Abirthday, wedding, graduation, promotion, or a good day calls for cake. No celebration is complete without a cake, no matter how many different sweet treats are available on the market. Nothing can beat the uniqueness and the nostalgic feeling attached to cakes. It adds more happiness to the occasion, marks success and milestones, and makes a perfect gift to warm the heart of the celebrant.
A store-bought cake might look attractive, and offer more colours and varieties, but nothing can match the freshly-out-of-oven aroma of the cake. Perfectly baking a cake is no easy feat. You need to beat it correctly, the cake should rise properly and not deflate, making sure it does not overcook or burn from the top, to ensure softness. Baking a cake requires some skills and a precise process.
Here are a few tips to help you be a good baker:
- Following the recipe is the most important tip. Do not substitute ingredients in recipes like substituting eggs, using all-purpose flour instead of cake flour, baking soda for powder, etc. Each ingredient serves a purpose in the recipe.
- If a recipe calls for room temperature ingredients like eggs, cream, butter, and milk, follow it strictly. Room temperature ingredients bond easily and quickly as they’re warm– and prevent over-mixing. Cold ingredients do not emulsify together.
- Measure the ingredients properly. Flour is the most mis-measured ingredient. When measuring flour, use a spoon and scoop the flour into the measuring cup, and level it with the back of your spoon.
- Do not over or under-mix. Simply whisk or beat the cake batter just until the ingredients are combined. Over-mixing the batter makes the cake tough textured due to the over-development of gluten.
- Ensure the quality of the products and utensils. Prepare the cake pan using parchment paper and greasing spray or butter. Grease the pan and the parchment. This ensures an ultra non-stick environment for your cake.
- Pre-heat the oven before you start preparing your cake. And while baking the cake, do not open the oven door to keep checking on the cake. This lets in cool air and the change in temperature does not let the cake rise.
