Hi Beth,
We converted the White Velvet Cake in Rose's Heavenly Cakes to a 1 layer made in a 9 x2 pan from The Cake Bible's 2 layer made in 9 x 1-1/2 pans. The ingredient ratios for each recipe is the same. We did the conversion to the deeper pan because 9 x2 pans are more common now compared to 25 years ago.
As far as sweetness level, Rose will reduce the sugar in her recipes so that there is a balance and harmony for all of =the flavors in the recipe. The cake will be definitely softer than a whole egg or yolk cake and to some maybe more crumbly.

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Thanks to all of the experts who replied about my soggy bottom cake. Yes, it was the chocolate Domingo cake. Next time I'll be sure that ALL the ingredients are warmer, more like 80 than 65. It is so great to have clarity on this, which has been an issue with many of my cakes for years.

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Thanks Woody, I will try the substitutions you suggested. Could I increase the sugar a bit to make it a tad more sweet? If so, how much please. Also, why the difference in the new book for the same recipe?

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Hi all, I just picked up Rose's new book Heavenly Cakes, and I noticed that the white velvet cake recipe has completely different amounts of ingredients than the same recipe in her Cake Bible. I tried making the recipe in the cake bible and it was way too crumbly, and not sweet enough. The new book has less eggs and less sugar. I'm confused. Which one should I try again. Any advice like maybe adding whole eggs, might help the structure, but the sweetness factor is another matter.

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Oh thx Rose, and I have not made the Domingo cake yet ;)

The picture of the slice on the Grand Marnier wedding cake when i baked it shows some denser darker bottoms.

http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/2009/09/hectors_preview_three_from_ros.html

This happened consistenly when I assumed that using butter at 65 oF was ideal, when I kept my butter on my wine cellar which is set at 65 oF.  What I do now is cube the butter and leave it out at room temp until it gets to 75 and check the temp with my thermapen or with my other instant probe thermometers.

Milk and eggs, I often zap it in the microwave for 15 second intervals til about 80 oF!

And dense bottoms be gone.  Perhaps the Domingo cake should be mixed at warmer weather?

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Woody, no, I don't think Lynn is referring to a chocolate cake. Been dark, I wouldn't tell if the cake has a dark area on the bottom. On a yellow cake is very noticeable as I have seen on several of my cakes when using too cold ingredients (butter, eggs, milk).

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Lynn, as woody says, it has to do with temperature. I used to warm up the butter to 65 oF but now I bring it to 75 or just near 80. Warm room temperature, butter is super soft and squeezable, but it still keeps its shape (not a puddle of melted butter). And dense bottoms be gone!

Had to do with the emulsification of fats and liquids when mixing the batter. The consistency and smoothness needs to be like mayonnaise. If you see small strings of butter or tiny streaks or something that resembles curdled milk or undissolved pellets, that is when things are too cold. And will surely give u dense bottoms. Another visual comparison is to paint. The paint can needs to be stirred well till it is smooth, prior to this, will look like cake batter when too cold.

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Yes, I am using unsalted butter.

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Kim, r u using unsalted butter?

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Hello Rose,
I recently made the pound cake and the yellow butter cake. With both cakes, I was able to detect a slight saltiness. I used regular table salt- should I used kosher salt instead. I am from the south and prefer a slighty sweeter cake. Can you suggest a way to make the cakes a littler sweeter? I'm sure that just adding only sugar will effect the overall product. Thanks

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Rose, I am using your recipe to make soft white sandwich bread but substituting instant yeast with dry active yeast. The sponge part is not a problem. When I came to the flour mixture, the little wet yeast does not mix evenly with the flour and dry milk. Any advice?

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Hi Lynn,
We are assuming you made a chocolate cake.
We have seen this happen when the ingredients are not at the correct temperature or the finished batter is not around 75˚F/24˚C. Also, if the batter has a high butter content we have seen a fudgy layer near the bottom of the cake with some recipes.

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What's the most likely cause of a too dark, moist layer along the bottom of a cake?

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David, thx for sharing. Seams to me this is a mousseline buttercream with twice the amount of sugar.

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Crème Au Beurre

- 4 egg whites
- 300 grams sugar
- ½ cup of water
- 350 grams butter, room temperature

In a small sauce pan, cook the sugar and water until it reaches 120˚C. While the sugar is being cooked, whisk the egg whites on high until stiff peak forms.

While the machine is still on, pour the sugar mixture into the egg whites and continue to whisk until the mixture is cool to the touch (I’d like to put a frozen reusable Cold & Hot Compress between the mixer stand and the bowl to speed up the cooling process).

Slowly add the butter and continue to whisk until smooth.

** You can also use this recipe for the left over yolks. However, the yolks need to be whisked a lot longer until it literally turn pale yellow (almost white in color) before adding the sugar mixture. Also, the finished product can only be used as filler because it doesn’t hold its shape well when piped.

Rose, I translated this recipe from Vietnamese, so please feel free and correct anything you see unfit.

David Chau

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Thx!!! :)

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Hello Jane,

I have an old recipe for a french butter cream (Creme Au Beurre)that I still use it to this day. It is more work than Rose's butter cream, but the result is amazing. I brought the recipe with me when I came to Canada in 1981 at the age of 14. If you are interested, please let me know tennispro18@live.com or if Rose gives permission, I would post it here for everyone to see.

David Chau

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Hi Hector,

I laughed so hard I cried watching the expression on the kids' faces right after you used the spray.

I am good at a lot of things, but not when it comes to mathematics. I failed high school Chemistry miserably that I think I should have a plaque in my computer room; therefore, I would be no help to you regarding experimenting with formulas. But once you have patented your product, I would be one of the the first to try.

David

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I see, thanks Woody. I guess aluminium foil will work better than baking parchment because it's metallic. I'll just try getting a plastic pastry cutter here and wait for Rose's dish to arrive. Good point, that too, about needing a pan to support the pie and its filling. Once I've gone to all the trouble of making the pie, I really don't want it to collapse if I slice it unmoulded.

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Hi Casper,
We have experimented with your idea, only we have done it with nonstick foil. The pie can be carefully lifted out of the pan using the foil like a hammock. Since you do not want to scratch your good pie pan, we suggest you use some spatulas to transfer the pie off the foil to another pie pan of the same size. You need the pan's side walls to keep the pie's sides from breaking off at the bottom when cutting your slices.

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But, of course, thank you, Rose. Having Amazon.com ship your pie dish to the Netherlands costs a whopping $54, so I'll ask a friend from Seattle to bring it for me the next time she comes to visit.

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Dear Rose,

Now that I've got myself a 9 inch pie pan, I'd like to make one of your pies but I don't want to cut the pie in the pan because I don't want to damage it. If I bake the crust with a piece of baking parchment underneath, will the bottom still bake ok? What I'd like to do is to slide the finished pie out of the pan and cut it on a board ... Do pies hold their shape if you do that?

Finally, I notice you don't use an egg yolk in your pastry. I made your basic flaky pie pastry yesterday, following your instructions to the letter, baked it and can't believe it can be so delicious without the egg yolk. Most recipes in Europe call for egg yolk to be included and so I'm wondering what the difference is in terms of taste and structure.

Many thanks, Casper

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M,

1- what is the brand of baking powder you are using?
2- what is the expiration date of it?
3- when did you open the can of it?
4- are you weighing in grams or measuring in cups?

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Hi Rose and Woody;
I have been trying to bake the yellow butter cupcakes from the Heavenly Cakes book. I use an oven thermometer, check the cake with a tester and follow the recipe exactly as written. When the cupcakes come out of the oven though, they fall as in, they don't remain as high as they were when baked and sometimes drop a little in the middle.Can you give me any suggestions to stop this?

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Hi Jane,
We do not have an Italian Buttercream recipe, as Rose has a perfected an egg white and butter buttercream of her own.
We suggest making Rose's Mousseline Buttercream which is basically the same ingredients as Martha's with less water. We revised the original Cake Bible recipe in Rose's Heavenly Cakes. The key to a non curdling, gloppy mess is to have both the creamed butter and the cooled Italian meringue between 65 and 70 degrees and best if both are at the same temperature. Rose does have a video on making this on YouTube although the recipe amounts are not given.

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I am at wit's end trying to make Italian Buttercream icing - it curdles on me every time!! I have tried cooling the yolk mixture in fridge, keeping the butter cold, putting it back in the fridge when it curdles - nothing makes it look like the pictures and I usually end up adding icing sugar to make it spreadable where it becomes rather "muddy" tasting. I have asked Martha Stewart's phone-in program but they had nothing new to suggest (other than above). Can you please give me a hint as to how to make it come out like the pictures and taste clear and creamy.
Thanks

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Hi Beth,
Rose says that you can use pickle juice, but suggests making the sour dough starter version.

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Hi Hayley,
We need to ask some questions.
1. Have you made the pistachio recipe before in this oven with success?
2. Are you baking one of Rose's recipes?
3. Since you have indicated that the oven's heating temperature is different from the one you set, do you compensate?
We have experienced when making cupcakes with the same batter as a loaf or a cake that the cupcakes need either a different leavening amount, need to rest for 20 minutes before baking, or baked at a higher temperature to have a better shape and texture.
If you have The Cake Bible, Rose comments on page 476 about common baking problems and states that if you are getting doming it can be from a too hot of an oven, or from over mixing and wrong leavening.

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Ive been making the Real Jewish rye four times now. Its very good, but wondering if I could replace some of the water with pickle juice for tang, or what I might use for tang. Please let me kmow. thanks. Beth

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I have been trying to bake cup cakes and a pistachio loaf for the last few days but they all dome up in the middle , I put a thermometer in the oven and know the temp on the dial is not the same as the inside but not trusting that thermometer I bought another one which reads approx 5-10* hotter now I'm readily stuck with how to solve the problem
Can anyone help ????

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Hi Adrienne.
We would suggest experimenting with the Mousseline or White Chocolate Buttercream recipes from Rose's Heavenly Cakes. Ones with the addition of lemon curd will hold up even longer.

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Hi David,
We suggest that you read the Large Wedding & Special Occasion Cakes section in TCB and use the charts and the chocolate cake base recipe. The size of cake pan you are using is not listed on the Master Chart for Butter Cakes, which will put you in the 9-10 range for multiplying the base recipe and your baking powder will likely increase per base of other ingredients. Having less support at the center may cause problems if you are trying to achieve a mostly flat across the top cake. You might consider using a 'heater core' which is available from Fat Daddios or making a heavy duty foil strip to serve as a 'wall' to now split the pan into (2) 14 x 11s. You will have to use your previous experiences with this pan for adjusting this recipe.

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I tried to search this, and I'm sure I'm searching wrong, but here is my question:

I need a buttercream for a cake and cupcakes that can handle the humidity. I don't really like the powdered sugar buttercreams (too sweet for me), so I usually use a cooked buttercream.

What recipe is the best to use for the humid Summer months??? I have all of Rose's books and (am being a little lazy here) I don't want to have to trial and error it. I just need a point in the right direction! Thank you!!

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This has probably been asked to death but I have a recipe question. I have the TCB and I'm attempting the All-American Chocolate Butter Cake. My issue is the pan I'm using is 14x22x2. This is probably a very elementary question, but here goes. Do I just double for lack of a better term the recipe? I'm sure it wouldn't just be doubling, but does the time and temperature increase as well? If someone could help...

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David, not sure where you are in Canada but here in Quebec they do sell bakers Joy at Ares and also locally in all grocery store they now carry pam specially for baking with flour... i tried both side by side and they were equally winners. I agree with you all, there's nothing better and easier then the spray with flour! ;)

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David, i am so glad you could not agree more than myself regarding baking spray with flour. i remember back in 2008 in preparation to baking all the cakes from Rose's Heavenly Cakes, i flew a case of Bakers Joy to Hawaii as no-one locally carried it! and i paid a PRETTY penny for it. since Rose's Heavenly Cakes was out, and since it uses several bundt and fluted pans, now we have Bakers Joy in Hawaii!!!!!! and for the fraction of the cost i paid.

there are several other brands of baking spray with flour, one which does give a strong odor when sprayed or during baking, such as once i almost choked my niece and guests at one of my youtube tapings. beware aware.

http://youtu.be/66npcI8YW9E

i do wish we could experiment and using a oil mister or spray bottle, we could make our own formula of baking spray with flour at home. any thoughts?

