Tips for Perfect Cake



Every expert at anything is just that: an EXPERT because they have learned the trick of doing something the easy, fast, and most correct way. The same goes for cake and pastry baking, or learning to spread icing. For instance, if you’re interested in having your cakes come out more even and flat on top so they stack easily and are more pleasing to the eye when decorated, well, have I got a trick for you!

First you should tap the filled cake pans several times on the counter to make certain the batter is level and any air bubbles have dispersed. Then take an old but clean terrycloth kitchen towel and wet it ‘til soppy. Then fold it so it wraps around the sides of the cake pan, securing it with a large safety pin where it meets. Do this to each pan you want the cake to come out evenly in. Yes, you can go to any bakery supply and purchase a ‘pan wrap,’ but if you’re like me and don’t want to spend a lot of money on something so simple, you can make your own, and it will prove to be just as useful and successful. Save the towel to use on future cakes too. With this simple tip you can have evenly bake, flat cakes just like the professionals.

How to Fill a Pastry Bag
Next, do you have trouble filling a pastry bag and end up with it all over you, the countertops, and floor? Don’t feel bad. You’re not alone. But you can stop the madness, and actually enjoy baking using a pastry bag with this simple tip…Take a tall drinking glass, and line it with the pastry bag, folding the edges over the top of the glass before filling. It is easy to then spoon the pastry batter into the bag. When it is three quarters full, pull the edges of the bag off the glass edge to the center and twist. Now, what could be simpler than that? (But I’d never have thought of it when I was startin’ out!)

How to Do Icing and Frosting
And do you have trouble icing a layer cake, especially around the edges? Or do those little crumbs keep showing up in the frosting no matter how careful you are? I can help you out there too…When your cake layers have cooled, put a few dots of frosting on the plate you are going to use for serving, (so it won’t slip) and then turn the first layer upside down on it, (if the cake is domed, you may want to take a cake knife and cut some of the top mound off to be more even with the edges.) Then frost just the top of this layer to make a filling between the two pieces. Place the second layer on top of the filling, right side up.

Now it’s time to frost the top and sides...
Tips for cake frosting…
Place a large dollop in the center of the top layer and start smoothing it toward the edges. Be sure to use enough to cover the entire top. Then, if you have a large pastry bag, fill it, and drop several dollops along the top edge to be spread down the sides, (one at a time.) Slowly spread them down with a frosting knife or offset spatula. Do this all along the edges until the sides are completely covered making sure to use ample frosting so you don’t scrape the sides, picking up those nasty little crumbs. You don’t have to be precise at this time, just thorough. When the frosting is spread sufficiently thick on top and sides, you can smooth it out to then decorate if desired, or make swirls on top and sides with short, quick turns of the spatula or frosting knife in several directions.
It’s easier than you think to make lovely desserts and treats for family and friends if you just know the tricks! And of course, follow my advice!

Tips for the perfect cake,  
written by, Granny Tam.