Paste aka Reverse Creaming

Certain popular baking professionals have been advocating for the looooong creaming method. If you haven't heard about it, that's where you continue to cream the butter and sugar for ten minutes or more before proceeding to the next stage of the recipe. The argument is that you need that long to punch all the holes in the butter for maximum rise and optimum crumb.

I've experimented some with this, and have to say there is some method to that particular madness. Although, I can't say if the time is worth the increase in quality, or where the two might balance out. (I'd love to hear your opinion.)

The paste or reverse creaming method, I have not played with much at all. But, scientifically speaking, it makes a lot of sense. If you haven't done it before. it's where you add the flour, sugar, and leavening to the mixer, skip the liquid for the time being, and allow the butter to completely integrate, Just like you are rubbing in butter for biscuits or pastry. Only when you get to a fine sandy consistency from the dry and butter mixture, do you add the combined liquids.

To me this makes a ton of sense for cakes. Why? Because once the flour is entirely coated with fat (the butter), it will take gluten a long time to form after the addition of the liquid. So there's way less worry about over-mixing. In fact, the danger becomes the opposite. And I would rather have to mix until smooth than worry about creating too much gluten with one more stir.