Tips For a Flawless cake
*Clean and dry all the equipment required.
*Grease and line the baking pans.
* Some cake recipes specifically call for cake flour, which contains less protein than all purpose flour and produces a more tender cake.Use the cake flour if the recipe calls for it.
* Be sure to use the pan sizes specified in cake recipes.
*Place the cake pan (s) in the center of a preheated oven. Oven racks may need to be set lower for cakes baked in tube pans.
*If two racks are used, arrange them so they divide the oven into thirds and then stagger the pans so they are not directly over each other. Avoid opening the oven door during the first half hour of the baking time. The oven temperature must remain constant to allow the cake to rise properly.
* When a cake is baked all the way through, it will begin to shrink away from the side of the pan. Insert a wooden toothpick into the center; if it comes out clean without a trace of moisture, the cake is done. Lighter cakes will also spring back if gently pressed in the center.
* Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes, then loosen it from the side of the pan with a knife or metal spatula. Invert it on the rack and let it cool completely before frosting or cutting.
*Make sure the cake is completely cool before frosting it. Brush off any loose crumbs from the cake’s surface. To keep the cake plate clean, place small pieces of waxed paper under the edges of the cake; remove them after the cake has been frosted.
*Use a flat metal spatula for applying frosting to achieve a more professional look. First apply a thin layer of frosting on the cake as a base coat to help seal in any remaining crumbs.
*To evenly halve a cake horizontally, remove the cake from the pan and place on a flat surface. Measure the cake with a ruler and mark a cutting line with toothpicks and Cut the cake just above the toothpicks.
*Before baking switch on the oven to pre –heat it to the correct temperature
