Top tips for baking cakes

[dexterdoglancashire]

As you've probably read, I'm now learning how to bake cakes. I wondered if you could pass on your top tips.
My first question is, I made a lemon sponge earlier today. It didn't rise in the middle. No I didn't open the oven door. Has anyone any clues? It made a fab sponge pudding though!

[PAULW]

Machine or hand beaten ?, the best sponge so far was made with liquid butter, butter put in the microwave then beat the sugar in to this rather than just soften butter

[northepaul]

Plenty of beating particularly when adding eggs, and remember to fold the flour in not beat it, as this knocks the air out.
Did you add enough eggs?
Maybe the mixture was not enough for the cake tin?
Also if you used wholemeal flour sometimes it needs a helping hand of a little bit of baking powder.
Hope that might help

[SarzWix]

Occasionally, if you use too much baking powder, the cake will rise so much in the middle that it kinda 'pops' and then collapses... I've been known to do that by adding 'just a bit more to be on the safe side'

Best advice I have is to follow recipes exactly until you've had loads of practice, and use reliable recipes like Good Housekeeping etc.

[di]

Take your time and add an ounce of love

Seriously,I find the cakes I either rush over or stress about being perfect are always the crap ones.
The ones done for family and friends...with that added ounce of love...always turn out far better.

Sorry,I don't know why yours sunk in the middle.....Don't give up though.xxx

[ohbeary]

technically, too much milk or too much fat,
my best way, cream fat(1/2 butter 1/2 oil) and flour(SR) mix eggs and sugar, blend/add, bingo! resisting urge to say cannot fail :-)

[T8Ter]

Hi DDL, take a look here:

Be-Ro - Recipe Remedies

Great recipes AND remedies

[dexterdoglancashire]

Hi DDL, take a look here:

Be-Ro - Recipe Remedies

Great recipes AND remedies

Thanks T8Ter and thanks everyone. I'll have another go at the lemon sponge as soon as I can.

[smallfrog]

Fiona Cairns Bake and decorate tea time luxury is a great book to have. I'm bais as i work for her but i do recomend it. It has various cake recipes, biscuit and decoarting ideas.

Can't help with the sinking my oven doesn't like yorkie puds and no matter what i do they will not rise. If i make them at my mums they turn out fine. So i'd say be aware of your oven temp some have hot cold spots some are just rubbish.

Also follow the recipe some people normally mums and nans can just chuck it all it in and out comes a lovely light sponge. For most of us mortal being its a science and needs exctact measurements. Although i bet the chuckers in will be by and tell you its not the case.

Jamie Oliver does a lovely lemon and poppy seed drizzle cake. The recipe should be floating around the web somewhere.

Keep up the good work and posting what you've been baking. Maybe we should have a cake baking club on here. Everyone makes the same recipe and see how it turns out. I bet everyone would come out differently.

[Sanjo]

I make an all in one lemon drizzle cake and it never fails. It is soft but slightly denser than a light sponge cake. Just chuck all the ingredients in the mixer and then into a baking tin. Either use soft Stork (other manufacturers are available!) which gives an exceptable result, or softened butter which is excellent. However, one thing I will say, and I cannot see that any other grapes have mentioned it. It is important for a sponge that the eggs are at room temperature rather than straight from the fridge. Good luck.

[elsie-scot]

I find my cakes are better if I make sure I sift the flour, sugar, baking powder to get plenty air in.

[dexterdoglancashire]

I make an all in one lemon drizzle cake and it never fails. It is soft but slightly denser than a light sponge cake. Just chuck all the ingredients in the mixer and then into a baking tin. Either use soft Stork (other manufacturers are available!) which gives an exceptable result, or softened butter which is excellent. However, one thing I will say, and I cannot see that any other grapes have mentioned it. It is important for a sponge that the eggs are at room temperature rather than straight from the fridge. Good luck.

Could you post your recipe please?

[Sanjo]

Could you post your recipe please?

Phew! That had me worried. Couldn't find it there for as while and I know I had it recently. So much for tidying up!!

LEMON DRIZZLE CAKE
(makes a 450g (1lb) cake so I use a bread tin usually)

115g (4oz) softened butter (not oily runny though)
175g (6oz) self raising flour (proper sponge flour is really good for this)
175g (6oz) caster sugar
2 eggs (room temperature)
60ml (4 tablespoons) milk
rind and juice of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 180c, 350f, or gas mark 4.
Grease and greaseproof line your 1lb loaf tin
Not essential but good idea to sieve flour first
Beat together all ingredients as above but NOT the lemon juice
Beat for 2 minutes.
Spoon into the loaf tin and make a well in the centre (this allows for the cake to rise)
Bake for 1 hour until well risen and golden

While it's baking mix together the lemon juice with 3 tablespoons of icing sugar until smooth and runny.

Lightly loosen the edges of the baked cake from the tin. (Hot - be careful)
Spoon the runny icing sugar mix all over the cake. It should sink in.
Sprinkle granulated sugar on the top for a crunchy topping.
Leave in tin until cold and cut into slices.

To make life easier I usually line my loaf tin with a paper case. You can now get these from £1 shop instead of places like Lakeland where they are very expensive. They give a nice finish and stops all that faffing around greasing tins.
This was so successful and everyone raved over it so much I got out of control and every cake I made was a lemon drizzle, to the extent that the family got so fed up eating it they went off it!! Be warned eh!
Enjoy!!!!

[dexterdoglancashire]

Thanks! Will make sure that is my next cake.

[Sanjo]

You're welcome DDL. I don't think you will be disappointed.