Cakes and Cupcakes

Cake Baking Tips

• Follow the Recipe: Especially when you’re starting out or trying a new recipe, it’s important to stick to the instructions as closely as possible. Baking is a precise art and even small changes can have a big impact.
• Use Fresh, Quality Ingredients: The taste and texture of your cake can be significantly affected by the quality of your ingredients. Always use fresh ingredients and opt for the best quality you can afford. For example, use real butter rather than margarine and pure vanilla extract instead of imitation.
• Room Temperature Ingredients: As with cupcakes, ingredients combine better if they’re at the same temperature. For most cakes, it’s best to use room temperature eggs, butter, and dairy.
• Proper Creaming of Butter and Sugar: This step is crucial to creating a light, tender cake. The friction of the sugar granules aerates the butter, contributing to the leavening in the cake. Be sure not to rush this step; it’s done when the mixture is light in color and increased in volume.
• Avoid Overmixing: After adding the flour, you should mix the batter just enough to combine the ingredients. Overmixing can result in a tough or dense cake due to overdevelopment of the gluten in the flour.
• Use the Right Pan and Prepare It Properly: The type, size, and color of the cake pan can affect how your cake bakes. Generally, lighter-colored pans are preferable as they reflect heat, while dark pans absorb it and can cause cakes to brown too quickly. Always grease and flour the pan, or use a baking spray with flour incorporated, to prevent sticking.
• Preheat the Oven: An oven that hasn’t properly preheated can result in a cake that’s unevenly baked or has a poor structure. Avoid opening the oven door too early; it can let out heat and cause the cake to fall.
• Check for Doneness: Use a cake tester or toothpick to check your cake. Insert it into the center of the cake; if it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, the cake is done. If it’s coated with batter, give the cake more time to bake.
• Cool Before Frosting: It’s crucial to let your cake cool completely before applying frosting. Otherwise, the heat will cause the frosting to melt and make a mess.

Mix and Match

Don’t be afraid to mix and match different types of cakes with your favorite kinds of fillings and frosting to create new flavor combinations.

Prevent Your Cupcakes from Sticking

In case you find your cupcakes sticking to the liners, it may be due to several reasons – one is that the cupcakes might still be a little too warm. Let them cool completely before peeling. Also, slightly overfilled cupcake liners can cause the batter to stick to the paper as it rises over the edge. Stick to the 2/3 rule when filling the liners.

If you’re still having trouble, consider lightly spraying the liners with a non-stick cooking spray before filling them with the batter. Remember, quality of the liners also matters. Cheap liners can often lead to sticking problems.