10 Common Mistakes You May Be Making When Baking Your Cake
Cakes are simple menu items for the rookie baker. There are numerous recipes that are well-detailed and straightforward to do, making the task a very easy one. Still, it can be just as easy to mess it all up thanks to steps you may be overlooking. Below are the most common cake mistakes you may be making as well as remedial tips that you won't find in a recipe book.
If you have not been greasing your cake pan before baking then you've been doing it wrong! A seemingly minor step like this can have great detrimental effects on the final results. Thus, the importance of knowing the proper method sof baking a cake.
Read on to avoid these common cake mistakes that can land your efforts in the trash!
1. You Don't Measure Ingredients in Advance
If you start pouring the ingredients with no proper organization, it is certain that you'll make mistakes, overlook specific steps or even use the wrong measurements. Instead, measure the dry and wet ingredients and carefully place them on your counter. Now, making the cake will only require a few more succinct steps.
2. You Under (or Over-) Beat the Cake Batter
When mixing cake, you must pay attention to the way you do it to avoid doing it just right as excessive beating will make the cake very hard, and undermixing will cause it to crumble easily.
3. You Don't Grease the Pan
This is one of the steps that many rookie bakers overlook and especially so, when they're using a non-stick pan. Experts, however, stress the importance of greasing the cake pan, regardless of what kind it may be. All you have to do is rub some butter or vegetable oil onto the pan before pouring in the batter.
4. You Use the Wrong Pan
There are numerous types of pans to select from when baking a cake and your choice is ultimately determined by the required size as well as your personal preference or aesthetic choice. What you should keep in mind is that using a 10-inch pan instead of a 9-inch can totally change the texture of your cake.
So, before selecting a pan, peruse the recipe carefully and make sure you have the proper pan. If you don’t know a pan’s size, use a ruler to measure directly across its open end (Don’t include the side walls in the measurements.)
5. You Use Pre-packaged Cake Mixes
One of the common go-to when baking cakes are boxed mixes. Although this makes the chore relatively easier, the product will not taste anything like that made from scratch.
6. You're Using Cold Ingredients
Many people overlook how the temperature of their ingredients can have a lasting effect on the final product. Certain ingredients really do perform better at specific temperatures. An example is how room-temperature eggs give cakes more volume while cold butter won’t fluff up as much when you mix it with sugar. To prevent this oversight, plan and organize ahead of mixing the cake.
7. You Don't Use a Digital Scale
When scooping flour from the bag, the easiest — but wrong — thing to do is digging the measuring cup right into the bag of flour. If you've been doing this, then you may have noticed your cake coming out too heavy. This is because you used way too much flour than was required by the recipe.
If you are planning to bake frequently, consider buying a digital scale. If otherwise, measure with cups and spoons while keeping these few tips in mind:
Don't use a liquid measuring cup for dry ingredients.
When measuring ingredients like flour, fluff it up inside its container, then scoop out with a smaller spoon into the measuring cup. Level off the cup with a knife so the top is smooth.
Grease your cups before measuring sticky ingredients like honey for clean transfer.
8. You Don't Check to See If Your Cake's Really Done
Setting a timer for your cake isn't enough to ascertain its doneness. Baking time should only be a guideline for you; your cake may be done before the set time or require more cooking after the time!
To check for the doneness of your cake, simply poke a small hots into its center using a toothpick. If done, the toothpick will come out clean. If otherwise, bits of the cake will cling to the toothpick.
9. You Slice Your Cake While It's Still Warm
If you cut into your cake while it's still hot straight out of the oven, you may affect the texture and volume of the cake. Instead, let the cake cool completely on a wire rack before enjoying a slice.
10. Baking on the Wrong Rack
Baking on the wrong rack can make the cake cook and brown unevenly. For optimum baking, place the cake pan on a rack in the center of the oven to help it cook evenly.