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Nothing beats baking spray w/ flour. I just tried it two days ago for the first time (they don't sell this product in Canada; I had to go to the US for it, and the result was AMAZING!). I had tried margarine w/ flour; butter w/ flour; shortening w/ flour; even cooking spray w/ flour.

Thanks, Rose, for the suggestion a while back.

David

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Hi Hector

Ok thats great, thank you so much

Kindly
Geri

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Geri, in your shoes, i would do as any other pans: melted shortening and flour. try google for this information as i've seen many people do so. i can't tell you first hand because i have always used baking spray with flour.

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Woody:

Thanks. I like the idea of the chart.

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Tanx Hector,

Just really nervous as I have no baking flour spray and dont know what to use instead?

Worried bou dis sticking tomorrow now

Geri

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M, which recipe r u using? is this they yellow layer cake baked on cupcake pans without any adjustments to leavening? if so, it can explain why they fall. for falling, do you mean they sink or they fall out from the baking cups?

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Gerarldine, don't be sorry, you won't regret getting the book. it is really awesome.

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thx you dear rose!

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sori hector

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Hi everyone,

Sorry these are rubbery silicone moulds that I am using....is it still necessary to grease them and what other than baking flour spray any ideas?

Kindly
Geri

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Geraldine, the dozen of questions you have just asked are all answered on this book. please borrow, buy, or steal a copy:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0471781738/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=utf8&tag=myyelkit-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeasin=0471781738

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Hi Everyone,

Would it be possible to make Jelly in a silicone mould?

Would this need to be greased asweell?

Kindly,
Geraldine

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Hi Hector

i have no baking flour spray and very last minute so wats next best to use for greasing the silicone?

Kindly
Geraldine

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Hello Rose/Woody:
I have baked the yellow cake cupcakes several times now and followed the instructions to a t. I use an oven thermometer and test to ensure the cake is done every time. A major problem I have though, is that the cupcakes fall after baking. So much so it is too small for the cupcake inserts I have in my carrier. Any suggestions on what the problem may be.

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Hi Rose,

would i be able to just grease the silicone with simple margarine or butter or normal oil even?

Kindly,
Geraldine

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I tried to search this, and I'm sure I'm searching wrong, but here is my question:

I need a buttercream for a cake and cupcakes that can handle the humidity. I don't really like the powdered sugar buttercreams (too sweet for me), so I usually use a cooked buttercream.

What recipe is the best to use for the humid Summer months??? I have all of Rose's books and (am being a little lazy here) I don't want to have to trial and error it. I just need a point in the right direction! Thank you!!

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Hi mal,
We recommend that you confirm your oven's temperature to its settings. My oven heats at a lower temperature than its setting, which I have a chart of what temperature I need to set to obtain the designated temperature for a given recipe. If the oven is baking too slow and it sounds like your is by over 10%, the lower heat can inhibit the cake from establishing its needed structure.

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correction "when needing to freeze the cake prior unmolding"

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Geraldine, i ALWAYS grease silicone moulds even they say no. silicone molds stick like crazy! certain applications work without greasing on silicone molds, such as when needing to freeze the cake prior unfolding and then the silicone mold been flexible will peel off easily, unlike a metal mold.

if you use your silicone molds often, and don't wash them on the dishwasher, eventually the silicone will absorb grease and become very non-stick, at this point, you can try non-greasing.

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Hi Geraldine,
We recommend a light coating of baking flour spray, especially if their are detailed shapes.
Rose also gives her comments on silicone bakeware in the Equipment section of Rose's Heavenly Cakes.

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Hi Woody,

Thanks for that... would you know is it necessary to grease silicone mould as a lot of sources have said there is no need to?

Kindly,
Geraldine

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Hi Geraldine,
We recommend to try making a small amount to establish your ratio.
In The Cake Bible, Rose has several pages on decorating.

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Hi Woody,

I was just wondering..when making the icing for the train...am I ok adding yellow and green food colouring to this to make blue for the train?

Also what is my best bet to do the small details on the icing i.e. the wheels trims in the differant colours.I have never done this type of icing before so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you o so much,
Geribaby

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Hi Geraldine,
We suggest that you make the bottom cake with the same batter, preferably a butter or oil based recipe, and carve and trim it to link up with your other mold.
We can not recommend a flavor as we do not know what the 4 year old likes.
All of Rose's butter or oil based recipes can be refrigerated the day before. Give the cake a few hours to warm up to room temperature on Friday.

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Hi Woody,

Thanks so much for your speedy reply,

Thats great I think I will make a flat sponge cake batter for the bottom of the train and cut the train shape out. Do you think that base would hold the cake mixture thats is the silicone mould?

Also would this be ok left in the fridge on thursday as it is for the party on friday?

Kind Regards,
Geri

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Hi Woody,

Thanks so much for the speeedy reply. Would you say I be better off making like a flat sponge cake batter and then forming the train shape out of this for the bottom? Also What cake batter would you recommend for this as it is for a 4 year olds birthday party?

Also Would this cake be ok left in the fridge on thursday as it will be for the party on Friday?

Really appreciate this,
Kindly,
Geraldine

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Hi Claudine,
Enjoy making your sister's birthday a birthday to remember.

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Woodsy: As a matter of fact, the baking time proved too short as the center of both cakes was still quite loose at the longer end of the baking time. When I tried to test for doneness whether by insertion of a straw or touching the top, either the straw came out wet, or the the top did not bounce back. Each cake was baked several miniutes longer than the recipe provided.

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Thanks Woody, I will try the first option and maybe just decorate with Rose's chocolate lattice and a gorgeous flower on top instead!

Claudine

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Hi mal,
We ask have you tried just underbaking it as it will bake a bit longer during the 10 minutes of cooling on the rack?
Along with your successes so far, are the Pound Cake and the All Occasion Downy Yellow Butter Cake included which this cake has elements of both?

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Hi Geraldine,
Since making another top can not be used as it will be the reverse when attached or not the right configuration, we can only suggest that you either bake another cake and cut the cake to become the train's bottom or purchase one today.

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Hi Rose,

I have a silicone train cake mould. I was just wondering I wish to make two sides to this train so I can fill the middle with jam and cream.

Have you and ideas about how to make the bottom of this cake as I only have 1 mould for the cop?

Any ideas greatly appreciated as I need to make this by thursday>

Kindly,
Geraldine

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Hi Claudine,
If you can make it without the fondant as you have described, our suggestion for a moist sponge cake that does not require syrup is the Nancy Blitzer's Classic American Sponge Cake in The Cake Bible. You could cut the cake into layers like a Lemon Ice Box cake, fill the layers as you wish, and frost and decorate the sides and top.
If you want to have fondant on top of the sponge cake, we suggest the White Genoise in The Cake Bible that Rose used for her fondant covered White Lily Cake in the Showcase Cakes section. It will need to be syrupped. We do not suggest using whipped cream for the undercoating for fondant as the fondant needs a thin as possible, smooth, and structurally supporting undercoating. The kaluah buttercream sounds excellent.

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hi Rose! I have a cake i used to make with vanilla box mix that i would add espresso to and then fill it with layers of mascapone cheese with kaluah flavoured whipped cream topped with more kaluah flavoured whipped cream and some marbled chocolate curls... Since i got your books and discovered the joy of baking from scratch, i haven't made it. My sister's birthday is coming up and she loves that cake. I refuse to make another sponge from box mix... can you tell me witch sponge you think would probably blend well with this combination (no syrup is used so sponge needs to be moist)

Also, is it possible to cover with fondant a cake covered in a light coating of whipped cream (no worries about refrigeration... just the actual look of the cake) and if so, which stabilized recipe would you suggest in your book? if not i guess i could make as usual but seal in with a kaluah flavoured buttercream?

Your input would be very much appreciated!

thanks!
Claudine

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Hi Woody:

You are correct about the recipe I used. Yes I have successfully made other butter cakes from the Cake Bible. I am using Swans Down cake flour.

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Hi Beth,
We ask is this your first cake from one of Rose's recipe's. Where many butter cake recipes whether box or scratch are sugary sweet, Rose formulates her cakes to have a subdued sweetness to be in harmony with the rest of the ingredients and the frosting.
We are glad you tried not to add too much flour and Rose always recommends to weigh ingredients as mentioned by Hector versus using volume. Egg white butter cakes made from scratch are tender in crumb and softer texture compared to egg yolk or whole egg cakes.
You might want to try making the cake by substituting 3 whole eggs for the whites and increasing the baking powder by 1/4 teaspoon. This will give you a slightly firmer cake.

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beth, i would recommend buying an electronic kitchen scale. they are widely available and inexpensive and accurate. it is also easier to use than sifting and measuring!

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I made your white velvet butter cake yesterday with your neoclassic buttercream. The buttercream was extroidinary, but the cake was not good. Not sweet enough, and dry and crumbly. I sifted and measured and measured like you instructed on your youtube video so as not to add too much flour. It still came out awful, while the buttercream was an eye opener for me. so easy. Please help with the dry crumbly unsweet cake issue.

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Hi Suzanne,
We suggest you post this on the Forums section which will give your request more visability for other bloggers to give suggestions to this subject.
For special health needs baking such as: gluten free, lactose intolerance, low cholesterol, we suggest visiting some of the web sites listed under SITES I LIKE as these are not our genre of baking.
When we can we do post and include recipes in Rose's book for special health baking.

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I am new to making bread, but I have a problem. I need it to be naturally gluten free. I am led to believe that the 'fermentation' process of making a dough starter removes the gluten. I am wanting to buy whole-wheat (or other grains) and stone-grind them at home, use the 'whole' grain, but ferment appropriately to remove the glutten. HELP. I only know how to pour ingredients into my bread machine so far.

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Hi Rose;

I'm opening a Bakery Boutique and I decided to use pasterized eggs. My questions is: Pasterized eggs are good for italian or swiss merengue buttercream? These are the buttercream that I use for my layer cakes and most of my cupcakes.

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Hi - could you tell me what might cause the challah braids to tear while baking? thank you

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Hi Mal,
We are assuming you are making the Golden Butter Cream Cake on pages 34-35 and that you have an oven that heats properly.
Have you made other butter cakes from The Cake Bible with successful results?
We ask are you using bleached cake flour?

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I made the yellow cake in the earlier pages of the Cake Bible. It was made with three egg yolks,and heavy cream. Suggested uses included strawberries and whippped cream as in strawberry shortcake. I made it twice, the second time following the receipe even more closely as the first cake fell apart. The second one fell apart as well. Help. Thank you for any suggestions, ideas, etc. on what could have gone wrong, how to correct, etc.

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David, the Whipped Cream Cake needs fast heating and a center support to bake. U can try cupcakes on silicone pans thou.

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Hi David,
We suggest you read about silicone pans in the Equipment section of Rose's Heavenly Cakes. Generally, if a piece of equipment is easily accessible to home bakers and gives the best results or appearance for the dessert, Rose will state that piece of equipment. A reason why silicone pans are stated as a preference for the financiers. The same is true for ingredients and why Rose will state an ingredient followed by "preferably" and the specific ingredient she would use for the recipe.

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Dear Rose/Woody,

What are your thoughts on silicone cake pans? I bought my first silicone rose shaped pan, and tried to bake "Whipped Cream Cake" with it. When I inverted the cake, it looked like it had gone through a nasty Canadian winter - all petals were broken and fell apart.

David

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Hi Hsuan-yong,
We have found in many cases that ovens are off in temperature. I have had two ovens that are lower in temperature than the setting I set, which i have a note card by the oven with the temperatures i need to set to have a certain oven temperature. We suggest that you take heat readings with an accurate oven thermometer for commonly used baking temperatures, write them down, and then you can compensate for the difference when you then you use the oven. In The Cake Bible, page 448, Rose comments on baking the All-Occasion Yellow Cake as a test cake to check your oven for accurate temperatures.

