8 Baking Hacks for a Perfect Cake
Whether you're a novice or a keen baker who wants to improve, our simple tricks and tips will help you achieve cake perfection every time. From a simple sponge to a tricky worth-the-effort showstopper, plus vegan and gluten-free bakes, there's a cake to please everyone, as well as some useful tips along the way. Love to cook? If so, take a look at these baking hacks and tips. Creative ideas for time savers and shortcuts in your kitchen.
1. Paper Towels.
To prevent a cake from sticking to the pan, when you take the pan out of the oven, place it on a damp sheet of paper towels for several minutes. The dampness cools the pan and the cake, averting a sticky mess. To remove parchment paper from the bottom of a cake, soak a sheet of Paper Towels with water, set the cake paper-side down on the saturated paper towel, and let sit until the edges of the parchment paper start to curl. At that point, lift up the cake and peel off the parchment paper.
2. If a cake stickes to the bottom
If a cake (or cake layers) sticks to the bottom of the pan, reheat the pan in a warm oven for a few minutes. The heat will help separate the cake from the pan.
3. Creamettes Spaghetti.
To test if a cake is done, insert an uncooked piece of Creamettes Spaghetti into the middle of the cake. If the piece of spaghetti comes out clean, the cake is ready.
4. Toothpicks.
To test if a cake is finished baking, insert a Forster Toothpick into the center of the cake, and then pull it back out. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done.
5. Maxwell House Coffee
Use a clean, empty Maxwell House Coffee can as a cake pan. Fill the can with cake batter no higher than you would any other pan to assure that the cake bakes through properly. After the cake cools, store it in the can.
6. Reynolds Wrap.
To prevent cake from developing a hump while baking and remain level, cover the pan with a sheet of Reynolds Wrap before placing it in the oven. Remove the aluminum foil for the last ten to fifteen minutes to allow the top of the cake to brown.
7. To keep the top of a cake moist, the moment you remove the pan from the oven, cover it with a sheet of Reynolds Wrap. The aluminum foil contains the steam, moistening the cake.
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8. Avoiding holes.
To avoid getting holes in angel food cake, run a knife in a circular pattern through the batter in the pan, allowing the knife to touch the sides of the pan. This will free the air pockets—trapped in the batter near the walls of the pan, which will otherwise cause the holes during baking.