Tag Archives: cakes

Oct13

Cake Pan 101

Posted on by
Standard

On first purchasing a new cake pan it looks spotless, very smooth and sometimes very shiny…. if only they would stay that way!

There are some some secrets to keeping cake pans looking gorgeous for more than a couple of months. (Three batches of something that is!) It is so annoying to think you have a perfectly good pan but when you pull it out of the cupboard its… scratched, rusted, burnt, uneven or scorched… eek. Never mind, you think if  you simply grease it a bit more it will be fine – err NO!!

The secrets are quite old fashioned (like many cake recipes and pans really). I have a collection of my favourite pans that I have had for many years and they still produce a great cake, bread, tart, patty cake,muffin, etc.

Quality goes a long way too. A higher guage strong firm pan will simply outlast other cheapies. A cheapie can’t possible last through more than 6- 10 bakes. There are so many materials to choose from. I have aluminium, tin plate coated in a non stick material, silicon, and heavy weighted metal.

The secret is a little care and yes as with most things in life: you get what you pay for!

Here are my 10 tips for long lasting bake ware:

  • Buy the best you can afford. Definitely worth visiting a specialty cookware shop… ask the advice of the sales person. Ask to see the cheapest and most expensive in the range… pick them up, feel the pan.
  • New: remove any pesky stickers or glue and wash in hot soapy water, then DRY very well with a soft tea towel.
  • Keep it dry dry  dry. After washing and drying pop the pan into the oven. The heat left in there will simply dry out any moisture left in all the little crevices.
  • Crevices: Well choose a pan with a few as possible…. Some have them in the design especially if it’s a patterned pan.
  • Spring form/ removable base. Lots of choices. For spring form you definitely need better quality. The cheapies break, come loose, wobble and therefore leak, so easily.
  • Greasing: depends on what you are making, but generally speaking yes always is my vote, even if you only do the base of the pan.
  • Greasing with butter: NOTHING BEATS IT. It seems to always give a lovely edge. I am not a fan of spray oils, I often think they have caused the cake to stick!
  • Lining with baking paper: It depends on the pan, but generally yes is my vote, sometimes simply lining the base is enough.
  • Turning out: let the cake sit for 5 – 10 minutes, you will see it shrinks away from the edge. Now if you need to, run a flat edged implement around the edge, go easy… yes it will scratch! Try inverting and tapping the base lightly first. Then if you do need to run a spatula around the edge, just gently do a little and see if getting a bit of air in between the cake and the pan allows it to fall out. It depends on the cake/ pattern and type of cake, but again, this is why I like to line with baking paper. Invert onto a cooling rack. Wash the pan, dry well and pop into the oven.
  •  Storing: Whether in a cupboard or drawer take care. If you need to stack the pans inside themselves, be gentle. If you can, pop a sheet of clean dry paper towel in between each surface… this definitely prevents scratching.

Happy Baking!!

Jul12

The secrets to baking.

Posted on by
Standard

How often have we all made a great recipe but something has gone wrong?

The simplest of recipes are often ruined by simply not knowing little tips.

Baking tips seem to be the most requested topics on ask jo. So due to public demand here are a few more of my classic tips or further explanations.

Oven temp:

I tend to use non fan forced for baking cakes, but tis is my personal preference. If you can turn off the fan please do.  I personally I like aneven steady oven temperature. Often the dryness and harsh nests of a fan oven can cause cakes to crack. If your recipe is old fashioned and ‘like grandma would make’.  Turn of that fan (again if
you can)!

Oven shelves:

The best rule is to place the pan into the oven so the TOP of the cake pan is in the middle of the oven. I find generally I bake on the shelves in the bottom third of the oven. Except pizza or dishes I want very crispy.

Lining the pan:

Yes I am liner! Even if the pan is a super doper non stick, I love the texture of the outside of the cake when baking paper is used. I love to line the base and sides.  Often I will allow the paper to raise above the tin to produce a little collar. This always helps with a flat top result.  If there is not a collar, the cake will tend to want to peak in the middle. This however can be caused by a titch too much liquid also.

This peak can be trimmed off and the cake served upside down so no ones knows! But it is better without any peak. Peaks are also caused by the incorrect sized cake pan.

 The cold bowl!

Butter and eggs do not beat or whip if cold! The remedy is to warm the bowl.  Either by filling the bowl with warm water and setting aside for a few minutes or washing the bowl in warm water. If using a stainless steel bowl you can also gently move it over a gas flame to warm.

Creaming:

Essential the beginning to most cakes. The volume and texture of the cake depends on this. Cream until the butter and sugar and  very very light and  fluffy.  The sugar needs to be almost completely dispensed through the butter. Often many just do not cream enough.

 Eggs:

Buy a nice heathly free range and large mimimum 60g. Always best stored in the fridge for freshness, but don’t use for cakes and baking if cold and stright from the fridge.  The egg if added cold to the creamed butter and sugar will not want to incorporate into the mixture. This will effect the volumn and end texture of the cake. Sit the eggs in a bowl of  warm water until ready to use. Drain and add to the creamed mixture. Make sure you only add one egg at a time and beat well
in between each addition.

 Flour:

Buy the best you can afford. Cake flour which is lower in protein produces a softer result. Often I add a couple of teaspoons of cornflour mixed with normal plain flour. This is a sneaky substitute to cake flour. I do not sift in the old fashioned way. Goodness I hate sifting.  Simply add the flours of choice add the fla beater or whisk to the standmixer, pop on the food shield and turn to speed 1. You can also add into the flours to the food processor with the all purpose blade and pulse. The mixer or processor will sift and combine for you.

Baking powder:

I always prefer to use plain flour and add my own raising agent. There is a rule of thumb for this.

Normally speaking 1 cup flour (150g) plain flour needs 2 teaspoons of baking powder….but this depends on the recipe. Baking powder is made of cream of tartar and bicarb soda. There is often a filler such as cornflour. One is an acid the other alkaline, the two react to give the raising. Self raising flour has the raising agents added, the trouble is it is often stale and produces a denser result.

Icing sugar:

There are two common types  - mixture and pure. If you want a firmer icing use pure! “Sift’ as above to remove any lumps.

Use a timer:

I always use a cooking timer either on the bench or some microwaves have a setting to use the clock. A cake is so easily ruined with a simple extra 5 minutes of unneeded cooking!

Cooling a ‘must’ before icing.

If icing you just must completely cool. Even I am guilty of thinking it will be fine icing the cake and yes finding the icing has melted off and is now all over the bench. The  icing on a warm cake also produces a soggy top… …. all in all just wait for the
cake to be cold!

A fluffy icing can be make up to 1 day in advance, but make sure you remove from the refrigerator and allow to come up to room temperature.

Any other queries, please contact me on ask jo.

 Happy Baking