Baking might be one of the most loved cooking styles though not everyone is cut for this task. This is more so if you are the fast cook who likes to mix everything up, place the pan on fire and cook over a long time while you engage in other things. Cake baking is a tasking affair that needs paying attention to the ingredients in their right temperatures and correct measurements.
Different cookbooks and baking sites will give you different approaches towards baking that delicious cake that has been photographed and placed on the front page of a magazine making you drool when in the real sense, the steps have never been tested. The key to coming up with that nicely baked cake is to know what you need and how to go about it in stages.
So, what are some of the secrets to baking a perfect cake without having to refer to several recipes for guidance?
Stick to one recipe from a trusted source
Avoid using different recipes on a cake; narrow down on a trusted source. Once you have found a source, keenly check out the recipe and stick to the steps to make your cake’s final outlook just as good as the one you see depicted alongside their sales materials.
Incorporate enough air in your cake
While stirring your dry and wet ingredients together, make sure to add enough air in your dough. Fold your mixture gently to rid of flour lumps. This gentle folding helps make your cake lighter as most of the air incorporated will be lost in the oven.
Remember to preheat your oven before you start baking
You do not want an underdone or an overdone cake. Heat your oven before the baking process begins; adjust the temperature depending on the type and size of the cake. Immersing your cake in a hot oven will burn your cake before it is done. A cold oven will vastly affect how your cake will rise.
Bake your cake in the middle of the oven and shut the door gently as a bang will cause your cake to sink because of the sudden release of air bubbles. Leave the oven door shut until your cake is almost ready.
Be accurate with the ingredients, their weights, and the temperatures
Make sure to stick to the measurements indicated in the recipe. Choose one form of measurement and use it throughout. Using both the metric and the imperial measurements can get your measurements messed up.
Similarly, ensure that all your ingredients are in the right room temperature. For instance, it will be hard to beat cold eggs and cold butter in a bid to get the two ingredients mixed.
Know how to cool your cake
While some cakes are immediately placed onto a platter or cooling rack to cool, others are better off left in the tin for a while before being turned off to a rack. Some, like the fruit cakes, will be left in the baking tin until they cool off completely.
Observe the baking durations
If you have the best baking tins and the right oven, there should be no much deviation in time from what is indicated in the baking instructions and what you have in your recipe. However, when the time is almost up, you can gently open the oven door and check it out by either pressing it or inserting a skewer at the center of the cake.
If the cake bounces back if pressed or the skewer comes out clean, your cake is ready, if not, leave it for a while longer.
While cake baking might have several measures that need not be overlooked, it is one of the most gentle cooking methods. Once you have the right baking tins, ingredients, and oven ready, you can be sure to enjoy your time in the kitchen. Avoid substituting some vital ingredients to avoid unnecessary mishaps.
It is also vital to follow the given recipe since it makes your work more comfortable as you always have a point of referral. However, it is essential to pick a recipe from a trusted source to assure that your result will be similar or better.
