Cooking For Engineers

[penske]

For all recipes that I see for basic yellow cake, you check for doneness by sticking in a toothpick or whatever. Is there a goal internal temperature that we are looking for?

I think you could still overcook the cake and have the toothpick come out clean... but isn't it so much easier to have a temp that we are trying to reach much in the same way as a piece of meat?

I have searched and searched but find no mention of it anywhere. Does anyone know what the goal internal temperature should be?

Thanks!

[penske]

Ok so I tried a little experiment myself, making some cupcakes.

When I stuck in the wooden skewer, and took it out with only a few crumbs sticking to it, the temp was 215 F...

Does this make any sense? About the boiling point of water?

[Michael Chu]

It does make sense to me. That's generally the temperature range you're striking for when making bread.

[aresrin]

Good Eats Host Alton Brown mentions internal temperatures for some of his cake recipes:

190 F for Individual Peach Upside Down Cakes
200 F for Coconut Cake / Tres Leche Cake
205 F for Devil's Food / Red Velvet
205-210 F for Carrot Cake / Cup Cakes
210 F for Pound Cake

Sources:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/individual-peach-upside-down-cake-recipe/index.html

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/good-eats/chocolate-chiffon-cupcake-recipe/index.html

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pound-cake-recipe/index.html

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/coconut-cake-with-7-minute-frosting-recipe/index.html

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/devils-food-cake-recipe/index.html

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/red-velvet-cake-recipe/index.html

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/carrot-cake-recipe/index.html

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/tres-leche-cake-recipe/index.html

[adamklille]

I haven't make cake before but after watching lots of stuff, Would like to try this!!