Can someone please help me bake a cake...

[Indadhanu]

Okie dokie, I'm about to do the test run of Jazzy's birthday cake for her party.

I'll preface this by saying EVERY other cake attempt by me has failed dismally. I'm talking EVERY single one... my first cake at 13ish failed, and last year I tried to bake NFI how I did it but I burnt the BOTTOM of the cake and the top was smooshy!!! (ok I lie, I know how, we had a dodgey bottom element oven and the fan didn't work, but somehow I don't think it would have made a difference).

Anyway, for some reason I said i'll actually bake a cake FROM SCRATCH (I have no more luck with cake mixes so figured i'd just go all out).

Have been given a great recipe, looks fairly easy, but then this is ME here. I can bake puddings, brownies, muffins, biscuits, and am pretty good at savory things, so I CAN cook.

Ok... so I need some tips. I now have a fantastic fan-forced oven, if that makes a difference.

Is it better to cook it slowly? When is the best time to take it out? Is a skewer the best way to tell or is there a 'trick' to it?

Eeeeep!

[mrsmac]

Cook it according to the directions!! If it doesn't have different timing for fan forced then give it a little less time. Cake is cooked when it springs back when lightly touched, I usually don't use a skewer as well to test but you can- just slide it in and if it comes out clean its cooked.

Good luck hun!! If I was closer I would come and help I love making cakes.

ETA If you want a really easy fool proof vanilla cake recipe I can give you one.

[Indadhanu]

Thanks mrsmac!! if this one doesnt work I would LOVE your one

[LaDeeDa]

If your using a springform pan make sure you put baking paper on the bottom
Nothing worse than trying to get the cake out and the base of the pan takes half the cake with it!

[rufalina]

Mrs Mac is right, follow the directions to the letter. That is the best tip for any kind of "pastry cooking".

My mum always says that along with the clean skewer, you need to hear the cake "sing" and that is a cooked sign. The cake will make a bubbling sound which is quite obvious..

Also, I put cakes on the middle shelf, or on just up from that too.

good luck hun.

[Tinks]

Cakes are usually cooked on 180, with a fan forced oven you have to reduce the temp to 160 (i think) for about 30-45 mins. If you're making a more dense cake like a mud cake or fruit cake the temp has to be lower, say 150 because they're cooked for longer.

The skewer should come out clean when you put it in. Another trick is to gently push down the top, if it springs back it's cooked, if it leaves an indent it's not. Once the cake starts to pull away from the sides it's cooked. If you put the tin to your ear and can't hear a slight popping noise it's cooked. Um, think I've covered how to tell if a cake is cooked....Usually I just do the skewer test.

My suggestion if you're not a good baker is to make cupcakes and decorate them with coloured butter cream icing.

[LaDeeDa]

My suggestion if you're not a good baker is to make cupcakes and decorate them with coloured butter cream icing.

I have a recipe for these that are that good I feel like I've died and gone to heaven - from the crabapple bakery Yummo!

[DoubleK]

good luck Leash!!!

i was going to say, if all else fails.. make cupcakes!!

[thepixie]

Leash suffering from birthday cake anxiety here too so I can sympathise completely.
One suggestion if you're cooking from scratch, if the recipe says to 'cream butter and sugar' make sure you really whip the living daylights out of it until it looks almost white.
Hope it will turn out great for you.... sending cake vibes!

[mrsmac]

Good luck Leah, you have got great advice here!
My cake recipe is from the Qucik Mix cake book and is all in one bowl so no creaming!

[Rouge]

Use fresh ingredients, like fresh flour, fresh bicarb etc. Often if you don't have a good turn over with these products you can definitely have kitchen disasters.