The Essential Guide To Baking

Make a small portion of icing extra wet (add a little extra water). Ice the entire cake with a

very thin coating of this wet icing to set the crumbs and fill any gaps. Follow up by icing the

cake as usual.

Buy a special icing spatula and use it to spread icing on your cake layers. They will have a

professional look.

Store cakes that have been iced with boiled type icing under a cake dome that is lifted slightly

by using a wooden pick. Don't plan on this type icing lasting more than a day or two.

Store cakes that have been iced with a buttercream type icing under a sealed cake dome. They

will last several days.

Brush (warm) uniced cake layers liberally with a hot simple syrup mixture or with hot jelly to

make them extremely moist tasting. Split thick layers and brush each one.

PROBLEMS WITH CAKES

PROBLEM: Cake batter that runs over the pan.

Either the oven was set very low or you put too much batter in the pan. Check your oven setting

and never fill the baking pan more than 1/2 full of cake batter. Excess baking powder will cause

the batter to run over the pan, so measure carefully.

PROBLEM: Cake is dry.

The oven was probably set too low and the cake dried out as it baked. Cool cakes in a draft

free area. They will dry out quickly in a draft.

PROBLEM: Cakes that are soggy and fallen in the middle.

Your ingredients are out of proper balance. Make sure that you measure correctly. Excess

shortening, liquid or sugar will cause this problem.

Problem: Cakes are burned on one side.

Improper placement in the oven will cause cakes to bake faster on one side. Gently rotate the

cake pans (don't pick up the pans, spin them) about 2/3 into the baking time for an even bake.

PROBLEM: What are the most common cake problems and causes?

The following list covers just about all common cake problems and what caused them to happen.

IF YOUR CAKE FALLS: Your oven was probably not hot enough. You under−mixed the batter. You

didn't let the layers finish baking. You opened the door during baking and then shut it hard,

jarring the cake inside. You used too much baking powder, baking soda, liquid, or sugar.

IF YOUR CAKE CRACKS AND IS CRUMBLY: You probably used too much shortening, baking powder,

or sugar. You may have taken the cake from the pan before it had cooled enough. The layers

may have needed a little extra baking time.

IF YOUR CAKE PEAKS IN THE MIDDLE: You probably used too much flour or too little liquid. Your

Cake Baking