Ever wondered why your cakes keep running into problems when you are learning to bake? It can be tough for beginners who have tried recipe after recipe. The most common problems include cakes that sink, turn gummy or develop a dense, heavy streak. So how can we fix them?
Baking cakes is both easy and hard. It is easy because each recipe spells out exactly how much of each ingredient to use, so you don't have to stand puzzled in front of your bowls and oven wondering how much to add. It is hard because those amounts have to be precise, and the small details along the way cannot be overlooked. Bakes are delicate and highly sensitive: weigh something slightly wrong or skip a step, and the whole thing may collapse into a mess.
So today we have gathered the important points about cake and bakery making that are often neglected, as reminders and warnings for beginner cake bakers.
Precision in a Single Measuring Spoon
Baking cakes and bakery items demands great precision, especially when measuring ingredients. When a recipe calls for 1 spoonful, most of us grab a measuring spoon, scoop up a slightly heaped spoonful and tip it into the bowl or pot, right? For other cooking that is fine, but not for cakes and bakes. Using a heaped spoonful when the recipe says 1 spoon is a mistake that could ruin your bake entirely. The correct way to use a measuring spoon for baking is to scoop a heaped spoonful, then level it off with the back of a knife or a spatula so it is flush with the rim of the spoon. That is an accurate spoonful.
Dry and Liquid Measuring Cups Are Different
Dry and liquid cake ingredients are different, so the measuring cups must be different too. If you think dry and liquid measuring cups are interchangeable, think again: they are designed for different purposes. Dry measuring cups are for flour, sugar, butter, spices and other dry ingredients. Use them like measuring spoons: fill the cup until heaped, then level off the excess with the back of a knife or a spatula so it is flush with the rim. Liquid measuring cups are for water, milk, melted butter, melted chocolate and other liquids, and have a jug-style spout for easy pouring. To use one correctly, place the cup on a flat surface, pour in the liquid and check at eye level that it reaches the line for the amount you need.
Don't Crack Eggs Straight into the Mixing Bowl
It seems easy, convenient and quick, and there seems nothing wrong with cracking eggs directly into the mixing bowl. But wait: what if you are unlucky and hit a rotten egg? You would have to throw out the whole bowl. And even if the egg is fine, how can you be sure it went in cleanly with no shell or unwanted bits? To be safe, crack each egg into a separate cup first, check that it is not rotten or spoiled and has no shell or debris, and then gently pour it into the mixing bowl.
Always Preheat the Oven Before Baking Anything
Preheating the oven is very important for cakes. If you get so busy with your batter that you forget to turn the oven on, it may not be at the right temperature when it is time to bake. This can cause bakes to fail and not rise, with sunken cakes and dense streaks that look anything but delicious. Preheating is simple: just remember to turn the oven on 10 to 15 minutes before your bake goes in, so it is properly hot. But if you preheat for too long, the oven can get too hot and ruin your bake as well. And during baking, avoid opening the oven door often, as the oven loses heat and your bake may sink rather than rise as it should.
