Baking quick questions

mrbadexample

jamsandwhich wrote: »

if you use bicarb or baking powder is it out of date or been opened a while as this makes it perform less well?

:think: The bicarb's BBE Feb. 2008.

mrbadexample

PasturesNew wrote: »

Humidity and temperature of the environment you're doing the mixing in. I know this makes a difference with some forms of baking.

I don't think so. The kitchen's pretty constant, I think.

Couldn't rule it out though.

mrbadexample

valbuk wrote: »

I read somewhere that fan ovens are not the best way of baking some cakes ( Raymond Blanc I think). They can be too fierce. Do you have a conventional setting on your oven? It might be worth trying using that next time.
Also make sure you test your cake before you finally take it out - a skewer in the center should come out clean. Listen to the cake too - a bubbling / hissing noise suggests it needs more time.
Good luck next time ! V

It's not a fan oven. Conventional's all I've got.

It was cooked when I checked it after 50 minutes. Shrunk away from the sides of the tin, and a knife in the middle came out clean.

newleaf

It just looks like you got it out a bit soon to me?
I'd be dead happy if someone gave me that cake for my birthday though ...

lostinrates

mrbadexample wrote: »

It's for a birthday cake, and it looks awful. I'd just be embarrassed to give that to someone. "Happy Birthday, here's a really rubbish cake."

mrbadexample, I'm sorry your wrong. The cake says''Happy Birthday. Here's something I made for you, for this birthday because I care.'' Icing will conceal the dip, or as suggested, making it a sandwich cake. Ropey old ovens are a nightmare..I've used my share. I'd stick an oven thermometer on your christmas list if I were you. I do also find weather a HUGE factor with some cakes, and anything with beaten egg whites.

edit: cakes tha drop back are always more moist...yum, yum.

mrbadexample

newleaf wrote: »

It just looks like you got it out a bit soon to me?
I'd be dead happy if someone gave me that cake for my birthday though ...

Nope, I'm convinced it's cooked - I've just eaten a slice from the middle:



Even if it was undercooked at 50 minutes, it wasn't going to rise any more in the middle.

And lets face it, a bit of icing's not going to hide that dip, is it? :rotfl:

mrbadexample

lostinrates wrote: »

I'd stick an oven thermometer on your christmas list if I were you.

I'm definitely doing that. Mind you, I'm going to chance my arm and ask for a new oven.

juliapenguin

You did say your bicarb was out of date - that won't have helped. But the cake looks absolutely scrumptious and I'm going to put you on my Christmas list and we'll put my husband into your old oven...

mrbadexample

lostinrates wrote: »

mrbadexample, I'm sorry your wrong. The cake says''Happy Birthday. Here's something I made for you, for this birthday because I care.''

I know what you're saying, but I just can't bring myself to give something that I'm personally unhappy with.

When's your birthday? I've got a cake I need to shift... :whistle:

lostinrates

mrbadexample wrote: »

I know what you're saying, but I just can't bring myself to give something that I'm personally unhappy with.

When's your birthday? I've got a cake I need to shift... :whistle:

In March I'd like a moist and slightly sunken parkin please. I don't bake parkin, so it would be extra special treat.

You rotter, eating a slice from the middle, it could at the very east have been a spare cake when the one you are personally happy with was ll gobbled up.

and yes, icing would have concealed it, especially if you'd turned it upside down first iced, and had the flat bottom as a top to ice ''Happy Birthday'' on it!