I'm not a huge cake fan, but I like decorating them. Rob loves, them - so I am experimenting more with them and finding stuff we both like (as if I need the help finding good treats).
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If you like baking, hopefully these help. Oh, and soon I'll post my favorite chocolate cake recipe - it's kind of my catch all - and I don't think it's failed me yet.
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I'm a big fan of using dry cake mix, from a box, then I just add to it. There's actually a book called The Cake Doctor, and what it does is "doctor" cake mixes. That's where my favorite chocolate cake recipe comes from (via my sister, Bethany-thanks!), and it's where my quest to bake good cakes began.
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So, back to the tips:
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Every cake can use a little extra pudding - for a chocolate cake, add chocolate pudding - for every other cake, I add vanilla (unless you can find an box of instant pudding that matches your cake flavor). I just add a small box of pudding, and no changes need to be made to the mixing or baking instructions.
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Also - I add milk instead of water (to any mix)- makes things a little creamier. It's good.
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A baking tip (making decorating easier) - to make even cake tops
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When you bake with round cake pans . . . you know how they always round out on top, too? Well . . . if you get an old towel and tear off two strips (the long way), making them as wide as the cake pan is tall - - - wet the towels, then secure them around the cake pan with either a safety pin or even a push pin (won't melt in the oven at 350 - I tested it, personally). That helps distribute the heat more evenly, and the cake will rise, but stay flat on top. I'll try and post photos soon, just to explain. This beats cutting off cake tops (making them flat), especially because it minimizes crumbs that can potentially spread through the icing.
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Last tip - instead of using icing or frosting in the middle layer of cakes - spread some pudding - again, makes things more moist. You can make some instant pudding and spread about a cup, or just buy a pack of pudding snacks and use one - I've done both.
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Random things - hopefully something is useful to you. :)
3 comments:
I didn't even know the recipe I gave you came from the cake doctor book. I love that one. I also like the pudding-instead-of-frosting tip -- thanks!
Great tips. I'll have to try them out -- thanks!
Those are great tips. I love baking and decorating cakes so I was checking out your labels there. Too bad you are leaving, we could have some fun times baking together. I went up to the Clayton's cabin the year after high school, how fun! It is a small world.
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