HERE ARE THE TOP 10 SECRETS TO SUCCESSFUL CAKE BAKING.
All cooks have their own way of doing things, which is why one recipe will taste completely different when someone else makes it. This is especially true for cakes. Baking demands accuracy and care and cakes can be tricky. Here are the top 10 secrets to successful cake baking. 1. Read the recipe through before starting. This will ensure you have all the ingredients called for and that you understand the recipe clearly. 2. Measuring quantities correctly is a baking must. One common cause of cooking failures is inaccurate measurement of ingredients. You can use the best ingredients in the world, but if you do not measure correctly, the recipe will not come out properly. The measure is a level measurement. Use liquid measures for liquid and dry for dry for accuracy. 3. Don't beat the batter too much. Over-beating a cake will cause a wrinkled top and extreme shrinkage as it cools. Always use low or medium speed on your standard or portable mixer only for the length of time instructed. If you're beating the batter by hand, beat 150 strokes per minute -- it's OK to rest now and then! 4. Use the type of pan specified in the recipe. Recipes are carefully calculated as to yield and changing the pan size alters the baking temperature and time. Larger, shallower pans need increased heat; smaller, deeper pans need decreased heat. 5. Prepare the pan according to the recipe. Greasing, dusting or lining the pan allows for easy release from the pan. Try using cocoa instead of flour for chocolate cakes to prevent a white casting on the outside of cake. 6. Always place pans as near to the center of the oven as possible. Do not place pans directly over another and do not crowd the oven. 7. Use correct oven temperatures. Never increase a cooking temperature because you are in a hurry. Heat oven (if recipe calls for it) at least 15 minutes before baking. 8. Don't open the oven door prematurely, especially during the last 15 minutes of baking. A draft can cause your cake to fall flat as a pancake! 9. Cool cakes for at least 5 to 10 minutes on a rack. Run a knife around the edges before inverting it on a rack to finish cooling. 10. Spray cooling racks with vegetable-oil cooking spray to prevent cake from sticking to it when cooling. This will ensure a smooth surface to spread frosting. _______________________________________________ Cookinginthedark mailing list [email protected] http://acbradio.org/mailman/listinfo/cookinginthedark
