''Clock, join forces, the BAM recipe book Cakes is born . In the hardback book you will find 50 different recipes to make the most delicious chocolate cakes such as Sacher, Schwarzwald or a simple chocolate cake. Fruit lovers will be delighted by the recipes for Mango Raspberry Cake, Planica Cake or Lemon Cake, while the Gin Tonic Cake is sure to be the queen of summer parties with its colour combination and refreshing taste. The range of flavours therefore extends from the classic chocolate-chocolate cake, to refreshingly fruity cakes or cakes with a more modern twist.