For Those Who Do Cake....

deb415611 · March 01, 2009, 06:54:25 PM

Quote from: La Quinta on March 01, 2009, 06:05:35 PM
Nah...just do a quick spinkle girl...you deserve it!!! :)

Well I guess I don't want it to dry out ;D A little Cointreau over the top. It smells good.

La Quinta · March 01, 2009, 07:02:12 PM

What could it hurt....??? ;D I think you'll like it...with your modifications...and I get why.... and would love to get your feedback...make it better perhaps? :)

deb415611 · March 08, 2009, 06:20:08 PM

A little late on the report. My modifications were not a hit - The cake tester came out clean but it was pretty soggy (beyond moist) inside and didn't rise much.

My thoughts on my modifications:
1/2 white whole wheat flour - I'll do this again, I don't think it had anything to do with my failure. If I get it where I like it I'll even increase the percentage in the future.

eggbeaters & light sour cream - I'll keep - I don't think this was the problem either

applesauce for 1/2 the canola oil - I'll probably go with all canola oil next time

Sugar - the confectioners sugar - I only used this because I was out of granulated - I'm not sure what effect it had on the cake. Next time I'll use granulated.

I wasn't a fan of the banana in the recipe, I thought it overpowered the citrus, I think I'll try it without next time. Or maybe sub applesauce for the banana. LQ - Could you taste the banana in yours?

Thanks for the recipe LQ.

La Quinta · March 08, 2009, 11:11:48 PM

Actually no Deb...just a hint but not so much...sorry it didn't come out for ya...have friends out here making it as per the recipe...so hell...I don't know...my neighbors wife hoards it from her children!!! But I never varied the recipe.....so...well except for adding poppy seeds and a little grated zuchinni...

Habanero Smoker · March 09, 2009, 02:51:04 AM

Deb;

I never got around doing this, I ate the Ugli fruit. :)

I don't know how you measured the confectioners sugar but generally you cannot substitute confectioners sugar for granulated sugar. I'm sure that is the problem, or the main problem.

Occasionally I will use applesauce, or prune sauce (I get the baby food type) as a substitute for oil, and it has worked alright for me though the cake seem more dense. Did you substitute 1:1? That is what I do, some say to use a higher ratio of applesauce.

deb415611 · March 09, 2009, 03:50:56 AM

Habs,

I suspect it was the sugar. I used less than the regular sugar called for but no specific ratio as I was in a hurrry to get it done. I should have looked up the ratio. I'm not even sure it's less confectioners vs. regular sugar but suspect it is since the confectioner is so much finer.

LQ - don't be sorry, it was the risk I took :D taking your good recipe and messing around with it.

I'll try it again when I have some time. It probably won't be for a month though.

Habanero Smoker · March 09, 2009, 02:18:53 PM

It depends on how it is measured, shifted, packed, or scooped. I know that granular sugar weights 8 ounces per cup; or 2 tablespoons equal 1 ounce. So I would measure by weight. The other concern with using confectioner sugar is that it contains cornstarch, so I don't know how that would effect the final texture.

I got to really need try this cake soon, if I plan on serving it on Easter Sunday.

La Quinta · March 09, 2009, 07:14:27 PM

Try it Habs...per the recipe I guess...it's good...and I don't "do cake" very often...would appreciate your feedback? Feeling a little deflated right now...good or not...lemme know...

Habanero Smoker · March 10, 2009, 01:51:06 AM

Quote from: La Quinta on March 09, 2009, 07:14:27 PM
Try it Habs...per the recipe I guess...it's good...and I don't "do cake" very often...would appreciate your feedback? Feeling a little deflated right now...good or not...lemme know...

I just made a Ricotta Pie with Strawberries, so I have to space my dessert apart. My doctor doesn't like it when I gain weight. I will probably make the cake on the weekend of the 21st. My niece and her kids will be coming over. My niece likes to cook, and we are always exchanging recipes. So you will get five critiques in one shot.

deb415611 · March 10, 2009, 04:18:15 AM

Quote from: La Quinta on March 09, 2009, 07:14:27 PM
Try it Habs...per the recipe I guess...it's good...and I don't "do cake" very often...would appreciate your feedback? Feeling a little deflated right now...good or not...lemme know...

I hope you don't feel deflated because of my experience. I did not make your cake - I butchered your recipe. I know that the recipe as written would be awesome ;D. I wish I had more time right now to try it again but I"m working 7 days/wk right now. I won't be home for Easter but might have time to make it where I will be if work doesn't get in the way.

La Quinta · March 10, 2009, 10:38:28 PM

No worries Deb...I'm a big girl...I guess I would tell you to keep refining the recipe when you get time! :)

Habanero Smoker · March 24, 2009, 02:39:09 PM

LQ;

Last Sunday, I finally got around to making this cake. First I want to say this cake is good. Though I was tempted to add and change ingredients, I did what I usually do when making a recipe for the first time; stick with the instructions; except I did not use the liqueur since it was being served to some children. Instead I made orange syrup, using ½ cup of fresh squeezed orange juice and some of the prepared glaze. Place syrup ingredients it in a small sauce pan and heated over medium heat until it reached the right consistency.

Poured the batter in a prepared bundt pan, place it on a cookie sheet and into a preheated convection oven at 350°F. After 35 minutes I tested it for doneness, and it was not done. I expected this; since my oven often takes longer then most the recipe calls for, and the cookie sheet may have added some time to the process. Rotated the cake, and continued to bake another 5 minutes, still not done. After another 5 minutes, it was finished. Leaving the cake in the pan, I placed in on a cooling rack, and used a small bamboo skewer to poke holes in the cake. Drizzled about 1/2 cup of orange syrup on it, and allowed to cool for 2 hour. After 2 hours, I removed the cake from the pan, and continued to let it set until completely cooled (this cake takes a long time to cool). Then drizzled the cake with the remaining glaze.

The next time I will make a couple of adjustments. For my taste, I am going to reduce both the orange and grapefruit zest in the batter by 50%. Also I'm thinking Tropical Cake. I may use coconut milk instead of sour cream, add some rum flavoring and possibly adjust the oil and/or change it to unsalted butter.

Thanks for posting this recipe.

La Quinta · March 24, 2009, 03:01:03 PM

Thanks for trying it Habs...would love to hear of your adjustments...a tropical cake sounds great! Never thought about it!!! ;D

deb415611 · March 24, 2009, 03:06:18 PM

Thanks Habs I'm glad you tried it and liked it. I was feeling bad that I bummed LQ out. I should never have posted my results since I changed so much of the recipe & my results really shouldn't have been in the same thread as the original recipe. I still want to try it again when I have some time.