Please..What tips do you have for making a decent cake???

IWannabedebtfree · 31 December 2006 at 8:50PM

I'm not young, but can't bring myself to admit how old I am...let's say middle aged at least. I can cook nice savoury meals, even very good pastry, but I've always been rubbish at cakes-been trying for years-I've just got a fab new oven- I'd been blaming the old one for my cakes being flat, as the door was getting loose- but I'm still no good now I've got a new one.
So far I've tried :

Taking longer/less time with the mixing,
Making sure the ingredients(esp' eggs) are really fresh,
Putting the cake tin in the middle of the middle shelf- not touching the
side of the oven- or anything else.
Measuring everything meticulously.
Using exactly the correct size tins for the recipe.
I never open the (clear glass) door to check.

But no, still flat as a pancake. What's so very irritating is that I went round to see a friend today who happened to be baking a cake. She just flung it all in a bowl, bit of stirring going on, plonked in the oven and voila! Perfectly risen cake. Can you help me? My DD is really disappointed every time we try to bake-thanks for any help.

twink · 31 December 2006 at 8:52PM

i woild recommend mary berrys FastCakes book, lots of easy all in one cake recipes

thriftlady_2 · 31 December 2006 at 9:03PM

I absolutely recommend Mary Berry too. I've got her Ultimate Cake Book and nothing I've made from there has failed.

Her all-in-one sponge sounds like the kind your friend was making. She uses self-raising flour and baking powder, sugar, soft butter/marge and eggs. It is literally all mixed together in a bowl and baked.

8 oz soft marge (I use butter but make sure it's really soft)
8 oz caster sugar
4 eggs
8 oz self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder

Mix all together really well, electric beaters are handy

Pour into two 8 inch sandwich tins which you have greased and lined with greased greaseproof paper (you can buy ready cut circles of this at Lakeland)

Bake at 180 C/Gas 4 for about 25 mins or until the cakes spring back when touched with a finger.

NOTE if you have a fan oven remember to decrease the temp by 20 degrees

HTH

Raksha · 31 December 2006 at 9:39PM

Get yourself an oven thermometer so you can make sure the over really is at the correct temp before you even start mixing, and put the cake straight in the oven once it's in the tin, as the raising agent will start working as soon as liquid is added to it.

grunnie · 31 December 2006 at 9:44PM

Make sure the oven is up to temperature then put in the cake and don't open the oven door till you are testing to see if it is ready. Test by putting a knife in the middle and it should come out clean not glueey with cake mix. I made the weetabix cake recipe yesterday and it was a great hit with husband and son.

beemuzed · 31 December 2006 at 9:55PM

I'm not wonderful with cakes either, but have found that any of Delia's recipes work if I stick to them exactly!

Smiley_Mum · 31 December 2006 at 10:03PM

Have a look at this website, may be of some help...

http://www.acooksbestfriend.com/site/904503/page/841501

Also, ensure your ingredients are at room temperature, not taken direct from the fridge etc.

This one looks good too, person writing the article is a pastry chef.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/05/31/1085855486752.html?from=storyrhs

Good luck.

recovering_spendaholic · 31 December 2006 at 11:43PM

I was flicking through the cable channels and came upon an american lifelstyle cook type person who was doing some baking and she said that if you add a small carton sour cream and a bit of extra flour to cake mix it makes it lovely and moist. I was going to make a coffee and walnut cake anyway that day to take to my friends house so I made a victoria sandwich mixture using 12oz sugar, 12oz butter, 6 eggs, 16oz flour, 2tsps baking powder, coffee essence and a small carton of sour cream and 4oz walnut pieces. I baked it in two lined round tins for about 20 minutes at 180 and then sandwiched it with a little coffee flavoured buttercream and put glace icing and some more walnuts on top. I can honestly say that it was one of the nicest cakes I have ever tasted. My friend and her husband raved about it and her husband is a baker by trade. I am going to add the sour cream every time from now on and it is nearly always to be found in the reduced bit of the supermarket by us!

tawnyowls · 31 December 2006 at 11:44PM

Two tips:
Always use baking powder, even if the flour's self-raising, and especially if it's a bit old.
Whisk the eggs separately until quite stiff, and add to the creamed sugar and butter, with a little bit of flour to stop curdling, then add the rest of the flour.

millionaire_in_training · 31 December 2006 at 11:51PM

I find if I spend lots of time and effort on a cake then it tends to flop. If I do them like your friend and just throw it all in with little fuss it turns out fab. I made the naughty choc cake and the fudge icing on it from the recipe thread on here. Looks and smells amazing and cant wait till tomorrow to taste it. mmmmmmmm chocolate xx

bumpybecky · 31 December 2006 at 11:58PM

not trying to boast but my cakes are very popular

all I do is follow Mary Berry's recipes from her ulitmate cake book. Most of them you bung all ingredients togther, mix and tip into the tin! She does normally use baking powder too though, and it works!

I use value flour (often months past it's date), cheap marge (tesco soft spreak in but 2kg tubs), value sultanas etc etc nothing expensive etc apart from free range eggs!

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Please..What tips do you have for making a decent cake???

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