IE20050650U1 - A method of baking and icing a cake - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT A method of baking and icing a cake is described. The method includes the steps of mixing the ingredients, baking the cake in a casing, cooling the cooked cake and placing the Cake and Casing in a container having a lid leaving the lid open, icing the cake in the container using heated icing in a fluid state, allowing the icing to flow across the cake and against the interior of the casing thereby covering the exposed surface of the cake and then cooling the icing rapidly in a cooling chamber. The method ensures accurate control of the quantity of icing applied to each cake. Further the mixing method used ensures the ingredients are distributed throughout the mix in a coherent way.

Description

Introductions The present invention relates to a method of baking and icing a cake.

There are various problems in the production of cakes at an industrial level. First problem encounter is in the mixing of the ingredients prior to baking. Conventionally relatively slow planetary mixers are used such mixers have a relatively large blade.

Because the mixers are operated at slow speeds it can take anything up to ten to fifteen minutes to prepare a batch. An unfortunate problem with such mixture is that very often the mix is not entirely satisfactory. Ideally one would like to use a high speed mixer which would ensure a coherent mixing of the ingredients of the cake unfortunately high speed mixtures tend to damage the ingredients and are therefore not entirely satisfactory in use. Damage to ingredients can become exceedingly important for example where fruit and vegetables such as carrots are added to the cake. Ideally the consumer wishes to eat a cake in which the ingredients are visible and have a taste and feel effect. At the same time ideally one would like to use a high speed mixture which would be much faster and in turn would provide a more coherent mix than the conventional planetary mixer.

Another problem in bakeries arises when cakes have to be iced. Unless extremely expensive icing equipment is employed which is generally unsuitable for batch production and, in any case is expensive it is necessary to carry out the icing effectively by hand. An operative has to apply the icing and smooth the icing by using a pallet. With such operations a considerable amount of the icing falls down the sides of the cake and thus there is considerable amount of waste icing. It is also an exceedingly skilful and slow, and time consuming task. There are other minor problems in relation to the production of batches of iced cakes however the major problems are those mentioned above namely the coherent mixing of the ingredients and the icing of the cakes in an efficient manner. it is known, when decorating a food product and very often an iced food product, to use a string icing depositor to place patterns on the surface of the cake. It is known, for example, to heat the icing to relatively high temperatures so that the icing is fluid and then to discharge the icing through a spray gun nozzle such as, for example, disclosed in US Patent Specification No. 5,951,766 (Kellogg Company). For example, US Patent Specification No. 4,002,773 (Entenmann’s Bakery Inc.) shows a system for cooking and packing goods where the baked goods are cooked in trays after removal from the oven and the tops of the cooled goods are decorated before inserting the trays into cartons. Finally, the goods and the trays are placed in sealed packages which normally have a transparent window. This specification does not explain how or when the goods are placed into transparent packages and one must assume that either there is relatively little heat transmitted by the icing placed on the cakes or the cakes are stored until they cool before being placed in a carton.

The present invention is directed towards overcoming these problems.

STATEMENTS OF INVENTKE According to the invention, there is provided a method of baking and icing a cake comprising: mixing ingredients in a mixer at a high speed with relatively small mixer blades between 750 and 850 revs per minute; delivering a measured volume of the mixture into a casing housed within a baking tray; baking the ingredients in an oven; removing the baking tray containing a cooked cake; removing the cooked cake in its casing from the baking tray; cooling the cooked cake; placing the cooked cake and its casing in a container having a lid, leaving the IE050650 lid open; delivering the cake to an icing station; delivering heated icing in a fluid state onto the cake to flow across the cake and against the interior of the casing, thus covering the exposed surface of the cake; delivering the cake to a cooling chamber; cooling the icing rapidly; closing the lid; sealing the lid; and packing the casings for delivery.

The use of the small blades and the high speed mixer greatly improves the mixing of the ingredients and saves a considerable amount of production time. it also ensures when ingredients such as carrots are provided that the carrots are distributed throughout the mix in a coherent way.

By using heated icing in a fluid state it is possible to automatically apply the icing which being fluid flows across the cake settles giving a smooth surface which smooth surface is probably better than any surface that could be achieved by using a pallet.

