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What is wrong with my cakes?


How annoying is to dedicate your effort and time to something worthless?!
Can you handle the pain of going to a supermarket, buying all the ingredients and then bake a dense, dry, flat, short and unflavored cake? Yes, I know! it is disgraceful!
Baking is more than mixing sugar with eggs and flour. Its is more than decorating in the most beautiful way (I mean, what is the matter of having a charming cake while the taste is awful?)

This certainly has to stop. Besides you spend your time and money with ingredients your are just throwing food away.
In this article I will give you some valuable tips for getting the best cake possible.  It is important to notice that each cake batter has it's own particularity. So get a paper, get a pen and get ready to get Kitchening!



Phase 1: Get everything ready

  • I know this seems pretty basic but it's very important. Make sure you have every ingredients in hand, with the right amount and in the right condition (temperature, texture a so on).
  • Of course is always important to get every kitchen wares that you need. I would advice you to use a stand mixer, hand mixer or a blender. This will also help you saving much time otherwise you can use a fouet or a wooden spoon.
  • Pay a special attention to the butter because it should not be too hard or too liquid. You just touch the butter with your finger and it has to bed a little bit soft and not get stuck in your finger.
  • Grease your cake tin with parchment paper or butter and flour. The main idea here is to make your cake getting out of the cake tin after you bake it.

Phase 2: Let us mix it all
When it comes to mixing there are a variety of methods of doing it (the order of ingredients, the timing and the final texture of the batter cake). But what is really important here is to know how to properly form the batter cake. If it's a small cake just beat it in a medium level until you see a homogeneous mixture.
  • Before adding flour and other ingredients make sure that the butter, eggs and sugar are very well-incorporated or else you will end up with a concave cake.
  • It is better when you make a bowl of dry ingredients and another bowl of liquids. I am telling you! It is easier to make like this.
  • Do not ever think that is never too much to overmix you batter. Please don't! When your over mix your cake will naturally contract in the oven and get a dense texture.
  • Finalize your batter by mixing delicately with a wooden spoon. 
  • Organize the batter in the greased tin with a spatula or something similar.


Phase 3: It is time to bake
It is very clear that the temperature depends on the oven but in most cases a cake is baked at 180⁰C or 350⁰F for around 40 minutes depending on the cake.
Notice that you can't open your oven all the time. It is better to open at least after 22 minutes (if it is a sponge cake) or after 30 minutes. Do not think that increasing the temperature of the oven your cake will cook faster... You will burn your cake outside and undercook it inside.
To see if it is done, use a cake tester, a small knife or a wooden toothpick: just prick your cake and if it comes clean it means your cake is done.
An underdone cake is normally pale and raw.
An overdone is dry and darker.
A well done cake is golden, tender, smells good and is fully baked.


Phase 4: Finishing touches
Congratulations because you are almost down with it:
I advise you to let your cake cool down before you unmold it. Be gentle and calm down, do not rush.
After this you are free to sprinkle something, decorate with some topping, fresh fruit and more.
I think this is the funniest part! Enjoy it.
Etiquetas:

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