Read an Excerpt

Betty Crocker Cookbook

John Wiley & Sons

Chapter One

When it's time to celebrate, think cake! Whether the occasion's an anniversary, a birthday, a wedding, or perhaps a family reunion picnic, there's a cake in this collection that's perfect. There are classics like Angel Food and Pound, favorites like Banana and Carrot and fashionable newcomers like Molten Chocolate Cakes and Tres Leches Cake. And best of all, these recipes take the guesswork out of baking cakes and put the confidence in. So bake up a cake from our treasure trove of recipes, then stand back and wait for the compliments!

PICKING THE RIGHT PAN

Use the size of pan called for in a recipe. To determine a pan's size, measure the length and width from inside edge to inside edge. If it's too big, your cake will be flat and dry; too small and it will form a peak or overflow the pan.

Use shiny pans, which reflect heat, for tender, light brown crusts.

Dark pans or pans with dark nonstick coating absorb heat easier than shiny pans, so baked goods may brown more quickly. Manufacturers may suggest reducing the oven temperature by 25°F to compensate for this.

Fill cake pans half full. To determine how much batter novelty pans (heart or star shape, for example) can hold, fill the pan with water, then measure the water; use half that amount of batter. Extra batter? Make cupcakes!

If you have only one 12-cup muffin pan, cover and refrigerate the remaining batter while the first batch ofmuffins is baking. Then bake the rest of the batter, adding 1 or 2 minutes to the bake time.

MIXING CAKES

Mixing the batter with the recommended ingredients and techniques helps to turn out a great cake time after time. Here are a few tips for sweet success:

Cake recipes in this cookbook were tested with electric handheld mixers. If you're using a heavy-duty stand mixer, be sure to follow the manufacturer's directions for the speed setting because overmixing the batter causes tunnels or a sunken center.

The stick form of butter or margarine is recommended. You may use vegetable-oil spread sticks that have at least 65 percent fat, but the batter consistency may be thinner.

Vegetable-oil spreads with less than 65 percent fat, reduced-fat butter or any tub of whipped product are not recommended when making cakes. Because they contain more water and less fat, cakes will be tough and wet or gummy.

STORING CAKES

Follow these tips so your cake keeps fresh and delicious until the last piece is eaten.

Unfrosted cakes: Cool completely before covering and storing to keep the top from becoming sticky.

Cakes with a creamy powdered sugar frosting: Place in a cake taker or loosely cover with foil, plastic wrap or waxed paper. Store at room temperature.

Cakes with White Mountain Frosting (page 117), or any egg white-based frostings: Best when served the same day you make them. When stored longer, meringue frostings tend to weep where they touch the cake. To help lessen this effect, store leftovers in a cake taker with the lid placed on loosely or under a large upside-down bowl with a knife slipped under the edge so air can get in.

Cakes with whipped cream toppings, cream fillings or cream cheese frostings: Place in a "cake taker" or loosely cover with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate 3 to 5 days.

Cakes with very moist ingredients like chopped apples, applesauce, shredded carrots or zucchini, mashed bananas or pumpkin: Refrigerate, especially during humid weather or in humid climates. If stored at room temperature, mold can grow quickly.

Shortening Cakes

Shortening cakes are made with butter, margarine or shortening, flour, eggs, a liquid and baking powder or baking soda.

BAKING SHORTENING CAKES

Place oven rack in the middle position. Place pans in the center of the rack. Arrange round cake pans so they don't touch, leaving at least 1 inch of space between pans and sides of the oven. When making a recipe that uses three round pans, refrigerate batter in third pan if not all pans will fit in the oven at one time; bake third pan separately.

Grease and flour pans as recommended in each recipe. Greasing with solid vegetable shortening is recommended. Butter, margarine and vegetable oil are not recommended for greasing.

COOLING AND REMOVING SHORTENING CAKES

Cool cakes that will not be removed from the pan or pans on a wire rack until completely cool.

Cool cakes that will be inverted, like round, fluted or tube pan cakes, in their pans on wire racks for 5 to 10 minutes.

To remove a cake from the pan, insert a knife between the cake and the pan and slide it around the side to loosen the edge. Put a wire rack on top of the cake. Holding both the rack and the pan firmly, flip them over and lift the pan off the cake. Flip again onto another rack so the cake can cool top side up. Cool completely on wire racks.

Chocolate Cake

PREP: 20 min BAKE: 45 min COOL: 1 hr 10 min 12 SERVINGS

2 1/4 cups all-purpose or 2 1/2 cups cake flour 1 2/3 cups sugar 3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened 2/3 cup baking cocoa 1 1/4 cups water 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 2 large eggs Fudge Frosting (page 115) or White Mountain Frosting (page 117), if desired

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and sides of one 13 x 9-inch pan, two 9-inch round pans or three 8-inch round pans with shortening; lightly flour.

