Every time you bake a cake, you expect a moist, delicate and sumptuous cake but sometimes the results vary. So, how to master baking the perfect cake?
Baking can be fun, but no easy job as it requires perfection in every step you follow to bring out the best baked goodie. When you are cooking a beautiful dish and when your innovation mode turns on, you tend to sprinkle some pepper powder, throw in some herbs and add a few ingredients to enhance the flavour of the dish. But baking is all about choosing the right ingredient, whisking them gently, pouring them to a tray and baking them at the right temperature.
A few tips for successful baking
1) Accurate measurements
Go for the exact measurements and ingredients according to the recipe. Don’t end up in testing mode by adding extra teaspoon of baking powder to increase the fluffiness or by adding extra eggs to make a soft cake. Don’t mix and match measuring spoons and cups, go for the same kind of measuring scales. A weighing scale exclusively for baking purpose will be a good investment that brings out promising results.
2) Temper-ature
Proper temperature and mode of the oven has to be ensured. Always make sure that your oven is pre-heated and the ingredients are in the right temperature. Sometimes, cold butter doesn’t cream properly and cold eggs beaten with butter and sugar powder can curdle.
3) Mixing the ingredients
In an attempt to create a baking masterpiece, don’t rush it up while mixing your ingredients. Cream the butter till it is soft and creamy; whisk eggs till frothy and be patient while adding dry ingredients. All you have to do is gently whisk; if using cake mixer, run the machine in slow speed. Air is very important for your cakes and whisking the batter vigorously can result in a collapse.
4) Right position
Cakes are best baked when placed in the middle shelf of the oven as it needs equal distribution of heat from all the sides. While baking, don’t get tempted to open the door as it will change the temperature and affect the result.
5) Cooling time
Once the cake is out of the oven, don’t rush to taste or to remove the cake from the tin. Allow it to cool so that the shape and texture are the best. The wait and hard work can be ruined if you remove it from the cake tin in a hurry.
Baking the perfect cake can be challenging, but when it comes out moist and soft, you tend to forget the pain by relishing the soft, sweet piece of cake.
(Nimmy Prem is a baking tutor and a blogger at www.kitchensizzler.com)
