The Cream of Tartar in Cake Making
Cake making is an art—a beautiful balance of science and creativity. Among the various ingredients that help cakes rise, stay moist, and develop their perfect crumb, cream of tartar often goes unnoticed. However, this humble white powder can be a game-changer, especially in creating light, fluffy cakes.
What is Cream of Tartar?
Cream of tartar, or potassium bitartrate, is a byproduct of winemaking. It is a natural acidic salt that’s found on the inside of wine barrels. But don't let its origin fool you—it plays a vital role in the kitchen, particularly in baking.
The Role of Cream of Tartar in Cake Making
In cakes, cream of tartar serves a few crucial purposes:
Stabilizing Egg Whites: Cream of tartar is most famous for helping to stabilize egg whites, giving them that glossy, stiff peak texture that's essential for delicate cakes like meringue-based biscuits and meringue desserts. It prevents the egg whites from deflating by creating a more stable foam structure, allowing your cake to stay light and airy.
Leavening Agent: When combined with baking soda, cream of tartar helps produce carbon dioxide, making cakes rise perfectly. This is particularly important when you’re looking for an even, fluffy cake without relying solely on yeast.
Neutralizing Acidity: It can reduce the metallic or soapy taste that some people notice in baked goods with too much baking soda, improving the overall flavor of your cakes.
Tanya Novak’s Expert Tips
At Art Bakery & Gourmet, our head chef Tanya Novak, a Le Cordon Bleu graduate and Michelin-star trained chef, considers cream of tartar an essential ingredient in her cake creations. Having worked in prestigious Michelin-starred restaurants, Tanya has mastered the art of delicate cake-making, and cream of tartar is one of her secret weapons.
Here are a few of Tanya’s pro tips for using cream of tartar:
Meringue-Based Biscuit Mastery: For her iconic meringue-based biscuits, Tanya swears by cream of tartar to ensure the egg whites are perfectly whipped and stable, creating a light yet structured base. The biscuits, often used in layered cakes, rely on this ingredient to maintain their crisp yet airy texture without collapsing during baking.
Meringue Stability: For her signature meringue-based cakes and pavlovas, Tanya adds a touch of cream of tartar to give her meringues a glossy finish and to prevent them from collapsing. The result? A stable, crunchy exterior and a soft, marshmallow-like interior that is a fan favorite.
Consistent Rise in Cakes: Tanya often uses cream of tartar with baking soda to create the perfect rise in cakes like chiffon and pound cake. The gentle leavening ensures an even, soft crumb without any harsh aftertaste.
Incorporating Cream of Tartar in Recipes
Using cream of tartar in your cake recipes is incredibly simple:
Meringue-Based Biscuit: A classic element in layered cakes, this light, crispy biscuit relies on the stabilization cream of tartar brings to whipped egg whites. This ensures that the biscuit remains airy and perfectly structured for layering with creams and fruit fillings.
Meringue Topping: A lovely meringue topping on a cake or pie will benefit greatly from cream of tartar. It will keep the meringue from weeping (or releasing water) and give it a lovely, marshmallow-like texture.
Gâteau Moka: A traditional French cake that incorporates coffee-flavored buttercream, Gâteau Moka often uses a meringue-based biscuit as one of its layers. Cream of tartar helps ensure that the meringue biscuit retains its shape and crisp texture, balancing perfectly with the rich buttercream and coffee flavor.
Tips for Success
Use fresh cream of tartar. Since it's a pantry staple that doesn’t get used daily, make sure to check its freshness. Old cream of tartar might lose potency, affecting how well it stabilizes or leavens.
Don’t skip it in recipes calling for egg white whipping. Even if you're tempted to omit it, especially in light cakes, it's essential to ensure your eggs hold up during the baking process.
Baking Beyond Cakes
Cream of tartar isn’t just for cakes! You can also use it in cookies, frostings, and even to make your own baking powder by mixing it with baking soda and cornstarch.
So next time you're baking a cake, remember that cream of tartar may be a small ingredient, but it has a mighty role. Whether you’re aiming for cloud-like lightness or perfect peaks, cream of tartar can help you reach the heights of baking perfection.