Simple tips for superb baking… by Anna Montali
Icing frozen cakes
The easiest way to ice your cake is to allow it to cool down completely after baking and then freeze it. Freezing the cake allows you to ice it without the cake crumbling at the edges, giving you a smooth, even finish. It also means you can bake the cake well in advance and ice it when needed.
Choosing the right cake tin
For proper baking results it is important to use the correct cake tin size according to the recipe instructions. Here are some examples of standard tin sizes:
- Swiss roll tin 23 x 32cm
- Square cake tin 20cm
- Loose-bottomed tart tin 24cm
- Ring springform tin 22cm
- Loaf tin 23cm
- Springform cake tin (the most popular type) 20cm
Making moist cakes
To make a moist cake, substitute buttermilk where a recipe calls for milk – this won’t affect the taste
of the cake, but will add moisture.
Lighten up ready-mix cakes
To achieve a lighter cake when using box cake mix, make sure your eggs are at room temperature before starting the preparation. Beat the eggs with the required amount of oil and water until very frothy, then add the cake mix and continue according to the packet instructions.
