With the onset of the pandemic and subsequent lockdown, the chef in us has taken upon himself/herself the job to satisfy our cravings at home in a safe environment. Collecting the ingredients and finding an easy cake recipe might not be the most difficult part of the process, but the wrong method while baking your first cake can give you undesired results.
Every black forest cake recipe may not include small mistakes every beginner ends up making in their first few baking ventures. So here is a quick list that can help you avoid them, and this is how:
- Selecting the wrong pan
One of the most common mistakes, even professionals, might end up making is picking the wrong pan to bake your cake. Baking a cake is not as easy as it sounds, and the confusion of picking the right pan can turn your baking dream upside down. Usually, recipes don’t mention the right utensils that should be used based on different cakes. There is a variety of baking pans, namely, springform pans, traditional baking pans, silicone cake moulds, etc. for different types of cakes.
- Baking powder vs. Baking soda
The name, look, texture, smell, and taste are similar for both the products, but the quality and results vary for both. As a beginner, it is difficult to know the difference between them. Recipes often mention specifically, which of the both, has to be used for the particular dish. It is important to remember; they are not substitutes, so using one in place of the other will not get you the desired dessert.
- Over-excitement
It is understandable that one might be too excited for their first cake to bake so they can give a pat on their back for the time and effort that went into it. But, the excitement might spoil a well-baked cake too. Opening the microwave or oven too often to check up on the cake will let out the heat and lower the temperature inside. Trust the recipe and method they have used and give it adequate time to bake properly.
- Modifying the ingredients
As beginners, it is common to modify the ingredients or methods specified in the recipe to suit your convenience. Although there might be some good substitutes out there, modifying the right things might spoil your cake. For example, if the recipe says softened butter, then make sure you don’t use cold butter. You can microwave the butter for 10-15 seconds to soften it.
- Not sifting the dry ingredients
Another mistake is not sifting the ingredients such as flour and sugar. Adding them as without sieving might make your cake lumpy and heavy.
There are many more common mistakes that beginners end up making while baking their first cake. But it is advised to always stick to the recipe provided and trust a professional’s method.
