Food Mixer - Cake Making Question

buyitall

Hello, I have a new mixer :j (Kenwood Prospero), and have used it to make a couple of cakes so far. When some recipes call for folding in the flour, I was just wondering if you could just turn the power on the mixer down to a lower setting and spoon in the flour, using the beater at a lower speed to 'fold' in? I'm trying to make the whole process as easy as possible so that I will keep using it. Thanks for any advice and sorry if it's a stupid question!

Callie22

You can, but it'll never be quite as light as if you folded in the flour by hand. Beaters go round and round, and the idea of folding in the flour is that you kind of 'lift' the cake mix gently to incorporate as much air as possible. However, you could look out for some all-in-one recipes and the it's just a case of chucking it all in the bowl, switching it on and off you go

Ben84

You'll have to try it to know the answer. However, my perception is that it's not so much the speed as the motion of whatever is doing the folding. I tend to fold things in very fast, but I use a tablespoon to slice in to the mixture sideways, then turn it 90 degrees to bring it out with the underside facing up - which seems to keep the air in and causes the mixture to spread out over the spoon and let the flour (or whatever you're folding in) evenly coat it. My kenwood mixer just can't replicate this effect, so it's the one step I don't use it for.

So, if I'm busy, I prefer recipes that use self raising flour and/or baking powder, where you simply tip everything in and just mix it. If you let it mix for a couple of minutes extra, I find they're also very light.

buyitall

Thanks - is there a recipe you would recommend that is ideal for the mixer? TIA

Callie22

buyitall wrote: »

Thanks - is there a recipe you would recommend that is ideal for the mixer? TIA

I'd try something like Delia's all-in-one-sponge - her recipes are usually excellent.