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Hello Rose,

We recently moved from a house with a relatively new electric oven to a house with a very old O'Keefe and Merritt gas range and oven. The gas oven is very small (narrow in width and tall height) and seems to very in temperature during a baking cycle, and runs very 'hot'. I put two oven thermometers in it and it runs at least 50 degrees hotter than the dial indicates.

I love baking cakes but wonder if I can make successful ones in this oven. Do you have any tips? I've tried pies, and they are moderately successful. I think bread is possible, but cakes seem to need even heat and accuracy.

Thank you,

Hsuan-ying

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Hello, Rose...while browsing your website, a memory popped up that made me laugh...do you remember coming to Maid of Scandinavia in Minnesota in about 1990? I was the mother who brought her small son who spat out your lemon bar in front of everyone! I was so embarrassed......! Well, I still love your books and now he is grown and cooks and bakes like a demon...No harm done, I hope?

Thank you for your work!

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Pam, the golden lemon almond cake is superbly yummy. Use weight! Else make the full batter and use only 2/3 and with the xtra 1/3 make cupcakes.

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The Golden Lemon Almond Cake in Rose's Heavenly Cakes cookbook (p. 37) says the recipe for a 10 cup and a 6 cup batter are given. I can't find the breakdown for the 6 cup version other than "make 2/3 of the recipe." The amounts don't divide well by 2/3 especially if using volume. How do I determine the correct amounts of the ingredients by 2/3?

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Hello Zainab,

There is a "Bakewell Custard Powder" defined as a corn flour based product which thickens to form a custard like sauce when mixed with milk and heated to appropriate temperatures. The product has 100% vegetarian ingredients and has no egg content. Desserts, fillings and sauce made with this custard powder are extra thick, more creamier and tastier.

Hope this helps you!

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Hi, first where can i purchase pumpernickle flour? and I tried making your bread bible sourdough rye, and it went flat and never rose. Help? I will say though that your jewish rye is amazing. Have made it three times now.

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Hi Adelina,
To our knowledge, all English printed versions of The Cake Bible include butter. The amount of unsalted butter for the 4 egg yolks recipe is 4 tablespoons/57 grams. Blend the butter in with the yolks and sugar, then add the lemon juice.
For a thick filling you could add some gelatin to stabilize whipped cream with lemon curd added to it. The Cake Bible has recipes for whipped cream.
If you think there are other errors, please look at the Errata/Corrections section of the blog.

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Hi Rose,

I got your Cake Bible book - the older version and tried the lemon curd recipe. I noticed that the recipe didn't ask for butter - can you let me know if the butter was added (in other recipes) for added richness and texture?

Also, I am planning to use the lemon curd, made according to your recipe, to incorporate it into a whipped cream so I can fill a layered, sponge cake (I also use your Classic Genoise's recipe from the Cake Bible book). My question is, can I simply add the lemon curd into a whipped cream and that mixture will be ok to fill a layered cake? Will it need a stablizer agent added?

Thank you!

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Hello Rose. I'm a huge fan. I had no idea you were online and just found this blog. Wonderful!
I have two copies of The Cake Bible (and two other of your books). I bought my first copy in the late '80s and it's pretty beat up and falling apart. The latter is my backup copy and being kept immaculate. My wish is to have a PDF or iBooks version so I can reference it on my iPad. What will it take to make this happen? Pretty please!
My wife's favorite recipe is the Guilt-Free Chocolate Chiffon Cake. My variation (at her request) is to add 1.5tsp of Vietnamese cinnamon.
Also, have you noticed that that egg yolks have gotten smaller as a ratio of the whole egg over the years? At least based on your weights on pg. 441. But I always weigh, so it's not a big issue, just an observation.
Best Regards,
Peter

P.S. My 2nd attempt at La Porcelaine is at my web address. ;)

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Hi Zainab,
We have not seen any specific bagatelle cream recipes. The bakery may have just given the filling this name for what maybe just a pastry cream variation. You may want ask the bakery's head baker for a more in depth explanation.

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Dear Rose, Woody

Can you please explian what is a bagatelle cream? there is this trifel i love made by our local bakery, its layers of sponge cake with strawberry sauce and this cream, its sort of a custard, when i asked they said bagatelle cream!

Regards
Zainab

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Hi Clem,
We suggest to check The Bread Bible's page 89 on high altitude baking. We also recommend these four sources:
1. Susan Purdy’s book “Pie in the Sky: Successful Baking at High Altitude”
2. General Mill’s website for Baking Crocker & Baking at High Altitudes
3. USDA’s website for recommendations
4. High Altitude Baking website that has a Forums section
Unfortunately, New York and Minneapolis due not give us the opportunity to bake for high altitudes. Hopefully one of the sources especially putting your question on the Forums section of High Altitude Baking.

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I have your Bread Bible for many years and am very partial to the Jewish Rye and Pumpernickle recipes.
However, we recently moved to a higher elevation (2,000) and I'm experiencing some difficulty with the Rye.
After placing in the oven, the bread splits as a continuation with the "cuts" on top of the loaf. Why is this happening and how to prevent. The taste is still great. This does not happen with the pumpernickle. I have tried everything from lowering the temp; using a little First Clear instead of the bread flour, less yeast,etc.
Please Help.

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Thanks for help woody. also i want to cut the recipe in half do you think the cake will be fine if i use 6 inch cake pans?

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Hi Nicole,
We suggest checking the Ingredients section on cocoa in either The Cake Bible or Rose's Heavenly Cakes. You can use non-alkalized cocoa, but it may not be as flavorful.

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Hello I would like to know if i can use regular cocoa powder for the devils food cake with midnight ganache instead of dutch since i have none. I brought schaffer bergers because they discontinued the green and blacks brand here in the u.s.

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Hi Debbie,
Unless you can refrigerate the silk meringue, we have to recommend that the silk meringue as stated in The Cake Bible only has a 6 hour at room temperature time frame. If there is no room in the refrigerator, you could put it in a large styrofoam box and put cold packs inside with the cake.
If you need a 24 hour at room temperature frosting, we suggest to make the mousseline buttercream which has a 2 day at room temperature stated in The Cake Bible. The recipe for this buttercream with strawberries was revised in Rose's Heavenly Cakes to first cream all of the butter and then add all of the Italian meringue to the creamed butter

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I am making a graduation cake. I have to make the cake the afternoon before the party. I can not put the finished cake in the refrigerator. I wanted to make Rose's strawberry silk meringue for the filling and silk meringue for the outside of the cake. I am concerned about leaving the cake out at room temp. that long.

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Hi woody and Rose! i'm unsure if this is the place to post as its the question section and this is a comment, and if so I apologize... but i need to say this!

The lemon luxury cake in RHC is absolutely amazing! I followed your suggestion Woody for the raspberry filling which was some fresh raspberry mixed in with the puree. There was some very picky eaters at that party, customers of high end bakeries, and a gentlemen. who own is own bakery for 9 years... they all absolutely loved the cake!!! I made it exactly as the recipe states, replacing one of the curd layers by the raspberry filling and covered it with a homage white modelling chocolate before decorating it for a baptism. It's definitely a keeper (with or without raspberries!) and you both made some lemon cake lovers out of the non-lemon-cake-eaters!

I think of my self as a pretty good decorator, but until i got roses books, i sadly had to use box mixes as i didn't have any great results in the baking department... Now, I am getting all the praises in the world and i feel i deserve them only thanks to you guys. Your books are awesome, please keep up the great work!

Of and by the way, don't know what I would do without this questions section on the website... please keep this going! Thanks again!

Yours truly,
Claudine

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Hi David,
We are aware of the ounces and grams error from the initial printings with the correction slated for the next printing.
We suggest you try cognac and vanilla extract, but if you like the flavor you get from the pods go for it. As far as the resulting flavor, we can not give you an opinion as there can be several variables: length of time for infusing, amount of pods, what temperature stored, quality of the cognac, which type of vanilla pod.

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Hi Rose/Woody,

FYI, there are two boo boos on page 325 (Mini Vanilla Bean Pound Cakes). "super fine sugar" should be 150 grams and not 150 ounces. "cake flour (or bleached all-purpose flour)" should be 150 grams and not 150 ounces.

Also, for the (Vanilla Cognac Syrup). I was unable to find vanilla Cognac, or Navan; so I put vanilla pods in with the regular cognac and use it instead. Would the result the same as vanilla cognac that you suggested in the recipe?

David

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Hi Leonor, I replied here:

http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/2009/08/tortas_en_latinoamerica.html#293712

Happy baking .H

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Hello, Héctor
I need to make a cake for Friday and I have a problem with the cake. I have a round pan 20 x 7 cm high. I need to make a cake for fondant and high I increased the recipe in half. I baked at 180 degrees for 50 minutes, the cake comes out perfect high but totally sunk center, is a cave. The outside is perfect, well done, but the center is impossible. 3 cakes I've failed. Since the recipe calls for 15 g. 300 g of yeast. of flour, and I'm doing more than half the recipe (450 g. of flour) I've put 22 g. of yeast. I do not know what the problem. : Fewer temperature oven, 170 degrees maybe? The molds I have are all that high.
thank you very much
Leonor

P. S. I put the query also on the blog in Spanish in case anyone sees it. Forgive my English is not very good. Is there any way to keep your forum and website in Spanish?

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Hi Theresa,
We would suggest you get several other opinions including bakeries, considering many box cakes do use butter instead of oil. We have not heard of any wedding cake businesses portraying to their clientele that they specialize in box cake made cakes. Many of the questions we answer on the blog refer to The Cake Bible's Wedding and Special Occasions Cake section in which all of the cakes have butter, except cheesecakes.
When it comes to taste, that is up to the person.
When it comes to sturdiness, that is dependent on the cake.
I guess if it was true that box cakes are known to taste better there would be a lot of cake cookbook authors needing to switch to writing about other types of baking.

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I forgot to mention the "someone" was from a cake supply store who should know what they're talking about.

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Someone just told me that butter cakes are not good to use for wedding cakes, that boxed cakes are the best to use for sturdiness and taste. Is this true???

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Hi again Woody! I noticed the puree calls for frozen raspberries and if using fresh, to be freeze then thaw... should i mix the puree with fresh or frozen raspberries... does it make a difference? also since there will be actually pieces of fruit in the filling, is it a waste of time to remove all the seeds in the puree or it will make a difference?

Thanks again!
Claudine

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Thanks Woody! I will definitely try that!

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Hi Claudine,
I would probably use fresh raspberries coated with some raspberry puree to replace the lemon curd filling. i would keep it out of buttercream to leave the buttercream in its off white color. I would also border the rim of the top with raspberries and place a few in the middle.

The Marble Cake in RHC is a version of the Downy Cake adapted for the bundt pan. You should be able to make the RHC recipe as a 2 layer cake, but you may ned to increase the baking powder by 1/4 teaspoon. You want to start with just one layer first to establish your baking powder level.

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Hi Rose and Woody!
Again, your lemon luxury cake is absolutely delicious! I am now trying to get variations as I been requested a lemon cake with raspberry filling. I was going through the cake bible and RHC to look for some sort or fruit filling recipe. I did find a raspberry puree...
What do you suggest as i want to incorporate raspberries to your lemon cake. Fresh raspberries layered with the white chocolate lemon buttercream, a raspberries puree mixed into the buttercream, or something else?

Also, can I turn the all occasion downy cake into a marble cake by simply adding melted chocolate or cocoa to a portion of the batter like in the velvet marble cake in the RHC or will it affect its texture?

Please give me your input!!

Thanks again!
Claudine

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Hi Debbie,
The Bread Bible's Pita Bread recipe on pg 224 has a Minimum Rising Time: 1 hour. Rose states that for the best flavor to develop that the dough should be refrigerated for 8 hours minimum. You can make the Pita recipe in the same day after the first 4 hours in the refrigerator.
We suggest that you make the recipe and bake some the same day, the next day, and on the third day so you see if you prefer the flavor of one over the others.

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We are making the Pita Bread from the Bread Bible. Confused about the rising time. It says maximum rising 1 hour but then says to put in the refrigerator overnight? Can we make this the same day?

