I am happy as I will be sharing Basic Cake Baking Tips to all the beginners and people who fear baking. I also was a beginner and till today I am learning so many new things some on my own and some through television, net and experience. Baking Cake is fun as a kid we all loved cakes when we are an adult we yet love sweet cake treats but some just don’t indulge because of calories.
These are my treasured secrets which I am sharing with everyone. As I believe in sharing and learning. As I have learned baking in a hard way. I am gonna write further more to help all of you to bake easily and courageously. Hope my effort helps in developing good bakers 😉
Baking comes naturally to me I just love baking cakes. To see the batter transformed to a soft, spongy cake is so exciting 😉 Once you know the basic cake you could start experimenting with different kind of flavors. Now let’s classify the type of cakes
- Sponge Cake
- Cream cake
- Cheese Cake
- Gooey Cake
- Eggless Cake
- Vegan Cake
- Pound Cakes
- Chiffon Cakes
- Pudding Cakes
- Charlottes
- Meringues Cake
- Icecream Cake
The above list are the types of cake and not flavors so don’t mix them for flavors. It’s important as a beginner to know which type of cake you are making. As all the above cakes have different texture and method to make. Please feel free to add more types of cake if you are aware will be of great help to me 😉
Measurements: It’s quite imperative to take the exact measurements while baking. For instance you need to have the measuring cups, spoon etc to weigh and quantify your ingredients. Baking is an art which you will study once you start baking. The more you create disaster the more you gonna learn. Now you know I didn’t learn just like that ha ha. So proportion is very important when it comes to baking. Once you master the art then you can do blind baking!
Equipment’s : There are various baking equipment’s available in the market. Infact I just get tempted to buy and confused when I see the baking accessories. As beginners stick to basics like round pan, square pan, bundt pan, loaf pan, detachable pan, tart pan, muffin pan, baking tray etc. If you wish to to push further you could purchase a silicon tray Or mould which can be used for baking and freezing both. Remember stick to basics later you could buy rest of stuff.
Baking Accessories : Along baking moulds there are other accessories which play an important role. Some of them are baking paper Or butter paper, spatula, egg beater of good brand Or a hand mixie, baking powder, corn flour, butter/oil,margarine, caster sugar/brown sugar/icing sugar, flour Or self raising flour, microwave with a convection mode Or OTG and also a toothpick etc.
Oven Temperature: It’s imperative to preheat the oven before baking to create a hot atmosphere for baking cake. Also setting the right temperature for your cake is important. if the instructions says to preheat oven please do that for optimum result. Now all oven have different capacity and temperature. For instance if recipe calls for 180°C for 35 mins it might not be the same for your oven. It’s important to learn how your oven functions. My cake might get baked in 30 mins may be yours won’t. So don’t panic there is a toothpick testing.
Now what is toothpick testing? When should you do a toothpick check? Alright I will answer all your questions!
- Once you cake starts leaving the edges of your pan Or starts giving a great fragrance.
- Also once the planned time for your cake is over Or once you tap the top of the cake it bounces back.
- Once your cake is browned Or cracked from top.
- Need more help ask your basic instincts 😉
When your cake starts giving all the above stated signals please insert toothpick in the center of the cake till the bottom. If your toothpick comes out clean your cake is done if it’s not clean bake for sometime more. Conduct a toothpick test again. This has been of great help to me. A toothpick check is not required if you are making a chocolate lava cake, cold cheese cake Or if stated in the recipe.
Some Do’s
- If using nuts mix some flour and add them in the end. This will help the nuts to float above and not sink to the bottom of the cake.
- If making eggless cake and recipe calls for vinegar Or lime juice. Please mix them at the end for better results.
- Use a good quality egg beater which makes your work easy.
- Always try using good brand for cocoa powder, corn flour, sugar, butter/margarine/oil etc.
- Preheat the oven for better baking.
- Most important use a good baking oven of a good brand else all your efforts will go in vain.
- Follow measurements to the tee.
- Use eggs at room temperature.
- It’s important to grease the pan and dust with flour. Alternatively you could grease the pan and place baking paper on it.
Some Dont’s
- Please don’t tamper with oven door while baking cakes. If you open door you cakes will start cracking. So avoid this unless you wanna cracked cakes.
- It’s better to grease your pans with butter, ghee (clarified butter) Or margarine instead of oil.
- It’s important you don’t underbake Or overbake a cake.
- Always allow the cake to cool down before unmoulding it. Otherwise there are chances the cake might not hold proper shape.
- Never overmix the cake batter. Also never whisk the batter it’s important you fold the mixture from the center to sideways.
- The baking instructions can differ from Oven to Oven so its better you keep checking your cake and know your oven temperature.
- Moist Chocolate Vegan Cupcakes
- Molten Chocolate Lava Cake
- Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake
- Eggless Orange Chocoalte Marble Cake
- Chocolate Raspberry Cake
- Jackfruit Cheesecake
Wanna know what is self raising flour? click here to know more!
Sanya says
Hello
All your recipes are amazing except if you could please suggest what can I replace condensed milk with.
maria says
Sanya thanks for positive feedback. You could replace condensed milk with boiled thickened milk and sugar or almond milk or cream. Hope this information helps you.
Abhilash Abin Zachariah says
Hai Maria thanks for your baking tips..
But afterall following your tips i still failed to bake a good cake.I tried to bake a eggless sponge cake,but only the top of the cake os baked well and the bottom and centre doesnt baked well.I followed every steps correctly as in the recipie..
So i have some doubts
1 what type of baking pan should i use ? Because i used a glass vessel
2 how long should i preheat the oven? I know it depends on the oven
Please reply soon
Thank you
maria says
Abhilash depending on the quantity of batter you should use the pans. For banana bread or loaf cakes you can use loaf pans and for basic cakes round or rectangular pans.
Glass vessel is fine, but yes you are right it depends on the make, size, temperature and capacity of your oven. If only the exterior of the cake is baking and not from within then try reducing the temperature and increase your baking time. Try baking cakes in small quantities as you will get a fair idea how your oven functions.
Hope this information helps you.
Hemant says
Thanks for the very lucrative blog.
I want to know more about baking.
Can you help me with that.
maria says
Thanks Hemant let us know what exactly you are looking for?
Sunita says
Hi Maria
What a beautiful sunny day after a long week rainy days? I have had a great fall last weekend and am down with bandage. So cudnt catch up with your blog, good posts and very helpful also.
Bye and take care
Sunita
maria says
Hey Sunita please take care of yourself have you got severe bruise. My hubby also fell down last month and got few stitches he is fine now. Get well soon and stop falling 🙂 take rest,
suhani says
hi Maria thanks a lot for this post.. the post has come for me only..i was in a bad need for baking basics..a request..next time u post a cake recipe just add step by step pics so that the basics become more clear..
maria says
Thanks Suhani 🙂 I will surely keep step by step in mind don’t do it sometimes as I get lazy to do extra work but will do it take care!
suparna says
thanks Maria for this much awaited post ! been waiting for some time now . Though I dont get as much time nowadays to bake, sure this post of ur s will be of great help when I do !
maria says
You are welcome Suparna happy baking 🙂
Priya Sreeram says
lovely tips maria ! thanks for sharing 🙂
maria says
Thanks Priya 🙂
suzanne Perazzini says
These are a great set of tips. I didn’t know about when to add nuts for example. I have a crazy oven which drives me crazy. I should send it back to its maker.
maria says
Thanks Suzanne :)do get a good oven soon!