This week, our friends at Australian Table magazine share their tips on how to make a perfect cake.
Light as air
To ensure your cake has a light, fluffy texture, it's important to have the eggs and butter at room temperature. If the butter is straight from the fridge, don’t be tempted to melt it. Instead, hasten the softening process by placing it between sheets of baking or greaseproof paper and pounding with a rolling pin.
Better beating
When beating, it's important to use a good-quality flexible spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl while beating in sugar. If any sugar is left on the sides and is not beaten in properly, it can cause the cake to be heavier and often leaves fine white speckles on the top of the cake.
Is my cake cooked?
Before removing your cake from the oven, there are a few things you need to check:
- The cake should shrink slightly from the sides of the baking pan.
- The cake should spring back slightly when pressed lightly in the centre.
- Using a cake straw or a fine skewer (preferably warmed in a glass of hot water), gently pierce the centre of the cake. If it comes out absolutely clean, the cake should be cooked through. Take care when doing this with very delicate sponge cakes, which are certain to fall after being pierced if they're not quite cooked, and may not rise again when returned to the oven.
Raising agents
The most common raising agents are bicarbonate of soda and baking powder (cream of tartar plus bicarbonate of soda). When mixed with a wet ingredient they give off carbonic acid gas which bubbles to become a leavening agent. Cook your mixture as soon as these agents are added to ensure effectiveness.
Sift away
Sifting the flour you use for cake baking makes a huge difference. Not only does it remove lumps and any foreign material from the flour, but it also helps to aerate it, giving lighter results.
Which sugar?
Unless stated otherwise, use caster sugar in cake making — it dissolves faster and helps give cakes a lighter texture.
Cut and fold
A light cake requires a light hand when folding and mixing in the dry ingredients. This is best achieved by using a large metal spoon to fold. Here's how it's done:
- Cut through the centre of the mixture with a large metal spoon.
- Fold the mixture over, bringing the spoon up the side of the bowl.
- Repeat this action, turning the bowl around each time.
- As soon as the flour is incorporated, the mixture is ready to bake.
Fancy cooking up a storm? Check out the latest Australian Table recipes.