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Hi Debbie,
We recommend reading The Cake Bible's Bottoms for Cheesecakes pg 82.on using sponge cakes for bottoms. in Rose's Heavenly Cakes, the Cranberry Crown cheesecake has a biscuit roulade base.
Generally, thin sponge cake with the crust side up can line the pan before pouring in the batter and baking. Butter cakes and sponge cakes can be baked separately and attached to the bottom of the cheesecake which has been brushed with a fruit jelly.

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I would like to make a cheesecake with a cake crust. My question is should I bake the cake first and place at the bottom of the springform pan and put the cheesecake batter on top or bake the cheesecake and cake separately and place together when both are baked?
Thanks for your help,
Debbe

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Hi Shi Hao,
We suggest you check Rose's Heavenly Cakes pg 430 which has a chart for ganaches and pg 451 which has a chart for cocoa percentages for various chocolate manufacturers.

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Hi rose and woody,

I would like to know if the percentage of cocoa solids would affect the amount of cream required for the ganache to reach a spreadable consistency. For example, do chocolate with higher cocoa solids percentage required more cream??

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Hi Kathi,
We have not liked the results using milk chocolate instead of cocoa or dark chocolate in the batter. However, the Deep Passion Wedding Cake in Rose's Heavenly Cakes has cocoa in the batter, but the finished cake is brushed with a Milk Chocolate Syrup to give the cake moistness and the hint of milk chocolate taste. The same cake is used for the German Chocolate and Ice Cream Sandwich, which you make a smaller amount of the syrup.
We do recommend milk chocolate as an ingredient in buttercreams and we will be including milk chocolate frosting recipes in the next book.

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Greetings Rose, I've been a fan forever ;) (my Cake Bible is falling apart).... I have a question regarding a Milk Chocolate Cake recipe.....are there any? I've been searching and haven't found a one. I tried to make one by substituting milk chocolate for dark chocolate and the crumb turned out horribly rough! Is there a way to do it?

Thanks! Kathi

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Hi Anonymous,
We recommend using the 1 tablespoon of cocoa as it easily incorporates into the batter. You could try substituting unsweetened chocolate, but it may not be worth the measuring, chopping, melting, cooling, and scraping into the batter for such a small amount.

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Hello

I had a question about your red velvet. If i was to use regular chocolate instead of coco powder would that work? I have the heavenly cakes book recipe. thanks for your time

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Hi Claudine,
We have found that the lemon curd can be stored airtight in room temperatures for 3 days. Although the 24 hour time frame is longer than we suggest for the white chocolate buttercream, the encasing it in fondant should allow you to keep it out for the timeframe. We recommend to keep the cake in the coolest room temperature area as possible.

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HI M,
We do not recommend any cream cheese frosting for possibly becoming a food safety issue if you are having it in sustained warm temperatures, where butter can be out for longer times.
Is there a reason why your desserts cannot be chilled until shortly before serving?

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Thank you so much Woody. Can I use creamcheese in place of the butter in the mousseline buttercream? I would like a creamcheese frosting that holds up in 90 degree weather.

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Thanks for the input Woody! I did find the buttercream information at the beginning of the book but I was wondering about the curd inside the lemon cake. there is also a custard inside the lemon and white chocolate buttercream so I was wondering if that needs to be refrigerated or it was safe. Can that be left out for 24 hours?

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Hi M,
Yes. The mousseline will swirl nicely and hold its shape in normal room temperatures and humidity.
Yes, you can use a convection oven, but may need to experiment with shortening the baking times.

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Hi Claudine,
Please check Rose's Heavenly Cakes page 3 for the storage times. Most buttercreams should only be out for 1 day at room temperature. The cake and the fillings should work well including just a thin coating of the buttercream to seal the cake and provide a smooth surface for the rolled fondant. You may want to try Rose's Classic Rolled Fondant in The Cake Bible. We also suggest The Cake Bible for anyone who is making wedding and special occasions cakes as it has a chapter with formulas, charts, and base recipes.

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Hi Julie,
We suggest that if your vehicle does not have air conditioning and a shaded area to place your carriers then you should invest in some coolers or styrofoam containers.

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Hello Rose and Woody:
Rose suggested a few weeks ago that I try Mousseline buttercream for the weather in the Caribbean. However, can you let me know if this is a good frosting to make a swirl effect using a pastry bag on cupcakes? I don't want them to fall and look sad. Also, I have been thinking about purchasing a convection oven as an upgrade. Will the recipes in Heavenly cake work as cupcakes in a convection oven or should I stick to my thermal oven?

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Dear Rose

What to do to make frosting on cake like butter cream, cream cheese etc last longer so they won't melt during few hours travelling in a hot and humid weather?

Julie

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Hi Woody! After noticing a question about a lemon cake recently, I decided to give your lemon luxury cake a try on page 43 of RHC. Absolutely delicious! I am fairly new at all this baking from scratch art and since I don't know much about custard and curds... I would like to ask you a question. Can the cake be left out at room temperature? If so, how long would you recommend be the longest? I have a fondant covered cake order coming up and I am wondering if this cake recipe could be considered for it... Thanks gain for your input!

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Hi Betsy,
We suggest you post this on the Forums section as Rose does not have a recipe for pierogi. A Forums post will give your request more viability for other bloggers to give suggestions.

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Dear Rose,

I am 51 years old and have only twice in my life eaten superb 9boiled, that is Polish style rather than baked) pierogi, and I am referring just to the dough here. The one person who supposedly knows the recipe will not give it away, according to her family, until she marries (and I believe that she is older than I am !).

The superb dough should be infinitely tender, just barely cover the filling, practically dissolve in your mouth (but still hold the filling and survive the poaching, of course). (And incidently the final dumpling, closed around the edges might have a beautiful ruffle that looks like a lovely ruffled lace that is transparent at the edges)

I have experimented endlessly (including using cake flour as you suggest) (including using vodka instead of water to limit gluten formation). I understand from the "secret recipe" that it is very simple, using regular flour, salt, of course (and I believe perhaps one or two other ingredients?) The recipe contains no eggs, and it is to be handled as though it were a Faberge egg (so to speak :--), allowed to rest overnight, and be "rolled out" with a pasta maker to the thinnest or next thinnest setting....

If anyone is the one to take on a challenge, YOU ARE! Take it from there ...

MOST SINCERELY and ADMIRINGLY,
WITH TREMENDOUS EXPECTATION,
YOURS TRULY!
Betsy Zielinski

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Hi Melanie,
Thank you for your offer on sending us some coconut sugar. We have already tested with a couple of brands of the sugar for various baking recipes for the new book.

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Hi Martha,
May we ask why a 12 x 12 x 3 cheesecake as the height can compromise the cheesecake from baking uniformly with the additional compromise of the large surface area to bake the center region without over baking the edges?
We do not have any recipes that use a waterbath to make this size of cheesecake. In addition, do you have a pan with removeable sides or a loose bottom to beable to unmold the cheesecake?
If you are looking for a recipe, you may want to post this on the Forums section.

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Hi Rose,

We met last year at the Experimental Cuisine Collective, I remember we talked briefly about using coconut oil in baking. I had recently returned from a trip home (Cebu , Philippines) and had come across locally produced but USDA certified organic cocosugar (said to be low on the glycemic index and rich in nutrients). I thought about applications in baking and thought of you. I thought too you may be intrigued and be interested in experimenting with it so I got you a bag . I can send it to you via post if you can provide me an address to send it to. I have my personal email address attached to this post, you can reply to me there.

I gather construction is done ( certainly hope so as it has been almost a year) . I hope you are well, and my warmest congratulations on your bakingware line, love the look and logo!

Best,
Melanie

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Dear Rose,
Can you pls tell me how to bake a 12x12x3 square new york cheesecake. please help. thanks and best regards.

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Hi Theresa,
We can only suggest if they do bot want the frosting flavored with strawberry or as a filling is to try Strawberry Essence which can be purchased from La Cuisine for the cake.

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I am making a friends wedding cake and they requested strawberry cake, with no strawberry filling and vanilla buttercream...so the cake has to be flavorful. I keep testing recipes with either strawberry jam or fresh strawberries and have yet to find a good one. Either they are too dense or lack in flavor. I've noticed there are no strawberry cake recipes in most good cake books, is it impossible to bake a good strawberry cake with only fresh ingredients? Help!

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Hi Ann,
By your description as neither of us has Niki's book it sounds like the Woody's Lemon Luxury Layer cake pg 43 in Rose's Heavenly Cakes which has a white chocolate enhanced butter cake with lemon, a lemon curd filling, and a white chocolate based buttercream enhanced with lemon curd.

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Hi Dianne,
The strip only comes in the one size. We have stacked them one above the other to cover the sides of an angel food pan or a tall springform pan. Many people in the US have two strips for encircling each layer of a two layer cake.

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Hi Rose,
Just a quick question. I'm intrigued by the description of your white chocolate and lemon cake as described by Niki Segnit in her book The Flavour Thesaurus. Can you tell me which book I can find the recipe in please?
Ann

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G'day from Down Under. I recently purchased one of your silicon cake strips. I have been making my own with foil/kitchen paper previously. My question is- will the strip work on a 3"deep pan or is it designed for use with layer-cake pans. Layer cakes are not as popular here as in US. I recently made your Cinnamon Crunch Apple Cake and I wasn't sure the silicon strip would do the trick as it seemed too narrow, so I made my own again. Perhaps your strips come in various widths?? Can you believe cake strips are unknown in AUS-I have todo a lot of my cake stuff purchases online.I believe the high ration pound cake is America's gift to the world.
Kind regards, Dianne Brims

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I am looking for information regarding the effect of yeast on artisan bread? I have read that using a small amount of yeast, when baking say French bread, will increase the size of the holes in the bread while adding too much yeast will reduce the size and increase the quantity of holes in the bread. Would anyone care to comment on the effect of yeast and even the type of yeast, I am currently using Red Star active dry yeast.

Thanks, Frank

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Thank You so much!

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Hi..
I have a wedding cake to make for a friend.. problem being I go on holiday the week of the wedding and was planning to make the cake the week before the wedding, could you please advise me on the best filling for the sponge cake that will last?
thankyou
Ricky

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Hi Danny,
If you are making it from The Cake Bible, we revised the recipe in Rose's Heavenly Cakes by replacing some of the butter with oil. If you are making the two layer Cake Bible recipe, make it with:
184 grams/ 13 Tablespoons butter
42 grams/ 3 Tablespoons canola or safflower oil

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I've been making your chocolate butter cake and it is turning out dry every time without over-baking or using the wrong size pan. Would adding milk or sour cream make it more moist? Or would anything else help?

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Hi Rose,
I've been learning how to bake cakes, and my question is why do my cakes taste like and smell bread?

Lily

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Hi David,
Yes. Circulation of heat is essential for baking. Some manufacturers suggest that you only need one inch open space between the baking stone and the oven walls. We suggest that since ovens vary in the circulation of air that one needs to experiment with how large a stone will work in a particular oven. My stone covers a third of the surface area of the rack and I get great results. On the other hand, Rose's stone covers over half.

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Dear Rose/Woody,

A while back I wrote to you asking why my bread would always rise and then droop over to center of the oven.

After ten'ish loaves or so and not very happy with the end result, I have discovered the problem.

The baking stone I use is too big for the oven, giving only about five inch clearance on the left and right sides, and three inches in the front and the back. Therefore, the bottom heat does not have enough room to circulate evenly.

To confirm my theory, I decided to bake two batches on the same day; one with the stone and the other directly on the oven rack. The same thing happend to the batch that was baked using the stone; and the other batch came out beautifully.

I am wondering if you have ever heard of this problem before?

David

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Rose,

This is my second to you today. This one is about the mixing methods you use in the Pie Bible: food processor and by hand. What is you reason for not provide instructions for using a stand mixer like a Kitchen Aid.

Thanks in advance,
Bob

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Rose,
I recently received my professional bakers' certificate from the New England Culinary Institute (NECI). My training at NECI and now at my first baking job focus on bread, which I greatly enjoying baking. However, I want to mater pie making and I am using your ‘Pie Bible’ to get me started.

My question is about ‘resting the dough’. I am familiar with the practice of resting the dough into a disk shape and having it rest in the refrigerator. On page 7 of your book it appears that you are suggesting to rest the dough after it has been rolled out and shaped in the pie-pan before it goes in the oven. Do I have this correct? If so, do you suggest that I rest the dough shaped in the pan from 15 minutes to overnight?

