Why can#t I make nice cakes?

angeltreats

Bronnie wrote: »

I would go back to basics using good old-fashioned tried and tested cake recipes (charity shop/ library).
Mary Berry's older repetoire, Delia's How to Cook series, The BeRo book, Good Housekeeping Institute, I had an old Marguerita Patten book called Perfect Cooking as an engagement present in 1976 and this gave a simple step by step explanation of the different types of cake making methods. I baked for the family from this for years!

There are so many ways of varying a basic recipe the family won't get bored!

I couldn't agree more. I have had far better results from Mary Berry recipes than the likes of Nigella, and the BeRo book is absolutely fantastic. If you don't have a copy already, take yourself off to Co-Op where you can get one for about a pound.

I really do think the older, less fancy/trendy recipes work far better.

Also I got this little book from the Book People a while ago, it's very useful and gives lots of tips and answers as to why something you've made didn't turn out quite the way you expected. For £2.99 it's a great buy.

tinkerbellsmum_2

i'm the same hun i can cook meals great but when it comes to puds it never turns out right (but saying that haven't tried since having new oven)
for the oven prob have u tried mircowave baking i have a book full of mircowave cakes (never tried them yet) think some normal recipes boooks have them in to or u can google it or try read it swap it.

youngatheart_2

I see quite a few of you recommend Mary Berry cookbooks. I was going to put one on my Xmas list but there are so many. Any suggestions as to which one I should get. I only want a "cakes" one. Thanks everyone.

lora

Her recipes are wonderful-lemon drizzle-mmmm. Everything put in together. I used to have a very successful farmer's market stall using mainly her recipes. Though had some failures with chocolate cake-used Delia's recipe-mmmm. Reimer's muffin recipes excellent also-do not overmix.

valk_scot

Another vote for the Be-Ro book. I've never gone wrong with a recipe from it, whereas what I think of as "modern" recipies, the ones that involve non-traditional and occasionally rather odd ingredients such as grated beetroot can be a little bit more tempermental.

Other things that help are 100% accurate measuring; having all the ingredients at room temperature , especially the eggs, fats and any milk (for pastry of course it's best for the fat to be chilled); sieving the flour before using to incorporate air for lightness; handling and mixing only as much as is necessary and with as light a touch as possible; adding liquids with caution till correct consistency is reached (flour absorbency does vary); using the correct size of tin; preheating the oven properly; getting used to your oven's quirks; using the correct shelf of the oven; not overcrowding the oven; cooking the mix asap, even if this means you have to mix two batches; not opening the oven till very close to the end of the cooking time,

The other thing that helps btw is keeping notes. Use a cheap notebook, copy or paste in your recipe then scribble down what went wrong ie wrong tin, needed longer cooking time, too wet, too chewy, too whatever. I think btw where you went "wrong" with the muffins was using a non-sweet chocolate. Use some cheap and cheerful chocolate chios and they'll be much sweeter! Also, there's a big difference between cocoa powder (no sugar at all) and drinking chocolate (lots of sugar) and of course instant hot chocolate is unsuitable for most baking.

Final tip. First time out, follow the recipe exactly if at all possible. It's nice to use up the odds and sods from the back of the cupboard but this runs the risk if affecting the results and if you're not an experienced baker this can lead to all sorts of interesting results.

But in the end, if it tastes nice, who cares? It will get eaten. Appearance is less important. It's not the WI annual baking competition, after all!

Zazen999

Plus - if a cake is not as sweet as you want; just either drizzle some icing over or slice in half and add a buttercream and jam filling. That's what they are there for

purpleivy

A note, if a recipe calls for separate bicarb/baking powder, it's a good idea to put them through the sieve with the flour a couple of times so that it's evenly incorporated. You should be sieving the flour anyway so incorporate air as the OP suggested, it's been stuffed in the bag and settled into a big lump.

charliee_3

you should persevere.. have you tried cooking a 'packet' cake mix in your oven? I find the betty crocker ones (devils food cake.. yummmm) are pretty foolproof (i forgot the eggs once and it was still edible!)
that way if you did one of those and it worked you would know it is something you are doing to your recipes, if it doesnt its something up with your oven??

just an idea...

zippychick

Hi Geeves, you have had some really great advice here already!

I only started baking quite recently, and was lucky with it . I have had quite a few disasters - one only the other day where the muffins where just too cake like. I suspect I overmixed, and i put them in fairy cake holders so I think i didn't bear this in mind for the cooking time.

I would suggest starting out with good old simple fairy cakes. I started with these myself . Since I have mastered victoria sponge, carrot cake, flapjacks, and a few other bits and pieces.

it is tricky knowing what recipes to use - I would have assumed because Nigella had that recipe in a book that it would be right and worthwhile making but not necessarily so. I am still building up my own confidence and am going to attempt meringues soon (petrified of those but need to do it!):eek:

Someone mentioned measuring - totally agree, it is so important. I got a set of these to help me measure correctly - cost little but at least I know I am measuring out exactly correctly. Also handy if you have american recipes with cup quantities :cool:

Don't give up, pick your recipe to master and maybe try smaller quantities to begin with? That way, if it's a disaster, it's not such a waste of ingredients? (although i'm sure it won't be)

Here's my method for fairy cakes , everyone has a different one. Some people don't add vanilla or baking powder, but this works for me 100% every time.

Fairy cakes :beer:

Weigh eggs and measure out equal quantities of SR flour, Sugar and butter. Cream butter and sugar until white and fluffy , no lumps. Add in egg by egg mixing, ensuring smooth before adding another one (as mentioned it can curdle here) . Get your flour and also add a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of baking powder. Add this to the mixture slowly. I always ad a few splashes of milk until it is "dropping consistency". Maybe a couple of tablespoons. Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract

Spoon into bun cases, cook at 180 for around 15 mins. Check centre with skewer - if it comes out clean, cookes. If still has mix, do another couple of minutes until comes out clean.

Just try what you are comfortable with and soon there will be no stopping you. I really like the Bero cookbook too - worth the almost £2 it costs!:j

funkymonkey849

Baking is one of those things that comes naturally to some people, but not to others!

I fall into the second catagory, I am a very enthusiastic and creative, but unfortunately disasterous cook. Not to worry, work with what you've got!

I find the usual culprit (or scapegoat) in baking-gone-wrong is the oven. Does your oven keep a consistant temperature, and does it lie about the actual temp (e.g. mine is about 1-2 gas mark below what it says it is). You will get to know your oven with time, and can modify temp/baking times accordingly. If you suspect that your oven is sabotaging your baking you can catch it out with an oven themometor.

My second tip is to stick to easy recipes, and build up a collection of recipes that you know work. Fairy cakes are a fantastic example, much less likely to sink or stick to the tin than large cakes, simple to make, and you can ring the changes with lemon zest, cocoa powder, coffee essence, butterfly cakes etc. I find these rarely go wrong. I also find muffins are easy to make, and again, find yourself a basic recipe and add raisins, mashed banana, chocolate chips, dried apricots, cherries - whatever you like to create a new recipe.

Baking disasters are part and parcel of cooking from scratch, but I still find home baking a million times than shop bought cakes, for both the taste and the feelgood factor. Can't beat it.

Finally, here is the recipe I use for carrot cake - it has never failed on me yet! I've made round cakes, tray bakes, muffins and fairy cakes out of the basic batter, but scaling down the ingredients or reducing the oven time. It is wonderfully moist and a doddle to make. I cannot rate it enough. Good luck!
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3229/yummy-scrummy-carrot-cake