Asides from flowers, cakes are the second best gift items for most ladies, it comes in different flavours, textures, sixes and shapes. From sponge cakes to red velvet cakes and fruit cakes, Chef Eros is an expert in all. Tolu Eros founder of Cookie Jar gives us 10 tips on baking the perfect cake. Read below.
Tip 1
Choice of Ingredient is key, it’s very important that when shopping for ingredients you choose carefully and read the labels precisely, always make sure you look through what is specified on the ingredient list on the recipe and buy that, little mistakes as buying salted butter instead of unsalted butter would affect the outcome of the cake.
Tip 2
Preservation is important, always keep the ingredient in the right location once you get home, if you are not about to bake once you get home, keep the items meant for refrigeration in the fridge and the rest on your shelf.
Tip 3
Measure all your ingredients before you start, if your not a pro like Chef Eros then this is very important, it is also very essential you check what your using to weigh, if your weighing flour use a scale and if your measuring milk use a jug so as to get the exact weight and this needs to be done precisely as possible.
Tip 4
When baking, all Ingredients needs to be at room temperature, if you put in cold milk into your mix while making your cake, it will make your butter cud and if your butter is too soft or melted when your mixing it won’t allow your sugar act on your butter and you won’t get the desired result you crave, hence it’s important that your ingredients are at room temperature, not too hot and not too cold, just in between.
Tip 5
Know the exact type of cake you want to make, as there are different types of cakes and some require different techniques for baking. For instance chiffon cakes and sponge cakes gets their signature foamy texture from whipping continuously until it becomes voluminous and you incorporate the other ingredients bit by bit.
Tip 6
Chemistry counts, hence mixing the right amount of ingredients and also timing your self while mixing is key s as to avoid over mixing which can cause the cake to come out badly.
Tip 7
Use the right kind of pans to bake, you should know that a cake increases in volume 50 to 100 percent during baking, if your pan is too small, the cake will overflow. Also the colour of the pan is Important, glass or nonstick pans usually require a 25degree reduction in baking temperature versus silver coloured aluminium pans.
Tip 8
Monitor and inspect, while your cake is in the oven don’t wander out as anything can happen, keep your eyes out so you see what happens at every certain time, and can make changes if need be, it’s also important to inspect your cake, that should not be done too early, it should be done when your cake has set.
Tip 9
Handle your Cake with care, once you take it out of the oven, set on a rack to cool, do not take it out of the pan immediately as it can destroy the cake, let it cool for five to ten minutes before setting it on the rack.
Tip 10
Store in a cool dry place and don’t forget to lock your doors as you can have human pest(if you know what we mean).