Thank you in advance,
Bob Spena

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Hi Rose,
I am a chef that plays a food guessing game with my friends on facebook. You are one of my top 5 favorite chefs. I would like to know what your favorite band or song is so I can quizz my friends. I will be using your favorite song or band to pair with you as one of my favorite chefs. And I am curious.
Thanks chef,
Carla

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Dear Rose,

I just finished baking through Rose's Heavenly Cakes in a year and I loved every minute of it! Thank you so much for your wonderful books!

I would absolutely love to get a signed copy of RHC to commemorate the project. Is there any way that I can order one from you?

Thanks!

Jane

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Thank you. I have made the rye bread from the Bread Bible with great success.

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Dear Rose,
I purchased your Bread Bible from The Book Depository in the UK. I received it Monday and have been through it with a fine tooth comb. Such a beautiful book. I admire your flair and in depth knowledge of your product. I shall start baking my way through it tomorrow starting with your challah and choc almond swirl kugelhopf :o)

I wish I could find La Cloche down here but alas. Do you think it would make the voyage from the US without breaking. Would you be willing to recommend a realiable source in the US, so it would arrive here intact. There are no such items available here and I've been looking for some time.
Congratulations on a most wonderfully detailed and comprehensive Bread Bible.
Thank you again for your time and kind attention.
I shall be buying all your books! All the best

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I have had a durham wheat starter (Atta) flour going for about 15 years now. I use it in very small amounts for just about everything. It is very strong and hardy. Does the job every time. Should I worry that I don't have other starters around, such as rye? Is it really important to the flavour or rye or other whole grain breads to have rye starter? Is there a recommended shortcut if it is necessary to have more than one? Thanks!

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Hi Shawn,
We say you can if you were to go considerably beyond the time frame given for beating the eggs. The usual problem we hear is that many people do not beat the eggs long enough. We suggest that you may want to experiment with some small proportions of whites and whole egg and sugar mixtures to see what happens at the correct time frames and then going past the time frames until the egg meringues or foams break down. Your experimentation will give you guidelines for future recipes.

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Hi rose & Woody

I would just like to know if it is possible to overbeat eggs when making sponges or genoises?

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Hi Rose,

I purchase your book, ( Cake Bible) , and should receive it shortly.

I live is south Florida and originally from Cuba.
The Cuban bakeries here make these wonderful moist
cakes for birthdays and weddings that they all call
vanilla rum flavor.

I have tried the only recipe that seems to float around with the cake mix and vanilla pudding mix.

I would love to have a scratch recipe that comes closer to these cakes that are soaked with simple syrup and rum.

Help,,Hilda Mann

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Hi, for example muscovado sugar, triple sec, etc. I have to use google to search muscivado sugar and triple sec. So, it would be very helpful if rose can provide a little bit of dictionary about the definition of these ingredients so that we can find it in our local store. Jamie oliver and other cooks provide these explanation so that we can understand it, because we called some stuff differently here, for example cilantro=coriander leaves.
I hope it's helpful

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Hi Lucia,
We ask if you can give us an example beyond the listed ingredients in the Ingredients section or preferred ingredients stated in specific recipes?
We are aware that some ingredients may not be available in certain parts of the world and may not have a viable alternative ingredient. An example of this is Wondra flour which we have not seen a competitor mill offering its own version.

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hi,
I have just got "rose'e heavenly cakes" books, and I'm falling in love with it. However, I struggle to understand some of the ingredients that's mentioned in the recipe because I'm in australia and we called some of the ingredients different over here. So, it would be awesome if you can provide glossary or a little dictionary at the back of the book, like jamie oliver's book. so that WE who don't familiar with the ingredients can understand it.

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REPLY: Hi Robert,
We are not familiar with the ratio of butter and sweetex.
Was the family bakery using rolled or poured fondant?
In writing The Cake Bible, Rose researched fondant recipes extensively and for home as well as commercial bakers has a classic fondant recipe using glycerine, shortening, and powdered sugar. Trying to incorporate butter did not produce favorable results.
She also has a food processor recipe for poured fondant and a chocolate rolled fondant.

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Hi Jennifer,

We understand where you are coming from and would like to offer an explanation here as to the thinking behind posting recipes on blogs.

The question of sharing recipes on the internet is a very controversial subject. To write Rose's Heavenly Cakes took over 5 years with thousands of hours of recipe testing. For many authors, revenue from book sales and writing articles for various publications is their sole income. If authors posted all of their recipes on their blog sites for free access by any internet surfing blogger what would be the incentive for a blogger to buy the author's books?

The controversy is that several blog sites that do not write cookbooks or articles for publications are eager to take any author's hardworking efforts and adapt them slightly to post for free access. They then use advertising on their blog in ads or trigger words with pop up ads to give them a generous return of money. We have been approached many times by advertisers to include their advertising on Rose’s blog. We have opted to have none except if the advertiser is willing to sponsor the blog, as did General Mills for several years. their logo only was at the top of the home page. Rose, like any other author, shares her recipes and extensive supporting information through her books. She also offers a great deal of free support on the blog, answering thousands of questions a year.

One can either buy an author's book, or take it out from the library. Of course one can also surf the web for blog sites that find it in within their lack of ethics to pirate adapted versions of the author's recipes. Publishing houses have a set rule of allowing 3 recipes upon their permission to be used for another publication besides the author's own website. The rampant taking and adapting of recipes by blog sites has hurt the cookbook industry to the point where some authors have ceased writing books and one publisher has put its cookbook division up for sale due to decrease revenue from book sales.

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Hi Rose years ago my family had a bakery and we used 50 block of fondant with sweetex and butter for an incredible cake icing. However, I can not recall the amount of butter and sweetex per 50 lb box of fondant, can you provide some help?

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I apologise for that! I'm new to the blogging game so thank you for the advice. Your recipe really deserves to be shared!

Jennifer

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Dear Rose:
I just wanted to let you know that I credited you on my food blog, Gustia. I used your recipe for Pâte sucrée in my most recent post for Mandarin Orange Curd Tartelettes. Here's the link: http://goo.gl/X0rnL I think your recipe is fantastic and better than the one that I learned at the Cordon Bleu!

Thank you for all your fabulous cookbooks which I use often and your dedication to getting it right.

Jennifer Barnaby

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Dear Rose,

As someone who lives in Europe (the Netherlands, to be exact), I don't have access to cake flour. I've recently bought some cake flour from King Arthur, but have found the shipping costs to be too high.

I'm planning to experiment making my own Kate flour, but I wonder whether simply leaving the standard Dutch plain flour (10g protein per 100g), thinly spread over over a baking sheet, to oxidise in the open air might achieve the same result. In one of your books I read that flour naturally ages through oxidisation and that it normally takes 10 days for this process to happen.

Is this a wise thing to do? I don't mind the wait.

Thank you,

Casper

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Hi Phoebe,
We suggest that you just let it air dry to the degree of dryness you desire.

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Hi Woody,

It is a chiffon cake. I'm wondering if it is the moisture that has not completely evaporated in the oven. Or it may need a longer baking time ? It seems that other cakes, like genoise, which has no water in the ingredient, have less of this phenomenon.

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hi Phoebe,
We have to ask which cake are you making?
Some cakes, such as carrot cake or angel food cake, will have a slightly tacky surface.

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Dear Rose,

I love all your books. I have a question about cakes. I notice that after baking, the surface of the cake will turn very sticky/wet after cooling. Do you have any clue ? I follow your recipe and make sure it is done by inserting a toothpick in and it comes out clean.

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Hi Claudine,
We are only aware of PTFE tape generally sold for the food industry that is FDA approved to 500˚F. Rose recommends orthodontist wire for structural support.

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Hi Zainab,
If you like chocolate frostings, we would recommend making ganache which is cream based as it will stay soft with refrigeration. Any butter based frostings will harden in the refrigerator which Rose gives instructions about letting them warm to room temperature as that is also necessary for any butter based cakes.
There are many shortening based frostings and cakes, but these are not our genre for cake baking as they compromise flavor and texture.

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Hi Rose! I have been looking on blogs for over a week and have been getting so many different opinions an answered for a question on mine, i am so lost now! I would love your input on a specific matter I have been encountering... Is their such a thing as a food safe tape available out there? I'm looking for something that can be use to cover while inserting things into a cake that are not wooden dowels, straws or skewers... I have been elaborating my creations since my brain finally got a grasp on how to make delicious cakes (because of your rhc and the cake bible!!!) and now, I'm encountering all sort of issues when creating these elaborate designs as i want to make sure things stay put. Some cakes are quite high and heavy, and in order to support them and the layers, I need to build the cake around a platform with small metal polls screwed in... so far I've been wrapping those in saran wrap to create a safe barrier but when its cut into, doesn't look so great. I also had to do magnificent elephant ears the other day and opted to use wire inside the edges of the ears with the sugar paste so they would look realistic and stay secure but sadly refuse that the kids eat them as i fear contamination with the wire... any advise on how to create safe barriers between these elements and cake/decorations? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciate!
Your loyal student...
Claudine

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Dear Rose & Woody

I have tried the silk meringue buttercream, i liked it alot but the problem is that it either hardens at fridge or melts outside! would it stay light and creamy if i use shortening instead of butter??
on the other hand do you have any recipe for a light-butterfree frosting or cream?

Regards
Zainab

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Hi Joanna,
We think you will have a wonderful cake. Not quite as intense in chocolate flavor, but a good blend of flavors. In Rose's Heavenly Cakes, the Jancsi Torta is a flourless cake with walnuts and cocoa and adorned with the same ganache. If you want a more intense chocolate flourless cake than the Bittersweet Cocoa Almond Genoise, the Chocolate Featherbed in Rose's Heavenly Cakes is layers of cake and the same ganache which you could encase with the Chocolate Praline.
Enjoy making your Passover showcase cake.

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Dear Rose Levy Beranbaum

REQUESTING SPEEDY HELP FOR PASSOVER

A cherished name in my kitchen, but this is my first "I have a question."

I'm looking in my "Cake Bible" for which cake to make for Passover, and see that you listed Triple Chocolate Cake (in "Cake BIble"). However, it is made with moist genoise - a recipe that has cake flour in it. Would it be possible to use Bittersweet Cocoa Almond Genoise instead? And would it be as wonderful, or almost? (I don't want to make it just because it "could" be done - but only if it would taste outstandandingly good, even if different.)

If not, do you have other suggestions in the Cake Bible - something that is exceptionally good, and that children would like as well as adults.? (Chocolate Cloud Roll is our Chanukah cake - so I want something different.)

Thanks very much.

Joanna Strauss

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Hi Rose and Woody,
Thank you so much for your input on the Golden Dream Wedding Cake I was making for my grandson's Baptism. I made the cake, and substituted almond extract for the lemon oil in the batter. As per your suggestions, I made the sugar and water syrup and added almond extract. I filled two layers with a Valhrona bittersweet chocolate ganache (Cake Bible) and the largest layer with a mixed berry mousseline buttercream
(Cake Bible). I covered the cake in the mousseline buttercream. It was a big hit, the cake had a nice almond flavor, very moist and the mousseline buttercream tasted like a dream, smooth, silky and luscious.
I have been baking from your books for over twenty years, your clear instructions and special tips have guided me to become a very good baker. Thank you so much for guidance and support through your blog.
Your faithful fan
Loretta

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Dear Rose, For the first time today I made you Real Jewish Rye Bread and OMG!!!! what a loaf of bread it was - I have never tasted anything so delicious! I can't stop eating it it's that good. Thank you so much for sharing. I live in Australia and would like to know where I can buy your Bread Bible and cake Bible in Melbourne?

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Hi Loretta,
We suggest that you use a different recipe as this recipe was worked out for the combination and the balance of flavors using almonds and lemon. The cake also gets some of its moistness and flavor from the sugar lemon syrup. You could substitute a simple sugar and water syrup and blend in almond extract, but you will need to some trial cakes to find the right flavor.

