Cooking and Baking Tips For Perfect Cakes

By Mick Reade
Cooking and baking most cake mixtures consist of a batter made from shortening (butter or cake margarine) and sugar, with the addition of eggs, flour, a raising agent, and other ingredients such as flavourings, fruit and nuts.

The mixture may be baked in tins for use as a cake, steamed for puddings, or used as a topping for fruit sponge. In all cases the following guidelines should be observed...

Cooking And Baking Guidelines

1. Good aeration of the sugar, butter and egg batter mixture is essential. For this reason the mixture must not curdle or break. Curdling or breaking is most likely to happen if the eggs are too cold. If this does happen, a small amount of flour should be added before all the eggs are incorporated.

2. All the ingredients should be at the same temperature, about 18C (65F).

3. The shortening must not be melted. If it is, the volume and texture will be below standard.

4. A basic mixture consists of equal weights of shortening, sugar, egg and flour. This may be varied by the introduction of milk and baking powder, which allow an increase in the amount of flour.

5. In all cases the weight of shortening should be more than the weight of either the egg or the sugar. The weight of sugar should not be more than the weight of all liquids.

Cooking And Baking With A Basic Plain Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

Butter or cake margarine 500g

Sugar 600g

Eggs 600ml (10-12)

Milk 200ml

Flour 1kg

Baking Powder 60g

Salt trace or pinch

Vanilla Essence trace

Method For Cooking And Baking Cakes:

1. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together.

2. Beat the butter and sugar to a cream with a wooden spatula.

3. Work in the eggs, one at a time.

4. Stir in about 20g of flour and then the milk and essence.

5. Mix in the rest of the flour without losing volume in the mixture.

6. Pour into 20cm diameter tins lined with greaseproof paper and spread the mixture evenly.

7. Begin cooking and baking at 190C until set and lightly coloured. The time depends on the size and shape of the cake, usually 25-30 minutes.

8. Allow the cake to stand for 5 minutes before turning out.

Variations:

Chocolate Cake

Reduce the quantity of flour by 180g and add the same amount of cocoa before sifting at step 1.

Coffee Sultana Cake

Substitute 20ml of good coffee essence for the milk and add 400g washed sultanas.

Madeira Cake

Ingredients For Madeira Cake:

Castor Sugar 250g

Unsalted Butter 250g

Eggs (room temperature) 250ml (5)

Lemon Zest 3g

Cake Flour, sifted 250g

Baking Powder 10g

Method For Cooking And Baking Madeira Cake



1. Cream the softened butter, add the sugar and lemon zest and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, mixing well between each addition. Take care that the mixture does not curdle or separate.

2. Sift the flour and baking powder together and fold into the mixture. Pour into a greaseproof-lined and greased baking tin or hoop. Level the top of the mixture.

3. Begin cooking and baking at 185C for 40 to 45 minutes. When the cake is springy to the touch it's baked enough. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Unmould and cool on a wire rack.

Variation:

Add 30g mixed peel, 50g sultanas, 15g currants and 15g mixed spices to the flour at step 2.

Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

Unsalted Butter 225g

Dark Chocolate Couverture 400g

Eggs, separated 10

Castor Sugar 100g

Icing Sugar 20g

Method For Cooking And Baking Flourless Chocolate Cake

1. Gently melt the chocolate and butter in a basin in a bain marie. When completely melted whisk in the egg yolks.

2. Whisk the egg whites to a peak, then add the sugar and whisk until very stiff. Fold the meringue into the chocolate mixture and pour the preparation into a buttered greaseproof-lined mould (20cm square or 25cm round).

3. Begin cooking and baking the cake for 10 minutes at 200C, then continue at 180C until baked, approximately 40 minutes, by which time the centre should be set.

4. Cool slightly and turn out onto a flat solid tray. Allow to cool completely then dust with icing sugar.