Further by applying the icing in a fluid state with the cake in its casing the casing prevents icing flowing down the sides of the cake and further by contacting the casing gives a very satisfactory and ecstatically pleasing look to the cake. It is also advantageous to be able to do the icing within the container. There is no “wasted” icing in the sense that all the icing deposited is on the top of the cake. The container supports the cake and allows the finished product to be produced then by cooling the icing it is then possible to close the lid on the container immediately. If it were not for cooling the icing it would be impossible to do so as the heat giving off from the icing |E050650 within the container would cause condensation within the interior of the container.

This then would cause difficulties and indeed the condensation would encourage the formation of mildew and have other undesirable consequences.

A particular advantage to the icing operation is that it allows the accurate control of the quantity of icing applied to each cake. As the icing is fluid it is spread evenly across the surface of the cake and will naturally attain the right depth of icing.

In another method, the mixing takes place at substantially 800 revs per minute.

In one method according to the invention, the icing is cooled rapidly by directing a stream of cold air onto the exposed surface of the icing at a temperature of between 3 and 7°C and after cooling the icing, the lid is closed and a label placed across the lid and container body to provide a temper evident seal. By cooling the icing rapidly, the whole operation is speeded up. A further advantage of the labelling operation to seal the cake in its container immediately after cooking is that the cake is kept fresh for a longer period of time and thus has added shelf life.

A further advantage to the labelling operation is that the label is placed across the lid and down the sides of the container and as such that it forms effectively a tamper evident seal.

In one method according to the invention, the fats forming part of the ingredients are hydrogenated fats. The use of hydrogenated fats has an unforeseen advantage in that by the use hydrogenated fats the cake can subsequently be re-heated for use as a hot dessert or the like. The hydrogenated fats do not separate under heat and thus the cake retains its quality on being heated.

Detailed Description of the Invention The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of an embodiment thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: |E050650 Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the various stations and operations according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a mixer used in a mixing station according to the invention; Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the apparatus in a filling station; Fig. 4 illustrates the apparatus in a cake cooling station; Fig. 5 illustrates icing equipment used; Fig. 6 illustrates portion of an icing cooling station; and Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view through a packed cake.

Referring to the drawings and initially to Fig. 1 the general operation and method of baking and icing a cake will be described. There is provided a mixing station 1 in which the ingredients for the cake are mixed in high speed mixer then the cake is sent to a filling station 2 where a measured volume of the mixture is deposited in a conventional casing housed in a baking tray assembly. Then at a baking station 3 the cake is baked. Then in a cake cooling station 4 the cake is cooled and sent to an icing station 5 after being placed in a container having a lid. In the icing station 5 liquidised icing is applied to the top of the cake. Then the cake with the heated icing is sent to an icing cooling station 6 where the icing is cooled rapidly. Then the container is closed and sent through a metal detection station. Then a label is applied to the cake across the lid and the container to provide a tamper evident seal in a labelling station and finally the cake is sent to a packing station 9.

Various portion of the apparatus and the method of baking and icing the cake will be described in more detail.

Referring to Fig. 2 there is illustrated a portion of the mixing station 1 namely a mixture indicated again by the reference numeral 10 comprising essentially a IE050550 conventional mixer having a bowl 11. The mixture includes a drive shaft 12 driven by a motor 13. The drive shaft 12 mounts a pair of spaced apart blades namely an upper flat straight blade 13 and lower curved blade 14. The lower curved blade 14 has upturned tips 15. The mixer operates between 750 and 850 rpm and generally at 800 rpm for two to three minutes. This mixer gives a much more coherent mixture and a better mix than heretofore.

Referring now to Fig. 3 there is illustrated the filling station 2 comprising a volumetric mixer indicated generally by the reference numeral 20 mounted adjacent a conveyor 21. Illustrated on the conveyor 21 is number of individual baking trays 22 in a jig 23.

Each baking tray 22 has placed in it a conventional paper casing 24.

The volumetric mixer 20 has a bowl 26 into which ingredients are delivered by a hose 27. The volumetric mixer 20 operates in conventional manner delivering a measured quantity of the ingredients into each casing 24.

The oven and cooking operation is conventional.

