Cakes and Batters

Batters are the liquid end of the flour-water spectrum — containing 2–4× more water than doughs. This excess water disperses gluten proteins so widely that they form only a loose, fluid network, fundamentally shifting the structural roles: starch becomes the primary building material, and gluten plays a background role providing just enough cohesion to prevent crumbliness. Every technique in cake and batter cookery is designed to keep it that way.