Cake yeast question

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

I was all prepared to convert a recipe to dried yeast until I was surprised to find cake yeast at the local market. So surprised that I bought more than I needed.

Does it make any difference, and if so is there anywhere where I might actually notice? Or is yeast just yeast, when used in equivalent amounts?

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foodonastump
Original Author

6 years ago

...or if it's just faddy and "artisanal" to use it, or if it's people demanding to follow grandma's recipe exactly, that's brought it back to the store.

Those are my suspicions, too. Looking at Red Star’s site they don’t seem to be pushing it much. Maybe I’ll get around to a side by side test, perhaps a couple baguettes. Don’t hold your breath. Interesting what you say about yeasty technically being a flaw.

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Comments (6)

plllog
6 years ago
When I was young, the cake yeast gave a livelier better rise. It was also finicking and prone to SFD (sudden fridge death).

Dry yeast used to be very problematic. Both needed to be proofed before using. Just getting the dry to dissolve was enough of an issue. You had to give it sugar to proof it.

Now we have to be careful not to get the fast acting or instant dry yeast that they make for bread machines. They're so reliably fast and lively that make that process work, but aren't good for slow rises.

The regular Active Dry Yeast is very reliable, even well past its marked shelf life. It goes dormant in the fridge but once back to room temp is as lively as you could wish.

I have no idea if they've improved the stability of cake yeast or if it's just faddy and "artisanal" to use it, or if it's people demanding to follow grandma's recipe exactly, that's brought it back to the store.

Yeast is yeast, except commercial yeast is a different strain from wild (sourdough) yeast. Commercial and wild have different rise times and strengths, though there's overlap when you're using a long ferment.

I wouldn't expect cake yeast to do a fast rise, but who knows if it's been improved or if it's classic cake yeast like I used to use. Otherwise, it should be equivalent to ADY.

It's also possible that the cake yeast will have a more yeasty flavor. Usually, that comes from using too much yeast or a too rapid rising yeast, which is why you get it a lot in pizza. Some people really like that yeasty flavor, but it's technically a baking flaw, like fallen cake or souffle is a flaw, but people like the gooey result anyway.

You can freeze your extra yeast (but not necessarily forever) if you're not ready to use it, but make sure to let it fully warm up to room temp before you bake with it.

Have fun!
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arkansas girl
6 years ago
Yeah, I think it may be a lot of people trying to recreate Grandma's old recipes. I belong to a Czech facebook cooking page and they were talking about the cake yeast for those delicious sweet dough recipes that their grandmas and great grandmas used to make. I have no doubt those people were demanding their stores carry the cake yeast.
plllog
6 years ago
So, the yeasty flavor? You get that when you have too much yeast. That's it. Active Dry Yeast is the same yeast as cake yeast but dehydrated and sealed to keep it dormant. An envelope is (should be) the same amount as a cake. That's why the standard is 2.25 TBSP per envelope. I cannot see any advantage to using cake yeast other than watching it die because it got too warm in the car. And making a spiritual connection to Grandma, I guess.

Re testing, I think a couple of boules might be a better test than baguettes. Or at least something that doesn't restrict the rise.
lindac92
6 years ago
I find I get the yeasty flavor and smell if I have over proofed the dough.
If I am in a hurry tog et some fresh bread on the table I will sometimes double the amount of yeast to get it up and going fast and there is none of that yeasty taste and smell as long as I don't allow it to over proof.
The different between instant yeast for bread machines and active dry yeast is simply the size of the granules. They say instant must be proofed in water with sugar before using but I have for years just added it dry with the flour when making bread....works just fine!
If you want a slower rise and have instant yeast, simply add less.
Islay Corbel
6 years ago
In Europe, cake yeast is often baking powder.

Cake yeast question

foodonastump
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plllog

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Cake yeast question

foodonastumpOriginal Author

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plllog

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foodonastump
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