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Hi Jose,
We recommend that you check the base recipes in Wedding and Special Occasions section of The Cake Bible, which you can adjust the flavors with different extracts or cocoas for the butter cakes and different flavors for the syrups used with the genoise cakes. From the recipes and the references to other recipes in the other sections, you will beable to get a sense of what you need to adjust in modifying a base recipe.
In most cases, cake batters can only be stored briefly in the refrigerator when you are baking several pans and do not have room in the oven. If a recipe can go longer, the recipe will specify the timeframe as it likely needs to be refrigerated for the recipe to work.

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I will be making the Golden Dream Wedding Cake for my grandson's Baptism this Sunday.The parents want an almond flavored cake but no lemon, my question is if I leave out the lemon, would the cake still have enough flavor.

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Hi Rose
I was wondering is there such a thing as a work horse cake batter. I would like to have a batter I can change the flavors of without stating all over again. My second question is if I make a large amount of cake batter can a store it in the frig and for how long?

thank you for your time
Jose R. Cuarta III

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Hi Violet,
Rose's general rule is 1 cup bread flour=1 cup plus 1-1/2 tablespoons of all purpose flour, but different milled flours will produce different results. This is stated in The Bread Bible, which Rose also has a wonderful recipe for Semolina bread.
You can try substituting clarified butter for oil at equal amounts.
We do not have a preferred brand for sea salt, but do prefer that it is fine grain.

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Hi Lelilani,
We are working on a coconut oil crust for the next book. It looks promising, so we suggest that you experiment with it.

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Dear Rose: Can you tell me if Coconut Oil (solid) can be used in place of shortening in pie crust?

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Thank you Sophia
Greatly appreciated~

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Eileen, I've only seen the all purpose in Highland Farms, a small chain of stores just outside of Toronto. Have you tried contacting Smuckers regarding its availability?

The contact information is below if you haven't already gone this route:

Smucker Foods Canada Corp.
Consumer Services Department
80 Whitehall Drive
Markham, Ontario
L3R 0P3
1-800-567-1897

Sophia

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Hello:
Does anyone know where you can buy monarch all purpose flour (blue & white bag) in Hamilton, Ontario area?

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thank you Woody.

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Thank you so much hector. I cant thank you guys enough. I love this site and what u guys do. Thank you very much again.

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Hi Suguna,
We have seen where the pineapple if in direct contact with the gelatin will dissolve it and defate the Fruit Cloud Cream. We suggest you use the Pineapple Preserves as a filling and separate the Fruit Cloud with a layer of cake.

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Hi Babbs,
We recommend to read The Cake Bible's page 23 or Rose's Heavenly Cakes page 424 on storing in which Rose recommends using both plastic wrap and aluminum foil for wrapping the cake before freezing and freshening the cake in the oven after defrosting.

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Hi Shawn,
In The Cake Bible, Rose gives suggestions for leavening levels for converting recipes. We have not made this recipe as cupcakes. You will need to experiment.

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Hi Ellen,
Rose's Heavenly Cakes has several recipes for 10 cup bundt pans. A 9 x 2 inch high pan has a 8-2/3 cup capacity. For some of Rose's 2 layer cake recipes using 9 x2 inch pans and adjusting the leavening will work in a bundt pan.

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Hi Helen,
We can only suggest that you try adding these ingredients towards the end of the cake's baking. However this may only work if you have a very stiff or thick batter such as a coffee cake batter. You could also try converting the cake recipe to cupcakes or mini cupcakes to shorten the baking time.

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I'm considering your Cocoa Souffle Roll for my upcoming holiday dinner and would like some help on how to freeze it, as I'm at an age where I need to prepare as much beforehand as possible. Should it be rolled with perhaps a sheet of tinfoil and then placed in the freezer? If so, how to best defrosts it so that it can be unrolled, filled with whipped cream and rolled up again? Am I choosing an appropriate cake than can be made well in advance? I think my eleven grandchildren would love it!
Thank you,
Babbs

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Hi Rose

I would like to bake your white whisper chocolate cake as cupcakes. May I know what would be the correct amount of baking powder to use?

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Dear Rose,

Although I have caught many of your TV appearances, I'm so excited to have discovered your site today. We're a family of two who enjoy Semolina Bread. I've been following the recipe from bobsredmill.com. Their semolina flour is the only brand available in our gulf coast stores. For one loaf the recipe calls for 1-1/2 cps semolina flour to 1 cup unbleached white flour (I'm using King Arthur) with addt'l for bench flour/kneading. Can I replace the unbleached white flour for bread flour (Gold Medal Better for Bread or King Arthur Bread?) in equal amount? Additionally, this recipe calls for 1-1/2 TBS of Olive Oil, but I prefer the flavor of butter. Can I substitute melted unsalted butter in equal amount?

Also, when baking bread, do you have a preferred brand of sea salt?

Your expertise is gratefully appreciated. I hope you enjoy your day as you have made mine!

P.S. A millon thanks for the tip to use bleached flour for quick bread recipes containing softened butter!

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Hi,

I have the 10 cup Heritage bundt cake pan from Williams Sonoma. I made the whipped cream cake in it and it made a great presentation. What other "Rose" cake recipes can I use? I'm not sure how much batter the standard layer cake recipe makes and also how the baking time would be adjusted. Thanks for any advice you can give me.

Ellen

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Hi
I am planning to make the Fruit Cloud Cream using Roses Fresh Preserved Pineapple (both recipes from cake bible). I have heard that enzymes in pineapple will breakdown the gelatin, so it just wont set. I want to know how i can incorporate pineapple into a gelatin based cream without it breaking down!

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I do not even know if this is the right place, but I am trying to find out where to buy adjustable rolling pins in Toronto, NOT online. Any help would be VERY MUCH appreciated.
Thanks.
Ada

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Hi, I was just wondering if there is anyway to bake a cake with sweets IN it and not melt them. I have just tried it with Smarties, Haribo and Dolly Mixtures but they all melted. Any help would be appreciated.

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Hi Zainab,
Yes. Rose has some nut versions of sponge type cakes. A classic one is her almond variation of the Biscuit Roulade page 144 in The Cake Bible. In most cases, you will replace some of the flour and/or cornstarch with the ground nut, but not on a one for one ratio. We suggest trying the above recipe and then experimenting with other recipes.

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Hi Michelle,
Depending on the type of cake: butter, oil, sponge, or cheesecake, there are flexible ratios of the ingredients. We recommend to look at The Cake Bible's Wedding and Special Occasions section which gives charts and formulations for butter cakes. Rose's section introductions for each type of cake and her understanding sections after most recipes that compare that cake to others will give you some ideas and guidelines. Happy experimenting and creating.

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Hi Sophie,
For all of our angel food style cakes, we bake them in an UNgreased, 2-piece tube pan. You may want to look at the Chocolate Lover's Angel Food Cake page 160 in The Cake Bible and the chapter's notes on sponge cakes.
We understand the frustration when you have had a good working recipe and suddenly something has changed to fail the recipe. Sometimes it is an ingredient which you had to switch due to availability or the equipment like the oven which is now baking at a different temperature than indicated.
We always recommend that if you are having problems with a recipe to contact the author.

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Dear Rose,

I would like to create my own cake recipe but I do not know the ratios for a cake formula. Is creating a cake recipe the same way as creating bread, using flour as the base percentage (100%)? Please advise. Thank you so much for enlightening me.

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Dear Rose,

I make a chocolate Angel Food cake that I have trouble getting out of the tin when it's cooked. Is it really necessary to leave it to cool overnight and have I ruined the tin by rubbing the edges with butter one time. (I don't do that anymore and it still sticks). It stuck before I used the butter as well. Sometimes when I get it out of the tin pieces of it just fall away from the cake. Believe it or not, I have made a good cake in the past and don't know why it isn't working now.

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Hi Bette,
Our only beer with a cake batter experience is the Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake in Rose's Heavenly Cakes which uses Guinness. Interesting concept as I love micro brews and imports. Enjoy experimenting with the ingredients you are thinking of and maybe try a cup-cake version of the Sticky Toffee Cakes. Once you have a working recipe you make variations just like the brew houses.

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This is for any novice in the realm of bread baking myself very much included. I thought that I would bake the greatest bread in the world by following every step meticulously in Ms. Beranbaum's book a couple of months ago. I did so a few times and failed miserably. I said to myself that I have followed every step through proofing, shaping, baking, and I still failed after 24 hours for one boule. This ties in to the comment I have made about internal crumb temperature determined by using a thermometer. It really was not my fault except that my oven was telling me that my bread was done when it was not based on preheat settings. I pay close attention to every aspect that an expert baker like Ms. Beranbaum offers: type of flour, weights, and crumb temperature. An oven is a device. Don't place absolute trust in it, and never give up. When my first rustic boule to my astonishment was not only edible but wonderful, I thought; "I baked this?"

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Dear Rose,
In the process of making bagels, can you freeze the bagel after boiling? How much time do you have before it will destroy the bagel-as far as the drop in temperature and the speed of changing the bagel's environment and this is when the bagel has not been baked yet.
Trying to make bagels, one time the bagels were small and didn't rise in the oven, looking very unappealing, still wrinkly after baking. However some of the conditions could have effected this- the dough was exposed to the air before boiling for some time and the boiling mixture had been reboiled making the bagels a dark color. Do you know what happened? Could you shine some light on the situation?
Thank you so much for your amazing books and your help to all people. Fan forever! Thank you
-Martha

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Based on your recommendation I have a new sourdough starter going without using distilled water.

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I would like to say something about having a thermometer and baking bread at home. Two months ago I thought the idea of a thermometer for baking was ludicrous. One simply sets one's oven to whatever temperature, etc., etc. I had no idea until I purchased a thermometer recently that my oven has probably been at least 25 and maybe 50 degrees Fahrenheit below the recommended preheat settings for the given baking times in your book "The Bread Bible." That is a novice home baker's misconception about ovens. Two hours ago, based on several tries and now a trusty thermometer, I tasted it after cooling your "'Levy's' real Jewish rye bread" boule recipe. It is the best rye that I have ever tasted.

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I am working to perfect my beer cupcake recipe, as we have the BEST beer here in Bend, OR. While I have been making them with all-purpose flour, I was thinking that cake flour would produce a more tender crumb. Butter, cocoa, beer, eggs, sour cream, flour, sugar, b. soda, salt. What do you think?

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Dear Rose, Woody

How do i make a nut version of any cake -sponge,chiffon or even genoise? do i just add powdered/meal pistachio, almonds ..etc upon taste? or do i have to subtract the same amount of flour??

Do you have any pistachio sponge cake recipe?

Thanks
Zainab

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I have a question about pans. Is it okay to use old-fashioned tinned steel for baking certain items, like brioche and bread? Fantes still sells these kinds of pans.

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Hi Marah,
We always recommend contacting the author of the recipe if you have questions for her/his comments. If the whipped cream recipe is Rose's Super-stabilized Whipped Cream, it can be refrigerated for 2 days. Many times we will bring the whipped cream in a bowl and frost the cake at the restaurant. We are assuming you are having the restaurant refrigerating the cake before serving it so it can be served chilled.

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I am making an Il Diplomatico - which is, as you probably know, rum and espresso dipped pound cake with mousse filling and more pound cake topping, refrigerated for 12 hours then covered with whipped cream. Then it is to stay refrigerated til served. I have a cake carrier and will take it by taxi to restaurant March 13, NYC. Do I have to worry about condensation on the cake anywhere in this process? I am thinking of using whipped cream stabilized with a tad of gelatin for the "frosting".

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Hi Shawn,
We would recommend only using the Servings (for weddings/special occasions) and the Rose Factor (number of times to multiply base) columns. The Weights and Baking Times can only be used as guidelines as the weights and baking times on the cakes you mentioned vary between each other. For the leavenings, you will need to experiment since baking soda is also being used for some of the recipes.

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Rose,

I used to make a flourless crepe from a recipe in your Cake Bible. It had cornstarch, orange, eggs, sugar etc. It was a great recipe. Any chance I could get that recipe. I loaned someone my Cake Bible and now well.....

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Hi Diane,
just Google, Rye Flavor. Some sites will come up for purchasing it.

