Baking

5 Tips for Baking Excellent Cakes
By Parul Ashish Aggarwal

Are you intimidated by the thought of baking a cake? No worries, you are not alone. Many feel the same way. Here are some handy tips for making excellent cakes every time.

1. Start with a Basic Recipe - In the beginning, when we don't know how to bake, we actually want to be able to bake different kinds of cakes. This is also the time when we are unaware of the advantages of perfecting one basic recipe.

Choose one recipe - a plain vanilla cake. Follow it over and over again until you know it like the back of your palm. If possible, ask somebody who bakes to give you a demonstration of the recipe.

After following the same recipe a couple of times, you'll learn the basics of baking a cake. After a couple of tries, experiment by making small changes. Use a handful a chopped nuts one time, raisins the next, chocolate chips after that, grated lemon/orange rind the next time, frozen fruits the next time, a spoonful of cinnamon or ginger subsequently, or a combination of optionals mentioned here after that. Bake the same amount of cake batter in a cup cake pan to make cup cakes! So you see, knowing too many different recipes is not that important as long as you are a master of one basic recipe.

2. Be Organized - Baking requires precision and coordination. The more organized you are, the better will be the result. Read the recipe carefully before executing it. Watch cookery shows to see how organized the chefs are. Only the necessary amounts of ingredients are arranged on the cooktop. Everything is handy. Follow suit.

3. Use Quality Ingredients - Preparing cakes is a mix of passion for baking and use of fresh quality ingredients. Purchase the best you can. Look at the "Best Before" date and certainly avoid ingredients, especially baking powder, whose expiry date is in the near future. If possible, use freshly prepared homemade white butter.

4. Measure Ingredients Accurately - Successful baking is hugely attributed to accurate measurement of ingredients. Use measuring spoons for dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder etc.) and a measuring jar for liquids (water, milk, buttermilk etc.). Get a good set of measuring spoons and a measuring glass.

Measuring Dry Ingredients

When baking a cake, first sift the flour and then measure out the necessary quantity. Flour sitting in its packet becomes densely packed, which means when you measure it out without sifting you take more than the required amount. Sifting the flour first through a medium-sized sieve takes care of this problem and removes lumps too.

Once the flour has been sifted, scoop out the required measuring cup full of flour. Do NOT shake the measuring cup to level the flour in it. Instead, while the flour is piled high in the measuring cup, use the back of a knife to run it along the edge of the cup so that excess flour automatically falls on the sifted flour. What remains in the measuring cup is what you use for baking. Do the same for other dry ingredients especially the ones that are used in larger quantities.

Measuring Wet Ingredients

Lot of people hold the measuring glass in their hand when taking the necessary amount of wet ingredients. Holding the measuring glass already sets way for a not-so-great cake. For accuracy, always rest the measuring glass on the top of a flat counter, bend or sit down on a chair so markings on the measuring glass at eye level and then pour out the necessary amount of liquid.

5. Use a Suitable Baking Pan - All cake recipes mention the most suitable baking pan to be used. Some recipes even list a range of pans that can be used. Select the pan mentioned in the recipe. If you want to make a cake that is smaller or bigger than what is mentioned in the recipe, then accordingly select a smaller or bigger pan. Make sure that only � of the pan is filled with cake batter. This leaves room for rising of the batter.

The author is an established freelance writer. For more information, view her profile at http://www.guru.com/freelancers/ContentDesigners/444094

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