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Cake Baking
A moist, beautifully frosted cake is the crown jewel of baking accomplishments. The art of
baking perfect cakes is still the highest achievement of baking technique.
Premix cakes are very good, but are also expensive and require much of the same baking knowledge
as baking from scratch. You must always carefully follow each step of the formula's directions.
Your baking environment is different from anyone else's. Your oven will bake differently, your
mixer will mix differently, the temperature of the pre−mix ingredients or your fresh ingredients
will be different. Even the humidity of your kitchen will be different. You are unique and
because of your being unique, the problems you face will be different from anyone else's.
Cake baking isn't difficult, it just demands close attention to each detail of the project.
Cake baking technique is not forgiving, when you make a mistake ... the project is ruined.
Read the formula's methods of ingredient combination carefully, think positively, throw in a
handful of common sense and you will make perfectly baked cakes time after time.
Many bakers make cake from premixed ingredients which will produce excellent cakes. When using
a batter made from a premix you will find my methods of preparation, baking tips, icing tips,
and cake handling tips to be of value.
Using premixed ingredients saves a little time and reduces the needed skill level as far as
scaling and mixing goes. However, all the other parts of cake handling is exactly the same
as making from scratch. Using my suggestions will save you time and money no matter which
form of mixing you chose.
YOUR OVENS
Ovens have a tendency to have wide swings in the temperature they hold. When they are heating
up, the temperature may rise several degrees past the setting. When they reach the setting,
the heat source turns off. The time they are actually heating, at the required setting, will
vary with how well the oven is insulated. Each time the oven automatically turns on and off
signals a swing in temperature which is different from what you pre−set. A setting of 350, or
3
60, or 370 degrees may result in a perfect average between heating and cooling periods.
The way to know your oven's perfect average is to experiment. Experimenting is time consuming,
but once you know, everything you bake will be better because of your effort.
Set your oven at 350 degrees and heat for about twenty minutes. Use a premix box of white cake
or scratch and mix according to directions. Fill a round cake pan with the suggested amount of
batter. Place the cake into the oven on the center shelf and in the center of the oven. Bake
for the suggested amount of time. The only variable will be the baking temperature.
At the end of the suggested time, remove the first layer from the oven and let it cool. While
the layer is cooling, turn the oven up to 360 degrees and wait 15 minutes to heat. Place a
second layer in the oven and again bake for the suggested time. At the end of the suggested
time, remove the second layer from the oven and turn the oven up to 370 degrees. Wait 15 minutes
to heat, then place a third layer in and bake for the suggested time. Remove the third layer
after the suggested time and let all three layers cool.
Cake Baking
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