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Hi rose

I would like to know if your "master chart for butter cakes' in the cake bible is applicable to oil base cakes like your banana, carrot and red velvet cake in rose's heavenly cake?

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Can you tell me how to make or where to find deli rye flavoring? I have more than one recepie that calls for it. I have searched and searched. Thank you

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Hello Woody,
Thank you for your direction, I didn't see the ingredients note, silly me. I knew Rose had it in there somewhere. Please tell Rose hello for me and I hope one day I get the opportunity to meet her in person. I will let you know how my bagels turn out, very well I am sure. I made the Basic Hearth Bread and for the first time since I started making bread, I truly understand what is happening and what I am feeling when I touch the dough now. Rose is a gifted teacher and with her clear instructions, illustrations and scientific process of bread making is truly helping my success!
I praise your Rose!
Have a great Day and Thank you
Dorie

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Hi Dorie,
We are happy that your are in heaven with your new bible. Rose explains her favoring for non-diastatic barley malt on page 552 in the Ingredients chapter. For this recipe the malt powder is being added here as a flavor enhancer.

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Hi rose and woody,

There is something which I don't understand with regards to how to glaze a cake with the poured fondant the TCB. In the book it is stated "Fondant must be thinned to make it pourable. Prepare a stock syrup." What is the stock syrup used for? We were told to make the syrup but not told how to use it. Do we actually pour it into the fondant? If so, how much do we need?

And does poured fondant actually harden?

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Dear Rose,
I have a question about Malt Powder or Barley Malt Syrup for your Bagel Recipe?
I have never used this ingredient before I did some investigating. Non-Diastatic vs Diastatic your bagel recipe uses Non-Diastatic Malt powder right? If not can you please explain why one over the other?
I just received your BREAD BIBLE from my daughter Kellie, I have wanted your book for quite some time! I am in Rosie heaven enjoying myself!
Thank you,
Dorie

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Hi Lana,
We recommend the Rose Red Velvet Cake recipe in Rose's Heavenly Cakes which has butter and oil which you can use for cupcakes. You can also use the creaming method and add an additional 30 grams of buttermilk. We also suggest that after filling the liners to let the cupcakes sit for 20 minutes before baking to aid in creating domed tops.

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Hi rosy, I've been trying to find the perfect red velvet cupcakes recipe.. One that is moist-almost wet! But when I use only oil, I feel like the oil stucks in my throat.. Could I use water instead of milk in red velvet cupcake recipe? What could make the cake texture be moist-almost wet?

Please let me know.. I'm desperate!! Thank you :)

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Rose, re your "app" requirement
What you need is someone to build a spreadsheet(Excel is best IMHO) for you and create it so that it automatically populates the cells when you have a data input change.
I am sure your accountant or publisher would know of someone a little closer than us here in Australia (I am offering my husband's skills, not mine)
From that point, you can get someone to develop an app (for public use??) if that is your intention. There are tons of very good developers out there.
Hope that is in the order of what you were looking for.
I don't know if my previous message was sent...my finger slipped on the keyboard and it disappeared from view...apologies if you have 2 messages.
Regards
Anne

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Dear Rose / Woody,

Lately one side (lengthwise) of my bread would rise, split open, and then droop over. Any idea why? Other than that, the bread is wonderful.

David

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Hi jackie,
We believe you overbaked the cake as the cake should only pull away from the sides of the pan when you take the cake out of the oven. You may want try lowering your oven's temperature 25 degrees. We also suggest that you verify your oven's baking temperature with an accurate oven thermometer since it overbaked the cake before the minimum stated baking time.

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Hi Lisa,
We recommend that you experiment by making a small batch without adjusting the moisture to establish a control. From the results, you can adjust for the next experiment to find the texture that you want. You may want to try sprinkling some of the oreos on top of the cupcakes halfway thru baking as we did for the Apple Crumb Coffee Cake in Rose's Heavenly Cakes.

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I baked the Devils Food Cake with Midnight Ganache this week and the cake turned out very dry. I am wondering if it could have been over baked? When it came out of the oven after 27 minutes the cake had pulled away from the sides of the pan. Flavor is delicious but I wouldn't want to serve it to guests.

Thanks
Jackie

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Dear Rose,

i'm going to make some oreo cupcakes next week. I am planning on using my vanilla cupcake batter and adding about 1 cup of crushed oreos to it. Do you think the batter will be dryer from the cookie absorbtion and if so will i will need to increase the amount of liquid? Or shoul i bake them for less time?

if you have any opinions on this i'd would love to hear them :)

Lind regards,
Lisa xxxx

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Hi Carmen,
We have posted some recipes in the Categories listings on the Recipes-Pie listing. If Rose has a recipe posted on her website/blog it will be under the Recipes listings.

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Congratulations on your book "the bible of the pastries", i love but i wanted to know if, in any place web there are pictures of the recipes. Thank you and a greeting. I am sorry but i am spanish and i have translated with babylon.

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Hi Pamela,
We recommend The Cake Bible as it has recipes for virtually every type of cake baking and accompanying frostings and sauces, with an Understanding statement accompanying most of them to explain how a particular recipe relates to a similar recipe. Introductions for each style of cake, in depth ingredient and equipment sections, understanding and trouble shooting sections, and formulas and charts for wedding cakes will have you making this your "go to" cake baking book for years and years.
Just this week I opened it for: making waffles for my dad, adapting a chocolate ganache recipe for testing one of the cakes for our new book, and referencing a half dozen times for answering questions on the blog.
Enjoy many hours of intriguing reading and making cakes for others to enjoy.

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I am a simple cake baker. I have usually baked Bundt cakes and had great sucess, but I would like to bake some layer cakes too. Thought I'd spread my wings. It seems like a layer cake can be more involved. Which of your two cake books should I purchase; the Cake Bible or Heavenly Cakes?
Thanks, Pamela

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hi Robert,
1. Rose has a recipe in the Bread Bible for Texas size banana muffins but has not experimented with other recipes in this size. You can always try making a recipe for standard size muffins and filling your king size muffin pans to the same height for as many as you can fill. You may choose to lower the leavening if the muffins peak too much.
2. Semi Sweet chocolate is dark chocolate with cacao percentage of 50 to 53%.
Sweetness can vary per brand. So you will need to try some to find a brand that you prefer.
3. Depending on the ingredient, an organic ingredient can have a different taste from a non-organic version.
4. yes. We do shop at Whole Foods and Trader Joes if they are the only retail source for an ingredient.

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Hi!
Hope you are well.

1. Do you have a basic recipe for king size muffins? Not jumbo, king size, pls.
2. What is semi sweet chocolate? I want sweet.
3. Is there a true difference in taste when using all organic ingredients?
Do you shop at wholefoods or trader joes?
Thanks, Robert

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Hi Jennifer,
Our experiences have been that you may need to add some baking powder to obtain the same results. Enjoy experimenting with single layer versions in 8 x 8 inch square pan.

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Good day everyone,

I perused the boards in search of sound guidance on converting Rose's base recipe for golden butter cake for use with square pans. I found various ideas, but wondered if there's a consensus or general rule of thumb?

Many thanks,

Jennifer

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Hi Clare,
We suggest that you use egg white based buttercreams as they can be at room temperature for more than a day. The Mousseline Buttercream in The Cake Bible and Rose's Heavenly Cakes can be used for fillings. You do risk the chance of breaking down the fondant if using a buttercream as the undercoat. Refrigerating the fondant can also dry it out and and may lose sheen. You can cover the completed cake with plastic wrap or a dome to help prevent it from drying out.
Most egg yolk based buttercreams for food safety concerns should be refrigerated after 8 hours. Rose's buttercream recipes do not include powdered sugar or shortening.

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Hi Rose-

Question: Is there no way or a way Fondant covered cakes can be refrigerated or kept cool? I have been hesitant to venture into wedding cakes because I am a firm believer in butter-only buttercream and since fondant covered cake can't be refriegerated or at least that is what I have heard but on an episode of Cake Boss, I saw him put his cakes into somekind of cooler?? Anyway, can buttercream made with butter sit out safely at room temp and if so for how long? Doesn't the powdered sugar act as a preservative? Can Swiss Buttercream, ,if made with meringue powder, butter, and maybe a hint of shortening sit out safely?

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Hi Salma,
Your soy based will not give the same results on a 1:1 ratio for heavy cream. However, for some ganache and glaze recipes you can use soy products which we have posted this article "Alternatives to Heavy Cream Based Ganaches".
We recommend with any author's recipe that you first make it per the ingredients and instructions stated by the author to establish your control. Then you can try experimenting with soy products to see if you can find a viable result. It took us several tests to find the soy ganache alternative in the posted article.

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hello rose,
I just bought the cake bible and in alot of your recipes,we require heavy cream,unfortunatly i live in india and heavy cream is very difficult to get,we get something called fresh cream and a non diary whipping cream which is soy based so what do you think I can do to substitute heavy cream

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Hi Jackie,
Please check Compose the Cake on page 408. The Les Perles were used for the borders and what you see on the picture of the completed cake.

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Hi,

I am preparing to make the Grand Marinier Chocolate Wedding cake as a grooms cake for a friend's wedding. Is the chocolate ganache used for the dots and borders different from the ganache used to ice the cake? It looks darker in the photos.

Thanks so much - I love Heavenly Cakes!

Jackie Beccker

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Hi Naama,
We do not have any savory cracker crust recipes, but you may want to try substituting in Matzo Crackers for the graham crackers. Enjoy experimenting.

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Dear Rose,

Is there a savory equivalent to graham cookie crust -- something that is not sweet and can be used as the base to a quiche? I know one can make a crustless quiche but I like the contrast between a baked bottom and a savory custard filling.

Many thanks!

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Hi Marcia,
We suggest that you look at Rose's Apple Streusel Strudel recipe in The Pie & Pastry Bible which has most of the ingredients that you listed.
You can also post this information on The Forums where someone may have a similar recipe to present.

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Hi Rose,
My mother was a fabulous baker and, unfortunately, did not have exact receipe or measurements for most of her
creations. she made an apple kugel, but i don't know the composition of the dough. what i do remember is that she cut up around 6 or 7 apples, sliced them and used cin and sugar, raisins, and some orange or rasberry jam here and there. put them in a 9 x 12 pan, and then rolled out a dough (not pie crust) and put on top and tucked it all around and under. i hope you can help me with this. the dough itself was so delicious and i just don't remember the ingredients. i should have paid more attention back then, but didn't.

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Hi Alva,
We do not recommend adding the butter as it will deflate the egg foam. In other genoise recipes, a scant cup of the egg foam is whisked into the butter to make it easier to incorporate into the batter. For this recipe the batter's structure from the yolks allows for adding the butter directly.
If you wish, you can remove a scant cup of the egg foam to whisk into the butter.

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Thank you woody! Will try, and let you know!!

Also, can the melted butter be mixed with the eggs and sugar, then whipped, in the golden genoisse?

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Hi Alva,
We suggest making the Biscuit Roulade pg 142 in The Cake Bible which is designed to be baked in a sheet pan or in Rose's Heavenly Cakes for the Apple Charlotte.
Otherwise, you can try experimenting with the Golden Genoise.

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Dear Rose:

RHC is amazing. Can the golden genoisse be baked in a cookie sheet? Or is there any receipe from this book to bake as a sheet cake?? Please help!

Also, can the melted butter be mixed with the eggs and sugar, then whipped?

Alva

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Question: Would love to make fab whoopie pies. Which recipes from the Cake Bible would you suggest for the cake and filling. Thank you

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Dear Rose,
I have made several attempts at making "Roes's Hearth Bread" with poor results.

My problem is the finished bread is thin, rarely 3 inches thick. Little if any oven spring. Slashing: doesn't work very good; the dough is too sticky.

My room temperature is 72-75 F.

I follow the recipe exactly. I knead a few minutes, let it do the primary fermentation in a large glass measuring cup. I do not remove it until the dough doubles in size (about 45 minutes). I gently deflate the dough, form a ball, and place it on a 10 inch diameter piece of baking paper; the baking paper is covered with wheat bran.

Let it proof (about 1 hour) until it is much larger in diameter. It doesn't get higher, just spreads out to cover the paper.

