Tip of the Day Butter and Eggs

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two key ingredients in baking are butter and eggs. Many cakes and baked goods require “room temperature” eggs and butter. When I first started baking I never really paid close attention to why this was so important. I was just eager to bake. But soon found out why the butter and the eggs needed to be brought to room temperature.  I learned that it just makes a better cake, plain and simple. The room temperature eggs and butter incorporates easier and the cake when done is lighter and fluffier.  If you skip this step, as I’ve done many times and learned the hard way, you will see that when you mix the cold eggs in to the cold butter all you get is chunks of butter with eggs that won’t blend well. Here are the tips to help you bake a better cake.

Tip # 1

Bring eggs and butter to room temperature.  It is important to bring eggs and butter to room temperature before baking because it will incorporate easier.    If you are pressed for time, put the eggs in a bowl of warm water, (not boiling, you do not want to cook the eggs).   Leave it for about 10 minutes while you are getting the rest of the ingredients ready.

The butter should be soft but not too soft. The consistency of peanut butter is good. Why do we refrigerate butter anyway? What did they do in the old days? I never understood that but this is a question for another day. Anyway, you can cut the butter into small pieces or you can microwave it with the wrapper 20 seconds at a time and watch it. Be careful not to leave it in there too long.  I guarantee you won’t like the clean up.  Once the butter is brought to room temperature, beat the butter with an electric mixer or by hand for a few minutes before adding the sugar.  I find this helps the process go a lot faster when the baking is unplanned.

Do you have a question or a tip to share?