Creaming Butter and Sugar in food processer

tc47, Apr 16, 1:38am
Total novice baker here: I want to make a cake which needs me to cream the butter and sugar. I don't have a beater, but I do have a food processer. Is it possible to use the food processer to cream? If so, what's the technique?

Thanks :)

kay141, Apr 16, 1:40am
I use a wooden spoon the same as my mother did.

cookessentials, Apr 16, 1:41am
Yes it is. You should have a plastic whipping blade, this is the one you use. Make sure your butter is very soft 9 not melted) and whip this a little first, then gradually add the sugar while motor is running. Scrape down the sides of bowl to make sure that all sugar is well incorporated. Once the colour changes to a whitish colour and it is fluffy, then you are done.

pickles7, Apr 16, 1:50am
yep thats the one, you will enjoy the cake, that much more...

tc47, Apr 16, 1:52am
Cool, thanks heaps :)

Off to buy my ingredients now.

tc47, Apr 16, 4:51am
hmmmm, very weird looking cake batter, almost like bread mix. It's supposed to be a madeira cake. We'll see how it turns out.

davidt4, Apr 16, 6:25am
The problem with using a food processor to cream butter and sugar is that it doesn't aerate the creamed mixture the way conventional creaming does.A processor is okay for coarse cakes that rely on a lot of baking powder or baking soda to raise them, but with something fine-textured like a Madeira cake or a pound cake, which have a delicate buttery texture and only a small amount of baking powder, you will not get the correct fine airy texture without proper creaming.

I'm sure your cake will taste fine, but next time try a recipe that is specifically designed for a processor.

Never mix the dry ingredients in using a processor - the cake will be rubbery and coarse.Fold them in with a big metal spoon.

jag5, Apr 16, 6:36am
My best banana cakes are done in the food processor...creaming, adding dry - everything.I also have a cake recipe which is throw everything in the processor and beat the crap out of it.Very nice it is too.Queen cakes are also good done in it too.

Wouldn't do anything else though

kinna54, Apr 16, 7:57am
I use my processor to cream, and also for recipes which need gathering together i.e biccies and slice bases. . Stop frequently and scrape down the sides and lift the mixture away from the blade with a plate scraper and turn over, so you are moving the mix up from the bottom, to ensure even mixing. Another tip: put the sugar in first and whizz it for about 30 seconds, then add your butter. This breaks up the sugar grains to resemble caster sugar and make easier creaming andwill help to aereate the mix as well.
I used to beat by hand, but arms too crook now.

andrew499, Apr 16, 8:08am
According to Alison holst, it's better to beat the eggs and sugar together first then add the butter which should be soft enough to spread on very fresh bread.i have no idea how well this works, as i've never used a food processor for mixing cakes, just thought I'd throw it into the melting pot.This came from alison Holst's Food Processor book.
cheers

tc47, Apr 16, 8:14am
The Maderia cake turned out ok, tastes good, texture is nice :)

I found this recipe on the chelsea site, which lets you biff everything in the processor: http://www.chelsea.co.nz/recipes/948/chelseas-favourite-chocolate-cake.aspx

cookessentials, Apr 16, 8:41am
Never had a problem using food processor for creaming butter and sugar ...in fact, making the whole cake! If you have a proper whipping blade, it is not a problem.