Cake! The word alone puts me in a good mood. From the classic chocolate cake to the triple decker birthday cake, it all makes me happy.
Here are a few tips for a successful cake baking day!
Room Temperature
Everything! The eggs, butter, milk….everything! In order to aerate the butter and sugar when creaming, having your ingredients at room temperature is paramount in order to give your cake that light texture. Adding eggs or milk when cold will solidify that creamed butter.
Cream butter and sugar thoroughly
Ideally, you want to mix the butter and sugar for a few minutes. Eventually, the color of the mixture will usually become lighter and it will get creamy.
Side Note: Even though you can usually substitute butter for shortening, it is important to note that you shouldn’t directly directly substitute a liquid fat where a solid is called for.
Scrape The Bowl
While mixing batter, pieces of flour or butter can be “lost” on the sides or bottom of the mixing bowl. From time to time, you should stop the mixer and use a silicone spatula to scrape the bow.
Separate Eggs When Cold
If you need separated eggs because the recipe requires it. Be sure to do so before bringing them to room temperature. They are easier to separate when cold.
Prepare Your Baking Pans
Regardless of the shape of the pans, grease, line, and flour them.
Grease the pan first. Then you will want to fit the pan with parchment paper (be sure it fits properly). Once the paper is in the pan, you will want to lightly grease the parchment. Sprinkle flour on the pan and tap until the bottom and sides are floured evenly. Shake out excess. If you are using a Bundt cake pan, you’ll want to skip the parchment paper.
Side Note: Shortening is great for greasing. It’s not sticky and it works wonders.
Check Cakes Early
It’s a good habit to set your timer for 5 minutes less than the recipe states. If your oven is not calibrated, it can actually cook your cake faster than stated in the recipe. If you check your cake early, it can save you the grief of being over done. A cake that’s done will bounce back when lightly pressed in the center.
Remove Cakes From Pan To Cool
When you pull the cake out of the oven, it will continue to cook in the pan. Invert the cake out of the pan and onto a cooling rack in order to cool completely and evenly.