CAKE BY NUMBERS™

NUMBER OF HOURS

4

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Review “Best Classroom Practices” in the enrollment email or FAQ section of the website

DESCRIPTION

Mastering the art of cake baking and decoration is all about embracing the power of simple math. Whether you’re working with high-fat cakes that require precision or adjusting recipes to fit specialty pans, math is the key to consistency and eliminating waste. Cake by Numbers™ shows how basic operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division can transform anyone into a confident baker, even those who feel anxious about math. With a little practice, you’ll find yourself adjusting recipes effortlessly to fit larger or smaller pans while achieving perfect results every time. Learning how to price ingredients using math will not only save time but also ensure you can calculate the cost of your cake creations quickly—without relying on apps. As you get more comfortable with the numbers, even Pi will feel like your best friend!

The goal for this class is to learn Chef Susan’s method to calculate/convert batter quantities for high fat cakes using simple math. Also included in the course is a method for ingredient/product pricing.

Since we will convert and figure out batter quantities for three different sizes of high fat cakes, the course will begin with a demonstration of the creaming method used in the preparation of this type of cake. Students will observe and taste the baked result and analyze the finished product.

STUDENTS WILL LEARN:

• Chef Susan’s method to calculate/convert batter quantities.
• Using simple math to organize and produce cost sheets for ingredients and then entire cake formulas.
• How to use simple math to increase and decrease high fat cake formulas two ways.
• Reasons the baking industry avoids using volume measurements.
• How to figure batter quantities for specialty shaped pans.
• How to prepare a high fat cake using the creaming method.
• Analyze the texture and flavor of the baked high fat cake.
• How to figure cake formulas for three different sized cake layers.

Students will need to bring the following supplies to class:

• Calculator (all phones are turned off during class)
• Pencil and eraser
• Pen
• Paper (handouts will be supplied).
• Appropriate classroom dress suggestions are listed in “Best Classroom Practices” found in the FAQs and your registration email.

PLEASE NOTE: BACAA offers two Certificates of Completion: Buttercream Series and Cake Series. Both series require attending Buttercream 101 and Buttercream 201. For those in the Cake Series, students must bake ALL the required cakes in the Student Kits to practice the skills they learned in Cake by Numbers™. Chef Susan will confirm at the beginning of Buttercream 101 and Buttercream 201 which students are completing the Cake series.

Students in the Cake Series are welcome to attend the remaining classes in the Buttercream Series: Buttercream Flowers, Buttercream Vintage Techniques, and Buttercream Tiered Cake Construction. If students complete all the remaining Buttercream Series classes, they will be eligible to receive the Certificate of Completion for the Buttercream Series!