AERATION TEST

Creamed cakes are basically cakes whose fat and sugar are creamed together until light and fluffy during the preparation of the batter.  According to Corriher (2008) - Author of BakeWise - the creaming procedure is vital for the final volume of the cake.  This is because during creaming tiny bubbles of air are incorporated in the fat-sugar mixture (Davies, 1999).  

How would you know when to stop the creaming method? 

We can determine whether creaming has completed by looking at the colour and texture of the creamed mixture. Creaming is complete when the creamed mixture is pale, light and fluffy.  

Another way to test doneness of the creaming method is by using the aeration test. This can be done by dropping a fine speck of creamed mixture from a fine skewer on to the surface of a beaker of oil  If the mixture floats, it has been creamed enough (Davies, 1999).  

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Figure 1 - Aeration Test

REFERENCES

Corriher, O.S. (2008), BakeWise: The Hows and Whys of Successful Baking, p. 121, Scribner, New York. (Accessed on 21/04/12). <http://books.google.mu/books?id=b-iwjIb2RxwC>. 

Davies, J. (1999), Hammond's Cooking Explained, 4th edn, Addison Wesley Longman Limited.

Picture of Conical Flask: <http://www.clker.com/clipart-tubito.html>.