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Cake manufacture
The main ingredients used in cake manufacture are wheat flour, fat, eggs, sugar, milk powder, water flavourings and raising agents. Cakes are generally made using either the sugar batter or flour batter method. In the sugar batter method, the fat and sugar are creamed together and the egg is added in stages. Several alternate additions of flour and liquid are carried out throughout the mixing. In the flour batter method, the fat and flour are blended together. The eggs and sugar are whisked together and then blended into the fat and flour in stages. The required quantities of liquids are then added in small amounts as mixing progresses.In continuous mixing systems such as the Oakes and Mondo cake mixers, the ingredients are given a preliminary mix and then fed in a continuous even stream, into the head of the mixer.
“All in” high speed cake mixing is being increasingly used. In this method, all ingredients except fruit are added and a fixed amount of work is used. The fruit is then added in short bursts.
Batters are typically deposited into oil sprayed trays (or continuous sheets for products such as Swiss rolls). After baking, the cakes are removed from the tins and cooled. The empty tins are washed, rinsed, dried and cooled.