2. In large bowl, beat all ingredients except frosting with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan(s).

3. Bake 13 x 9-inch pan 40 to 45 minutes, round pans 30 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool rectangle in pan on wire rack. Cool rounds 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

4. Frost 13 x 9-inch cake or fill and frost round layers with Fudge Frosting.

1 SERVING: CAL. 325 (CAL. FROM FAT 115); FAT 13g (SAT. FAT 8g); CHOL. 65mg; SODIUM 430mg; CARBS. 48g (FIBER 2g); PRO. 5g % DAILY VALUE: VIT. A 10%; VIT. C 0%; CALC. 2%; IRON 10% EXCHANGES: 2 STARCH, 1 OTHER CARB., 2 1/2 FAT CARB. CHOICES: 3

German Chocolate Cake

PREP: 30 min BAKE: 40 min COOL: 1 hr 10 min 12 SERVINGS

Samuel German, an employee of the Baker's chocolate factory, developed a sweet chocolate in 1852. Over a hundred years later, in 1957, a reader of a Dallas newspaper submitted her recipe for this now-famous three-tiered cake recipe with coconut-pecan frosting. Sales of sweet chocolate soared, and the rest is delicious history!

4 oz sweet baking chocolate 1/2 cup water 2 1/4 cups all-purpose or 2 1/2 cups cake flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups sugar 1 cup butter or margarine, softened 4 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup buttermilk Coconut-Pecan Filling and Topping (page 119), if desired

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and side of three 8-inch or 9-inch round pans with shortening. Line bottoms of pans with waxed paper or cooking parchment paper.

2. In 1-quart saucepan, heat chocolate and water over low heat, stirring frequently, until chocolate is completely melted; cool.

3. In medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In another medium bowl, beat sugar and butter with electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy. Separate eggs; reserve egg whites. Beat egg yolks, one at a time, into sugar mixture. Beat in chocolate and vanilla on low speed. Beat flour mixture into sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk on low speed, beating just until smooth after each addition.

4. Wash and dry mixer beaters. In small bowl, beat eggs whites on high speed until stiff; fold into batter. Pour into pans. Refrigerate batter in third pan if not all pans will fit in oven at one time; bake third pan separately.

5. Bake 8-inch pans 35 to 40 minutes, 9-inch pans 30 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire rack. Remove waxed paper. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

6. Fill layers and frost top of cake with Coconut-Pecan Filling and Topping, leaving side of cake unfrosted. Store covered in refrigerator.

1 SERVING: CAL. 435 (CAL. FROM FAT 180); FAT 20g (SAT. FAT 12g); CHOL. 115mg; SODIUM 440mg; CARBS. 58g (FIBER 1g); PRO. 6g % DAILY VALUE: VIT. A 14%; VIT. C 0%; CALC. 4%; IRON 8% EXCHANGES: 2 STARCH, 2 OTHER CARB., 3 1/2 FAT CARB. CHOICES: 4

Chocolate Snack Cake

PREP: 10 min BAKE: 35 min COOL: 15 min 9 SERVINGS

You can leave your mixer in the cupboard when making this simple one-layer cake. Just stir it up with a spoon, bake it and enjoy it warm.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup baking cocoa 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1 teaspoon white or cider vinegar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup cold water Ice cream or whipped cream, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and side of 9-inch round pan or 8-inch square pan with shortening; lightly flour.

2. In medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In small bowl, stir oil, vinegar and vanilla until well mixed. Vigorously stir oil mixture and water into flour mixture about 1 minute or until well blended. Immediately pour into pan.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes. Serve warm or cool with ice cream.

1 SERVING: CAL. 250 (CAL. FROM FAT 80); FAT 9g (SAT. FAT 1g); CHOL. 0mg; SODIUM 270mg; CARBS. 39g (FIBER 1g); PRO. 3g % DAILY VALUE: VIT. A 0%; VIT. C 0%; CALC. 0%; IRON 6% EXCHANGES: 1 STARCH, 1 1/2 OTHER CARB., 2 FAT CARB. CHOICES: 2 1/2

CHOCOLATE CHIP SNACK CAKE Make cake as directed and pour into pan. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips and 3 tablespoons sugar. Bake as directed.

Date-Chocolate Chip Cake

PREP: 20 min BAKE: 55 min COOL: 2 hr 15 min 12 SERVINGS

Dates 1 1/4 cups boiling water 1 cup chopped dates 1 teaspoon baking soda Chocolate Chip Topping 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened Cake 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 2/3 cup vegetable oil 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 eggs

1. In large bowl, pour boiling water on dates. Stir in 1 teaspoon baking soda. Cool about 15 minutes or until lukewarm.

2. In small bowl, mix all topping ingredients; set aside.

3. Heat oven to 350°F. Stir all cake ingredients into date mixture. Pour into ungreased 9-inch square pan. Sprinkle with topping.

4. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 2 hours.

