Here are some basic tips to help you make a cake. You have grown up hearing how your grandmother could bake a cake without ever using a recipe, the story may even claim she never measured anything. However if we ordinary humans want to successfully make a cake we need to follow a recipe and measure carefully.
Steps
1
Decide what kind of cake you want to make. You need to find a reliable recipe for your cake. Look for a recipe that has good reviews. If you have a cookbook you like use it.
2
Check to make sure you have all the ingredients needed for the cake. Flour is especially important. There is a difference between cake flour and all purpose flour. Make sure you have the proper kind. Don't substitute ingredients unless the recipe lists alternatives. Cake baking is fussy; ingredients have to be in the proper ratios for good results. If you are looking for an easy cake look for a dump cake or an applesauce cake. Recipes that require you to beat egg whites separately are especially difficult. If you don't have a mixer use an egg beater or a whisk. It will be more work to mix ingredients by hand but it is still possible.
3
Preheat the oven to the temperature listed in the recipe. If your oven doesn't cook items reliably (it burns them or doesn't cook them) get a thermometer and adjust the temperature until the thermometer reads the proper temperature. It can take up to 30 minutes for the oven to come up to temperature.
4
Prepare the pans you will be using. The pan size and type will also be listed in the recipe. Most recipes assume you are using shiny metal pans. If you use glass or dark metal you may want to reduce the oven temperature about 25 degrees. Using a differently sized pan can cause problems. Most baked items require a pan to either be greased or greased and floured. To grease a pan, use a paper towel or pastry brush to apply a thin even covering of shortening. Grease generously only if the recipe calls for it. Try using solid vegetable shortening, it won't add flavor to your cake. You can also use a cooking spray specifically for baking. If a recipe calls for greasing and flouring a pan, grease the pan as usual and then shake the pan to coat all surfaces. Turn the pan upside down to get rid of the excess flour. You can use non-stick pans to make thing easier. Even though they are non-stick you should grease them.
5
Follow the instructions in the recipe. If the recipe calls for sifted flour, sift it and then measure it. After you measure the sifted flour, sift it again together with the other dry ingredients if the recipe calls for it. The best way to sift flour is with a sifter, a fine sieve for draining pasta will also do in a pinch.
6
Strictly speaking you should use glass measuring cups for liquids and the measuring cups that come in different sizes for dry ingredients. Use a set of measuring spoons to measure salt, baking powder and other teaspoon type measurements.
7
After you mix the batter you put it in the pan. Smooth the batter out with a knife or spatula. Pick up the pan a few inches and drop it on the counter to remove air bubbles.
8
Put the pans in the oven. Set the timer for slightly less time than the recipe says. When the time is up open the oven and pull the rack out to look at the cake. The color should be golden and the cake should have pulled away from the sides of the pan. If you stick a toothpick or a knife in the pan it should come out clean. There shouldn't be any batter on the toothpick/knife. Leave the cake in the oven for a little longer if you need to. When the cake is done take it out of the oven and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Put it on a hot pad or leave it on the top of the stove.
9
After that time run a knife around the sides of the pan. Put a cooling rack over the pan and flip it so the pan is upside down on the rack. The cake should drop out. If it sticks tap it a little. If need be turn it back over and run the knife around it some more. If you greased and floured it well you shouldn't have a problem.
10
Enjoy your cake. If you want it to be fancier you can find a recipe for a cake glaze and put that on it. Or you can dust it with powdered sugar or make a batch of frosting to put on it. You've found that cakes from scratch aren't all that hard to make and taste so much better than a packaged mix.
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