Don’t look now, but baking season is breathing down your neck. (I know, already?) This column will help you understand some of the science that goes into baking perfect cookies, cakes and breads. This is one science class that won’t have a test — unless you count your next baking expedition.

Essentially, baking has three basic components that combine to make your project turn out perfectly. These components are structural (primarily flour), shortening (mostly fats) and leavening (the things that make baked goods rise). Note that you can have the same ingredients in a cake, muffins or cookies, but the different amounts of each ingredient can make different results.

Flour is the foundation for most baking. A combination of glutenin and gliadin forms a web of long fibers (gluten) when moisture is added, holding air bubbles inside the mixture. These bubbles make baked goods rise and become fluffy. Kneaded products need more gluten, whereas batters typically need less. This is why bread flour has more gluten. Cakes don’t necessarily need gluten, depending on the type, so you can use almond flour as one substitute.

Fats are often called “shortening” because they shorten the gluten fibers in flour. For example, butter coats the flour molecules, forming a barrier against moisture. Without access to that moisture, the gluten strands are shorter. This keeps cakes and cookies tender rather than gummy or chewy.

Sugar makes baked goods sweeter, of course. But it also inhibits gluten formation, keeping the products tender. Sugar also forms strong bonds with water — keeping cakes moist — and it helps baked goods turn golden brown. When you cream butter with sugar, you’re also turning it into a leavening. Introducing lots of tiny air bubbles into the mixture helps to maintain a good “rise” during baking. So, when a recipe tells you to cream the shortening and sugar, this is an essential step. Whip it until it’s nice and fluffy.

That’s not all …

Leavening agents include baking soda, baking powder and yeast. These ingredients form gas bubbles that make baked goods rise. Baking powder is a combination of acid and alkaline. When moistened, they foam up and make a batter rise. Baking soda, which is alkaline, needs an acid to do the same thing, so cream of tartar is often added. Double-acting baking powder will form bubbles when moistened, but it also creates more bubbles when heated in the oven.

Yeast is different because it’s a plant that produces gas when mixed with warm water and a bit of sugar and allowed to sit for a few minutes before mixing into the flour. This leavening is typically used with breads and other kneaded products. The yeast works best when the dough is kneaded (forming long gluten strands from the flour) and then set aside in a warm place. That’s when the yeast digests the sugar and continues forming gas, making the dough rise or “proof.”

Eggs are both a leavening agent (the white) and an emulsifier (the yolk). The protein strands in the egg white help stabilize the batter while it rises, making a good “cell” structure in the air bubbles. The yolk is full of an emulsifier that helps combine water and fats in a batter, making it smooth and cohesive.

Liquids such as water and milk also can be leavening agents because when heated in the oven, they form steam that helps baked goods rise. That steam also makes them tender and moist. By the way, butter also contains water that turns to steam.

Heat does its thing

Once a batter or dough goes into the oven, various ingredients react at different temperatures. Preheating the oven ensures that all these reactions happen at the proper time. When bread dough reaches 125F, the yeast creates more bubbles to make the bread rise. At 140F, bread finishes rising and starts to set.

At 150F, egg proteins form long threads and help stabilize the structure of cakes and cookies. Gluten also plays a role here. At boiling temperature (about 215F), baking soda makes more bubbles, making cake batter rise even more. The escaping steam also helps form a crust.Then at about 300F, baked goods begin to brown or turn golden, thanks to the egg proteins and sugar molecules. And finally, at around 350F, sugar molecules break down and increase the rich flavor.

Tip of the Week

Do not use bleach or cleaners with bleach on your stainless steel sinks or appliances. The chlorine will pit the surface. Instead, use baking soda or bleach-free cleansers. I like to use cooking oil spray on my stainless steel appliances to remove fingerprints. Then polish with a microfiber cloth.

Recipe of the Week

This was a popular cake during World War II, when butter, eggs and milk were at a premium. So, women became creative and came up with this rich chocolate cake that didn’t use any of them. But don’t be fooled. This is one of my favorites because it’s incredibly easy. Oh, and because it’s dark chocolate.

Really Easy Chocolate Cake

Makes 3 layers or a 9-by-12-inch oblong cake

Ingredients:

2/3 cup dark cocoa powder (not cocoa mix)

2 cups granulated sugar

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon chili powder (optional, to enhance chocolate flavor)

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon red food color (optional, for richer color)

2/3 cup vegetable or canola oil

2 tablespoons vinegar (white or apple cider)

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup walnuts, pecans, or almonds, chopped (optional)

OR 1 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 9-by-12-inch oblong baking pan or three 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms of the round pans with baking parchment for easy release.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, chili powder and salt. Make a well in the middle and set aside.

3. In a bowl or large measuring cup, blend the water, food color, vegetable oil, vinegar and vanilla.

4. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Blend well to ensure no lumps. Stir in the nuts or chocolate chips.

5. Evenly divide among the three round pans or pour into the oblong pan. Place in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes for oblong pan, or 25-30 minutes for the round pans. Rotate the round pans about halfway through the time to ensure even baking.

6. The cake is done when it springs back when lightly touched or when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

7. Cool on wire racks. Frost with your favorite icing. For the round layers, remove from the pans, remove the parchment and use a serrated knife to carefully level the tops. Frost between the layers and then on the top and sides. For the best look, the top layer should be turned upside down to ensure a nice, even top and smooth edges.