After baking the cake still in its casing 24 is delivered to the cake cooling station 4 (see Fig. 4). In the cake cooling station 4 there is provided a plurality of cooling towers each indicated generally by the reference numeral 40. The cooling towers 40 are connected together from an entrance 41 to an outlet conveyor 42. Each cooling tower 40 comprises effectively a spirally wound conveyor 45. The cake in its casing 24 is delivered through the various cooling towers 40 from the entrance 41 to an outlet conveyor 42. The cooling towers allow the cake to cool naturally. Essentially all that is done in the cake cooling station 4 is to lead the cake up and around circulating it in the ambient conditions for cooling.

The casing 24 is then sent to the icing station 5. Referring now to Fig. 5 the icing station is shown where the cooled cake in its casing is delivered out of the outlet conveyor 42 into an icing device indicated generally by the reference numeral 50 comprising a double skinned icing bowl 51 and a water heating unit 52. A double skinned icing bowl 51 is connected to various water inlet and outlet pipe 53 which in turn are connected by hoses not shown to the water heating unit 52 thus hot water |EO5065O can be circulated around the mixing bowl 51 to heat icing in it. The mixing bowl 51 is connected to a filler head 52.

In operation the cake in its casing 24 this cake is now identified by the reference letter C is placed in a container 55 having a lid 56. Then the cake C is lead to the icier 50 where hot icing, generally at a temperature in excess of 40°C is delivered out the filler head 52 on to the cake C. The icing flows naturally across the cake C against the casing 24 and quickly sets. The open container 55 and the cake C covered in icing is then delivered on the outlet conveyor 42 to the icing cooling station 5.

The icing cooling station is illustrated partially in Figs. 5 and 6. The icing cooling station comprises a cold room 60 having an entrance 61 for the outlet conveyor 42 as shown in Fig. 5. The cold room 60 is illustrated in more detail in Fig. 6 and comprises a cold air refrigerating unit 65 and fan 66 for directing the air in the cold room 60 in the direction of the arrows A on to the icing 55 the cake 0 in the open container 55.

The cake C is therefore quickly cooled and the open container 55 is delivered out an exit 67 in the cold room 60 to the metal detection station which is of conventional construction. Then the container lid 56 is closed over and a label is applied across the container.

Fig. 7 illustrates a packed cake C showing a label 80 across the lid 56 of the container 55. It will be seen how the icing 55 combinges against the casing 24. It will also be noted how the label 80 is laid over at least the front of the container 55 to provide a tamper evident seal.

In the cooling chamber is generally chilled to temperature of between 3 and 7°C.

Further the ingredients are used with hydrogenated fats which will not separate on subsequent heating.

In the specification the terms "comprise, comprises, comprised and comprising" or any variation thereof and the terms “include, includes. included and including" or any variation thereof are considered to be totally interchangeable and they should all be afforded the widest possible interpretation and vice versa. lEo5oe5o The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described but may be varied in both construction and detail within the scope of the claims.

Claims (5)

1. A method of baking and icing a cake comprising: mixing ingredients in a mixer at a high speed with relatively small mixer blades between 750 and 850 revs per minute; delivering a measured volume of the mixture into a casing housed within a baking tray; baking the ingredients in an oven; removing the baking tray containing a cooked cake; removing the cooked cake in its casing from the baking tray; cooling the cooked cake; placing the cooked cake and its casing in a container having a lid, leaving the lid open; delivering the cake to an icing station; delivering heated icing in a fluid state onto the cake to flow across the cake and against the interior of the casing, thus covering the exposed surface of the cake; delivering the cake to a cooling chamber; cooling the icing rapidly; closing the lid; sealing the lid; and packing the casings for delivery.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the mixing takes place at substantially 800 revs per minute.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the icing is cooled rapidly by directing a stream of cold air onto the exposed surface of the icing at a temperature of between 3 and 7°C and after cooling the icing, the lid is closed and a label placed across the lid and container body to provide a tamper evident seal.

4. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the fats forming part of the ingredients are hydrogenated fats.

5. A method of baking and icing a cake substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Dk/spec//M4862 Spec Coolmore Foods 26aug05 irlsh short term version