6 Baking Tips for a Flawless Cake

Adapted from RealSimple.com

Dedicated to all avid bakers/aspiring bakers out there!

We all know that recipes for a flawless cake are abundant out there, but certainly not many of us know the baking techniques on how to make one. Fret not, the LessonsGoWhere team is sharing with you 6 foolproof tips, adapted from the Real Simple test kitchen. Enjoy!

1. Avoid using cold eggs.

We do know that butter should be brought down to room temperature, but why eggs? This is because if cold eggs are used, the mixture won’t emulsify properly. Hence, make sure you place eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10 to 15 minutes before preparing the mixture!

2. Measure the flour properly.

Spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, then sweep off the excess with a knife. Also, make sure you do not scoop the flour directly from the bag with a measuring cup. The flour will become compacted, and you will end up having more flour than you need for the recipe.

3. Use a pastry brush to butter the pans.

Baking is an art, and the artists need their brushes. You will get a better coverage by using a pastry brush, and buttering parchment becomes a breeze. Simply swipe the brush over a tablespoon of very soft butter, then onto the pan or paper!

4. Position the pans as close to the center of the oven as possible.

The pans should not touch each other or the oven walls. If your oven isn’t wide enough to put pans side by side, place them on different racks and slightly offset, to allow for air circulation.

5. Rotate the pans during baking.

This is to ensure even baking. However, you should wait until the cake is set – about two-thirds of the way through the baking time – to prevent collapse. If you are using more than one rack, this is also the time to swap the pans!

6. Cool cakes upside down.

Why defying the gravity? Doing so will flatten the tops, creating easy-to-stack disks for layer cakes. if the top of a cake is still too rounded, slice it off with a serrated knife.

With these highly useful tips, it’s time to whip up a baking masterpiece! And make sure you check our website for more lessons to come!