1 SERVING: CAL. 380 (CAL. FROM FAT 155); FAT 17g (SAT. FAT 5g); CHOL. 40mg; SODIUM 340mg; CARBS. 53g (FIBER 2g); PRO. 4g % DAILY VALUE: VIT. A 2%; VIT. C 0%; CALC. 2%; IRON 10% EXCHANGES: 1 STARCH, 1/2 FRUIT, 2 OTHER CARB., 3 1/2 FAT CARB. CHOICES: 3 1/2

Molten Chocolate Cakes

PREP: 20 min BAKE: 14 min STAND: 3 min 6 SERVINGS

Serve these cakes while they're still warm. Cut into them and a delicious rich chocolate center flows out. They make the ideal company dessert!

Baking cocoa 6 oz semisweet baking chocolate, chopped 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter or margarine 3 large whole eggs 3 large egg yolks 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 1/2 cup all-purpose flour Additional powdered sugar, if desired

1. Heat oven to 450°F. Grease bottoms and sides of six 6-ounce custard cups with shortening; dust with cocoa.

2. In 2-quart saucepan, melt chocolate and butter over low heat, stirring frequently. Cool slightly.

3. In large bowl, beat whole eggs and egg yolks with wire whisk or hand beater until well blended. Beat in 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar. Beat in melted chocolate mixture and flour. Divide batter evenly among custard cups. Place cups on cookie sheet with sides.

4. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until sides are set and centers are still soft (tops will be puffed and cracked). Let stand 3 minutes. Run small knife or metal spatula along sides of cakes to loosen. Immediately place heatproof serving plate upside down onto each cup; turn plate and cup over and remove cup. Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar. Serve warm.

Note: Be sure to grease the custard cups with shortening, dust the cups with cocoa and bake the cakes at the correct oven temperature for the right time. These steps are critical to the success of this recipe. If the centers are too cakelike in texture, bake a few minutes less the next time; if they're too soft, bake a minute or two longer.

1 SERVING: CAL. 550 (CAL. FROM FAT 295); FAT 33g (SAT. FAT 19g); CHOL. 265mg; SODIUM 170mg; CARBS. 56g (FIBER 2g); PRO. 7g % DAILY VALUE: VIT. A 20%; VIT. C 0%; CALC. 4%; IRON 10% EXCHANGES: 2 STARCH, 2 OTHER CARB., 6 FAT CARB. CHOICES: 4

LEARN WITH Betty-MOLTEN CHOCOLATE CAKES

These cakes are too runny because they were not baked long enough.

These cakes have a flowing chocolate center; there are no problems.

These cakes are completely cooked through because they were baked too long.

Silver White Cake

PREP: 10 min BAKE: 45 min COOL: 1 hr 10 min 12 SERVINGS

2 1/4 cups all-purpose or 2 1/2 cups cake flour 1 2/3 cups sugar 2/3 cup shortening 1 1/4 cups milk 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract 5 large egg whites White Mountain Frosting (page 117) or Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (page 115), if desired

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and sides of one 13 x 9-inch pan, two 9-inch round pans or three 8-inch round pans with shortening; lightly flour.

2. In large bowl, beat all ingredients except egg whites and frosting with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.

3. Beat in egg whites on high speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan(s).

4. Bake 13 x 9-inch pan 40 to 45 minutes, 9-inch pans 30 to 35 minutes, 8-inch pans 23 to 28 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool rectangle in pan on wire rack. Cool rounds 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

5. Frost 13 x 9-inch cake or fill and frost round layers with White Mountain Frosting.

1 SERVING: CAL. 320 (CAL. FROM FAT 110); FAT 12g (SAT. FAT 3g); CHOL. 0mg; SODIUM 370mg; CARBS. 47g (FIBER 1g); PRO. 5g % DAILY VALUE: VIT. A 0%; VIT. C 0%; CALC. 10%; IRON 0% EXCHANGES: 2 STARCH, 1 OTHER CARB., 2 FAT CARB. CHOICES: 3

CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE Fold 1/2 cup miniature or finely chopped regular semisweet chocolate chips into batter.

COCONUT-LEMON CAKE Spread rectangle or fill layers with Lemon Filling (page 120). Frost with White Mountain Frosting (page 117). Sprinkle cake with about 1 cup flaked or shredded coconut.

MARBLE CAKE Before pouring batter into pan(s), remove 1 3/4 cups of the batter; reserve. Pour remaining batter into pan(s). Stir 3 tablespoons baking cocoa and 1/8 teaspoon baking soda into reserved batter. Drop chocolate batter by tablespoonfuls randomly onto white batter. Cut through batters with knife for marbled design. Bake and cool as directed in Step 4.

Starlight Yellow Cake

PREP: 10 min BAKE: 40 min COOL: 1 hr 10 min 12 SERVINGS

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups sugar 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened 1 1/4 cups milk 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 large eggs Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (page 115) or Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting (page 116), if desired

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and sides of one 13 x 9-inch pan, two 9-inch round pans or three 8-inch round pans with shortening; lightly flour.

2. In large bowl, beat all ingredients except frosting with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan(s).

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