Making Baking Effortless

Are you looking for ways to make baking the delight it deserves to be? Just a few easy adjustments in baking techniques can work magic to maximize your efforts. One important trick of the trade: a good no-stick spray to ensure that cookies come out whole, tarts with beautiful, decorative crusts stay intact and cakes stay perfect-looking every time.

The "Diva of Desserts," Rose Levy Beranbaum, and renowned author of "The Cake Bible" and "Rose's Christmas Cookies," considers Baker's Joy, the only no-stick spray with flour, a kitchen essential. She recommends it in her best-selling cookbooks as a must-have item when making almost any cake and many other baked goods as well.

Maintaining equipment and supplies in tip-top shape is another major factor in producing successful desserts. Beranbaum says, "With Baker's Joy, maintenance is as easy as making sure that the nozzle on the can remains free of build-up. To prevent build-up, simply hold the nozzle under hot running water for a few seconds after each use. Smooth, even sprays make it effortless to produce a cake that looks like a masterpiece."

Beranbaum's elegant new Chocolate Swirl Velvet Cake is destined to become a family favorite. She claims the secret to this delicious and attractive dessert is spraying the fluted pan with Baker's Joy so it releases perfectly with the crust intact. Try her recipe tonight!

Chocolate Swirl Velvet Cake (Serves: 12)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C)

Baking time: 50 to 60 minutes

Ingredients:

1 can Baker's Joy no-stick spray with flour
2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons (9 ounces) unsalted butter (255 grams)
3 ounces extra bittersweet or bittersweet chocolate (85 grams)
6 large egg yolks
1 cup sour cream (240 ml)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (10 ml)
3 cups sifted cake flour (sifted into the cup and leveled off) (10.5 ounces) (300 grams)
1 1/2 cups (10.5 ounces) sugar (300 grams)
1 teaspoon baking powder (5 grams)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda (4 grams)
1/2 teaspoon salt (2 grams)

Equipment: A 9-cup fluted tube pan, sprayed with Baker's Joy

Remove the butter from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before mixing the batter so that it is still cool but squishable.

In a double boiler (or microwave using a microwave safe bowl) melt the chocolate over hot (not simmering) water, stirring frequently. Remove the upper container from the water.

In a medium bowl lightly combine the yolks, about 1/4 of the sour cream, and the vanilla.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add the butter and remaining sour cream. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium speed (high speed if using a hand-held mixer) and beat for 1 1/2 minutes. Scrape down the sides. Gradually add the egg mixture in 3 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients. Scrape down the sides.

Remove 1 1/2 cups of the batter and stir the melted chocolate into it until uniform in color. Pour 1/3 of the remaining batter into the prepared pan. Top with dollops of 1/2 the chocolate batter. Spread it gently but evenly. Top with another 1/3 of the plain batter and then with dollops of the remaining chocolate batter. Spread it evenly and top with the remaining plain batter, spreading it evenly over the top.

Use a regular tablespoon to lightly swirl the batter by dipping it in, not touching the bottom, and lifting it up and over in a folding motion like the roll of a wave, about 8 times, going all around the pan. Smooth the surface evenly and bake in the middle of the oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until a tester inserted near the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center.

Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Loosen the cake by jiggling it up and down until it moves slightly. Invert it onto a greased wire rack and let it cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Then serve immediately or for longer keeping, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap.

For more recipes and tips on using Baker's Joy, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Baker's Joy Recipes, Dept. A, 3365 Barham Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90068.