Baking Tips

Question: Why does my fruit sink to the bottom of my cake?

Answer: The mixture will be too slack or the fruit to large or syrupy like glace cherries. Glace cherries need to be washed, dried thoroughly then chopped into quarters, tossing them in a little flour can also help to prevent them sinking to the bottom.

Question: why do my cakes sink?

Answer: The oven door opened to early to check if baked, try to leave checking until the bake is at least three quarters passed the time of baking, (do not slam the oven door shut when closing on a bake that isn’t yet quite cooked). Too much baking powder added can also cause this effect.

Question: How can you tell if a cake is cooked?

Answer: If it’s a sponge cake you will notice a slight shrinking around the sides of the tin, it should when lightly touched feel springy to the touch. The colour will be a pale golden brown.

Answer: If it’s a fruit cake a fine skewer inserted into the centre of the cake should come out clean without any mixture clinging to it. The colour should be a light brown for a light fruit cake and a darker brown for a traditional cake i.e.: wedding fruit cake, Christmas fruit cake etc.

Question: Why do my cakes tend to feel dry?

Answer: Baked in the oven to long, too much baking powder, not used and or stored away as soon as the cake is cool.

Question: Why does my cake stink to the tin when baked?

Answer: Ensure the tin is lined correctly with greaseproof paper or non stick baking paper. Make sure the cake is cooked through properly before removing from the oven. Leave the cake to cool for the amount of time as per recipe before turning out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling. Ensure the ingredients are measured correctly and mixed thoroughly as per recipe.

Question: Why do my cookies go soggy?

Answer: Not thoroughly cooled enough on a cooling rack before storing in an airtight container. Store them on their own and not with other cakes as fruits from other cakes will give off moisture and make you cookies go soggy.

Question: Why do my cakes crack on the top when baking?

Answer: The oven too hot or placed to high in the oven to bake, the top of the cake forms its crust to early and as the cake continues to rise it cracks the top open.

Question: Why do my cakes burn on the top without them being cooked in the middle?

Answer: The oven temperature too hot (see equipment about ovens) Too long in the oven and over baked. Cake may need covering over the top with baking paper to help elevate burning i.e. long baking of a fruit cake in the oven. Not placed in the correct position in the oven most bakes are placed on the middle shelf except for when a recipe calls for something different.

We will be adding more tips along the way :)

Happy Baking!!