Take the Chill Out

• Baking a cake with chilled ingredients creates a pancake-like texture, which you don't want. Milk can be warmed in the microwave for approximately 10 to 20 seconds or until lukewarm. Creaming room temperature butter with sugar creates light air bubble; the more bubbles, the higher the cake rises. However, butter should not be warmed to the melting point either because that makes the air bubbles disappear. Butter is room temperature when it indents upon touch. Beaten eggs achieve maximum volume when they are at room temperature. Unlike butter though, which can be left on the counter without risk of contamination, eggs carry salmonella. Instead, soak eggs in warm tap water for a few seconds, bringing them to room temperature faster.

Preparing the Cake Pans

• Preparing pans ensures the cake comes out in one piece and without breaks when flipped over. Round pans used for layer cakes should be coated with soft butter by brush. Parchment paper cut to fit the bottom of the pan provides extra protection against sticking. Coat bundt pans with soft butter and a light dusting of flour. Gently tap and flip your cake pan over to remove the excess flour.

Preheating 101

• Preheating the oven makes the best baking results. Simply put, cake recipes have a recommended time for baking at the right temperature. If the oven hasn’t reached that temperature, you may bake it for the wrong amount of time. Many recipes also begin with preheating instructions because leavening agents in cake batter may fail if it's left sitting at room temperature while the oven heats up. Always preheat your oven according to the cake recipe's directions.

Cake Flour vs. All Purpose

• The difference between cake flour and all-purpose flour is the protein. Cake flour contains less gluten and results in a soft, more uniform crumb. It's a fine textured flour, which makes it ideal for delicate cakes such as chiffon and angle food. However, due to cake flour's fine texture, sift it to eliminate lumps. All purpose flour, suggested by many recipes, is ideal for most baked goods. It has more protein but still results in a tender cake.

Let Them Eat Cake

• Test cake doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is ready. Also, test by touching the cake lightly; if it springs back without denting, it’s ready. Cake that has baked away from the edge of the pan can come out of the oven. Allow cake to cool for 10 to 20 minutes, and then run a knife along the edge for easier release. Place a cooling rack on top of a cake and turn the pan over to release it. Remove the parchment paper before frosting or glazing cakes.