Frogleg wrote:
>
> On Thu, 13 May 2004 17:31:50 -0600, Arri London >
> wrote:
>
> >Frogleg wrote:
> >>
>
> >> I searched on my own and found this very nice conversion calculator:
> >>
> >> http://gourmetsleuth.com/gram_calc.htm
> >
> >Yes but conversions from weight to volume can never be truly accurate.
>
> Did you check the URL? It specifically addresses the question of
> weight to volume and has a neat chart of typical conversions of common
> ingredients.

Yes, but those are just very good approximations. In cooking it doesn't
usually matter all that much.

A given mass of flour will not occupy precisely the same volume if
someone shakes it down to maximum compaction or just piles it into the
cup and levels it off.
> >>
> >> One thing that puzzles me about the recipe is the inclusion of yeast
> >> with nothing about proofing or rising. I've never used yeast as a
> >> leavener without *doing* something with it first. Nor seen any 'cake'
> >> recipe with yeast in it. Except for the yeast (instead of baking
> >> powder), this is plain ol' banana bread. I think my friend has been
> >> deceived by *her* French friend. :-)
> >
> >We have plenty of cake recipes that require yeast. Common enough but
> >perhaps not in the US. In a batter the yeast doesn't always seem to need
> >to proof that much. The standing around it does while adding the other
> >ingredients is enough. Yeasted cakes avoid that chemical taste that
> >baking powder sometimes gives.
>
> <recipe snipped>
>
> I see that your recipe (thank you) includes both initial blooming of
> the yeast and a 45-minute rise time for the batter. This makes sense.
> Simply adding 'raw' yeast to a mix and popping it in the oven doesn't.
> It seems Gabby's insight into "levure chimique" is the probable cause
> of the confusion.

That could be of course. But yeast in cakes is common enough in Europe.
The recipe I posted doesn't include initial blooming/proofing of the
yeast. There's nothing in the water to make it proof and I just add the
yeast/water to the other ingredients as soon as I've mixed it.

Fresh yeast doesn't need proofing and in a batter doesn't even need real
rising, other than the time taken to mix ingredients. Dried yeast is
another matter but 'cheating' works there too in some recipes.