We’re all a little crumby

Today I attended an instruction class from an award winning dessert chef. Some might wonder why I am sitting in on a cake class, but I have to tell you, listening to others in the cake arts is very insightful. I whole heartedly encourage the opportunity to learn and grow from others. You never know what kind of new techniques and tricks you can glean from these instruction classes.

After the class was over I was listening to some bits of conversation going on around the room. One comment in particular caught my attention. 

“This cake is a little dry.” I thought about this comment as I left the class. I too have come across the occasional cake that I felt was a little too dry. I thought of the others in the session that had not commented on the cake’s dryness but had instead raved about its flavor. Did these people also think the cake was dry or was it simply this one individual?

Here’s the gist of it. Whether a cake is moist or not is actually perceived from a sensory stand point. It has to do with the amount of fat in the cake. It relates to the percentages of egg yolk, oil and water. Too many eggs and not enough oil create a mixture that doesn’t allow all three ingredients to blend properly. This produces the sensory perception of a dry cake.

So, I think back to those other individuals who did not complain of a dry cake and wonder if they like their cakes on the dry side or if maybe we all just needed a big glass of milk.