I have three 2 inch thick fire bricks in my oven which I preheat (two hours) to 475 F. I bake per your schedule. I place the dough/baking paper directly on the bricks. The bread comes out at 205 F browned properly, but FLAT. The crumb is like store bread (fine).
Your advice would be greatly appreciated?

Sincerely,
Kid Ullin

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Woody-

Thank you so very much! I could not have asked for a better response (-I have that size springform but not the smaller)! You're terrific!

I was so busy watching the process I never even noticed the blouse(s)

Thank you, again. Much appreciated!
susan.

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Hi Susan,
I looked at the episodes too when you sent your two comment while i was writing the recipe below. I realized it was two different episodes when I saw Rose in a blue blouse for the first one, and then a green blouse for the second as well as what she was making.
We can also suggest that you can make this in a 9 x 2-1/2 springform using the same pan preparation and waterbath as instructed in The Cake Bible.
Here are the increased ingredients:
680 grams chocolate
340 grams butter
450 grams eggs (9 large)

Baking for 7 minutes uncovered/ 10 minutes covered. All of the rest of the instructions are the same.
We have made this size many many times.

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OOPS!
So sorry, Rose! My apologies!!

I just realized MY mistake. Although Part 1 is the chocolate oblivion, the site led me to Part 2, which is the all-american chocolate torte.

Again, sorry to have bothered you! (very embarrassing...)

-susan.

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Hi Rose-

This is Part 1 and Part 2.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSHHHd6235I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWxDZah_vBU&feature=related

It also shows you adding the chocolate to the butter/eggs, whereas the Cake Bible says to specifically do the opposite.

-susan

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Hi Rose and Woody-

I'm about to practice making the chocolate oblivion truffle torte for a fancy sit-down dinner party for 10, but I've come upon 2 different baking directons:

The Cake Bible I have says use an 8 inch springform, bake at 425 for 60 minutes in a water bath. (Internet sites say the same.) But the video of Rose on uTube has her saying to use a 9 x 2 cake pan baking at 350 for 30-40 minutes. (She used a MagiCake strips).

I'm confused. What's best, and why?
Thank you, much.
Susan.

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Hi Shi Hao,
Please review the Wedding and Special Occasions Cake and the Understanding sections in The Cake Bible.

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Hi Jackie,
Most often, recipe testers are usually staff members of: the chef/baker, such as Martha Stewart's staff; the company, such as General Mill's kitchen's staff; a bakery; or volunteers, as we had with Marie Wolf and her wonderful Heavenly Bakers. Our group started as a promotion idea from the publisher for a few cakes to be written about by Marie which expanded to a bake through the book by some fifteen volunteers. In unique cases, one may become a recipe tester by just being "at the right place at the right time" as I was to link up with Rose. Making an income is then dependent on what the above organizations are paying for kitchen staff.
For Rose's books, the graphic designer has been an employee of the publisher. In writing Rose's Heavenly Cakes, we were able to give input on the book's design and were fortunate to have an excellent designer from Wiley Publishing who was able to bring Rose's visions for the book to reality.

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Hi Meg,
We comment that the creme anglaise should just begin to emit steam and start to thicken to be at the right consistency. If it is too thin, we suggest that you just start over versus risking trying to thicken the creme anglaise and having it not incorporating properly with the meringue. Fortunately, making the anglaise recipe does not take a lot of time.

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I am finishing the burnt orange silk meringue buttercream from The Cake Bible tonight after making the meringue and the creme anglaise last night. My candy thermometer was not functioning and there was a little too much guessing involved! I am worried that my creme anglaise is too thin. What is the intended consistency? Any suggestions on how to rescue my creme anglaise if it is too thin, or do I need to start over?

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Hi Leslie,
We do not have Rose's sugar cookie recipe as a posted recipe and our policy is not to post recipes per requests.
But we do have a couple of sugar cookie recipes that you can see. Click under the Categories listings for Recipes-Cookies and scroll down to the second posting for Cookie Recipes from June LeBell's collection listed in alphabetical order. you will find 3 Sugar Cookie recipes.
Enjoy experimenting with these.

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YIKES !! I need help ! I am planning an academy awards party…. I purchased a great copper cookie cutter in the shape of OSCAR . I have used the store bought sugar cookie roll and they are terrible !! So mishapen they resemble the MICHELIN MAN more than any hollywood image!! In researching on line i found 2 or 3 references to your lemon sugar cookie that seems to keep it shape. I would love to buy your book but I am running out of time and I would love to just get the recipe . Can you please help me ?

thanks for your assistance and sharing your expertise
Leslie

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Hi Nona,
Yes. We recommend trying the commercial kitchen's facilities. The proofing ovens will give your breads a moist, warm atmosphere for rising. Make sure the proofing ovens are true to temperature to avoid them rising too quickly. You will also have the benefit of interacting with other bakers to exchange ideas and forming connections.
A couple of years ago on our trip to upstate New York, we enjoyed visiting and giving a demo class for a group of bakers at the Battenkill commercial/public kitchen. We have a posting "The Suvir Experience Part 3" on the event hosted by Charlie Burd.

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We have a commercial kitchen that is available to the public in our town, and I was thinking of using it to make bread for sale...there is a 'proofing oven' there, and I was curious if there is any advantage to using it? When I bake at home I let my bread rise the old fashion way, but will be making larger batches at the commercial kitchen. Can the proofing ovens be used for any of the rising stages, or just certain ones?

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Hi Rose & Woody.

I remember reading somewhere, either in The Cake Bible (TCB) or Rose's Heavenly Cakes(RHC), with regards to the use of Baking Powder/Soda (either one, I can't really remember which) that when there is an increase in the height of the cake pan, we need to decrease the amount of leavning accordingly by a certain amount. But in TCB, it is not stated in the recipes that we are to decrease the amount of leavening when we use a cake pan of a taller height. Instead, it is stated that we should increase the amount of all of the ingredients. I do understand that too much leavening will result in a cake with coarse grain due to the over expansion of the air cells as a result of excess production of air from the increased amount of leavening. So with regards to the increase in the height of the pan, how are we to adjust the amount of leavening? Is it written in TCB or RHC?

Also, is it stated anywhere in both books about the importance of using the pan stated in the recipe? And how does a different size pan, be it too big/small/tall actually affect the structure of a cake?

Your help will be much needed and appreciated, thanks! :D

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Hi Julie,
We suggest trying a standard muffin pan, lightly coating with baking spray with flour as stated in the recipe. Your nonstick pan's surface maybe uneven.

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I meant to say that for this experiment I didn't add anything else, it was just bran and oatmeal; no dried fruit or anything else.

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Suggestion for using bran, for bran muffins or stuff like that. I was thinking that you could treat the bran like you do dried beans; soak them and then toss the water before cooking the beans. So I did that with some bran, soaked it, then dumped it into a wire mesh strainer and drained it, pushing on it with the back of the spoon to get out as much water as possible. I also rinsed it in the strainer before using the spoon on it to press out the water. Then I made my usual morning bran mush, which is 50% oatmeal, and 100% bran (in my case, 80 grams bran and 40 grams oatmeal) and then cooked it. It seemed to me that it wasn't as bitter as it usually was, but I usually put lots of other stuff in it to try to alleviate the bran's bitterness; dried fruit, fruit juice, etc. You will be losing some vitamins and minerals, but I'm really after the bran's fiber.

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Hello Woody!
It is a heavyweight aluminum nonstick muffin pan. I'm definitely open to any suggestions regarding what bakeware is the best to work with. The Orange Glow cupcakes are amazing. Thank you Woody for the quick response, and all my best, Julie

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Hello Rose and Woody,

A little bit of background: I recently took a year off of my graphic design and advertising business to attend pastry school in Paris. I did a wonderful internship with a well-known tea salon, but now I'm back to reality and trying to decide what I'd like to do with my new pastry skills and passion. Prior to pastry school, I started a part-time home bakery selling at local farmer's markets, and it is one idea to open a bakery. However, another passion is recipe testing/creation and possibly graphic design for cookbooks.

That brings me to my question. (Or questions!) How does one get a job as a recipe tester or break into the industry? Is there much demand for this type of work? Is it realistic to support my family with this career? What kind of skills or credentials must one have to get work? Does the transparency of social media affect the demand for this type of work? For example, I've noticed some authors calling on their audience to test recipes on a mass scale.

Woody, I understand you serendipitously came to be a recipe tester. Is this usually the way it goes? Or are there more conventional routes to take?

As for graphic design for cookbooks, do publishers hire the designer or the author? Is this a diminishing field with e-books? Is there anyone out there that will do both recipe testing and design? Is that something desirable?

Thank you for your time. I understand that the questions may be very involved to answer. And I have to add, I love your cookbooks!

Jackie

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Hi Woody,
Thank you for your response. I am preparing the cake in a 9 x 5 loaf pan.

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Hi Julie,
May we ask what type of pan are you using?

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Hi Diane,
We believe it should as the baking powder amount in The Cake Bible's pound cake is very little. Give it a try.

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Dear Rose

Following my email on the Flat white genoise,here is what i did;

- I weighed all ingredients.
- I used bleached all purpose flour, mixed it with 15% starch since we dont have cake flour in Bahrain.
- Got a nice stiff peak with the egg whites.
- Didn't mix the beurre noisette directly and i was very careful with the folding.
- I usually preheat the oven to 170c, because my oven is hot and the 180c usually burns my cakes.
- Cake height didn't exceed 3/4 of an inch! didn't rise at all.

I hope you can help troubleshooting the problem and i also have another question:

For a standard sponge cake that can be used as a basic for a variety of layered cakes,what do you recommend?

Thanks again
Regards
Zainab

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Hi Rose, I'm trying to make the Bostini. I have tried twice now to make the Orange Glow Chiffon cupcakes. The second time was almost perfect but a couple of my cupcakes were lopsided when I turned them over in the pan. They looked perfect on top and it appeared half the cupcake shrunk up inside the pan. I used cooking spray with flour to coat pan. Any idea what happened? I'm teaching myself and any help is much appreciated.
Thank you!

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Hi Rose,
I have been using your two stage mixing method for my cake recipes which call for baking powder and/or baking soda and LOVE the results. Here is my question: Will the 2-stage mixing method work for a classic pound cake recipe that calls for no leavening and relies on the traditional creaming method for building volume? Thank you for taking the time to answer my question.
Sincerely,
Diane

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Hi Bighan,
We sorry we have not heard of apple flour. You may want to post this question on the forums for others to respond.

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Dear Rose,
Do you have any suggestion on using apple flour?How and where?
Thanks and best regards,
Binhan

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Hi Omorfi,
We suggest that you look at the charts and formulas in the Wedding and Special Occasions Section of The Cake Bible. From them you can adapt your cake recipe.
We recommend a syrup if the cakes are being made more than a day ahead and are not being refrigerated.

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Dear Rose/Woody,

Any suggestions on how to make 2 or 3 tier devils food cake? Do I have to put syrup in it or it is not possible to tier it? Any answer woul be appreciated:))

Omorfi

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Hi Erica,
Sure, we suggest instead of the glacéed fruit she could use other ingredients.

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Hi Jocelyn,
We ask is this one of Rose's recipes?
Your experience is the opposite as most bakers comment their cupcakes dip. We suggest that you test your baking powder to confirm its strength. If working properly, increase the baking powder for the recipe.

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Hi Patrick,
Rose gives recommendations for slicing cakes in The Cake Bible. We also suggest you read the article on A Cake Layer Slicing Kit under the Equipment-New Products postings. In general, a serrated knife that is longer than the width of the cake will work for slicing.

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Dear Rose,

Could you recommend a knife for leveling and splitting cake layers?

Thanks!
Patrick

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Dear Rose,

I was wondering how I can make my cupcakes rise evenly. Everytime I bake a cupcake, it ends up looking like a dome, with high peaks in the middle. If you have any tips on this, please let me know. Thanks!

Regards,
Jocelyn

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Dear Rose,
I was wondering if your Bread Bible panettone could be turned into a savory bread or even, perhaps, a combination sweet and savory bread. If you have any ideas/guidance, I would be greatly appreciative!
Thanks and best regards,
Erica

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