Home made cake - an act of love .

I felt excited about writing this post, because there is something wholesome and good about a home made cake. It really does bring a feeling of warmth, acceptance and love to any situation. I hope that all of you have had experience of that at some point.

So, because of this, my amateur advice is to skip all the fashionable emotional and psychological trends and instead, simply learn how to make a cake .

Lets start with the basic steps to creating a successful cake.

A personal aside. (Don't read this part if you prefer facts and evidence, that's totally ok, this is aimed at those who like a bit of heart, less head. )

On that note, if you are making this cake for someone special or someone who is going through a tough time and needs some support, then have this person in mind as you make your cake - it will make a massive difference.

Ok, enough whoo hoo, the fact lovers can look back now.

1. Creaming the butter and sugar .

   
   

   Did you know ( I didn't ) that this process of creaming, actually traps little bubbles of air into the mixture which then creates the lightness in the final cake, though eggs are also needed in the next stage to stop these air bubbles collapsing. Apparently, the egg forms a rigid wall around each air bubble in the mixture to stabilize it . (Doesn't this all remind you of a science lesson at secondary school - Sorry I hope that didn't bring up a bad memory for you, because its important to feel good when you make a cake. So maybe forget those memories if that is the case, just erase them from your mind for now - lets get back to nice cakey stuff . )

   There are two important tips though that arise from all of that scientific blurb :

   1. The cake should be baked as soon as it is mixed.

   2. The oven door should never be opened in the early stage of cooking , otherwise the air bubbles will collapse and you will end up wih a sunken, flat cake imposter. No one will feel the love in that - sorry.

   
   

   The Creaming method - Its a bit of a skill, but way easier than pastry, so take heart.

   Use a large mixing bowl and an electric hand whisk ( or a wooden spoon , if that is all you have right now ) and mix the butter and sugar together until you get a pale, fluffy mixture that drops off the spoon .

   Beat the eggs ( electric or hand whisk ) in a separate bowl and add them , a little at a time to the butter/sugar fluffed up mix.

   I do mean a LITTLE AT A TIME. Sorry to shout, but this is an important point, and I havent learnt how to highlight words yet on this blog site, which would have been a more friendly reminder.

   So start with just a dessert spoon of the egg mix and continue in that way, beating well after each addition . This is the only way to stop the mixture curdling .

   If, despite your admirable patience, the mixture curdles, then don't have an epic kitchen melt down, there is a way to save it.

   Try sprinkling a small handful of flour over the mixture and beat in gently, add more as necessary, but remember to reduce the flour in the later stages of the recipe by a similar amount.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/6ddfbe_3c41820f1b524c77a6b8db537bf20eee/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

2. Cooling and storing a cake ready for that special occasion. Here are the steps you need to know:

   A cake needs to be cooled thoroughly on a wire cooling rack.

   A cake tin , is way better than a plastic box to store a cake for a short amount of time . Saying that, just use whatever you have got for now and invest your money once you are a Kitchen Star.

   
   

Cakes freeze really well . I mean just the basic cake itself . Wrap each layer in cling film and place with date on, in the freezer. Then when your special occasion has nearly arrived , just pull the cake out and leave in the cling film on a wire rack for 2 hours to defrost fully. You should now have a beautiful and delicious cake base ready to decorate. What more could you ask for.

The quirks and needs of each cake ingredient.

1. Air

   Air is our friend in most sweet creations . So with cakes, always hold the sieve high when you are sieving flour Use a large, roomy mixing bowl and a metal spoon or metal hand whisk to retain the precious air.

2. Eggs

   Eggs need to be at room temperature always for any baking or desserts .

   My Mother, an amazing cook, never put her eggs in the fridge. She kept them in her pantry at slightly cooler than room temperature. Don't you wish that some of these cooking or gardening skills (my father) were all just passed on to us in our birth genes. That way we would just be born knowing it all. It always seems to be family diseases or weaknesses that are passed on, but maybe I'm just not appreciating all of the other gifts that my family genes have handed me because I just take them for granted. Anyway , whatever the inheritance situation,

   this is still a fun and skill growing experience, so I am happy with that.

3. Sugar

   Caster sugar is the best sugar for all baking.

   If it is a wholefood cake, soft brown sugar is more suitable.

4. Flour

   Soft, self -raising flour is the best flour for a cake but

   if an extra lift is needed, the recipe will add a tsp of bicarbonate of soda.

5. Fats

   Margarine is a lot easier to use than butter. But pure butter adds a richness to a cake, so I'll leave it to you to choose your preferred fat to bake with, it's worth experimenting to see what tingles your taste buds. However, whichever fat you choose to work with, still allow at least 2 hours out of the fridge before using.

6. Tins

   Always use a cake tin that is at least 4cm deep (one and half inches ) in order to avoid a flat sponge. One thing I learnt from a pro in my younger days when working with horses in New Zealand, is that " Prior and proper preparation, prevents problems ." In those days it was vital because, if you didn't have everything ready when you started dealing with a horse, you definitely wouldn't have time to sort it when you really needed it. But it always uplifts me, when these earlier life lessons, start playing an important part in life now. I have realised that nothing in life is really a waste of time.

   
   

   Back to the cake tins. Use a non-stick tin, lightly grease it with fat and then line the base and sides with baking paper. I always do this part before I even start on the cake, because its a bit boring to set up, so I like to get it out of the way and put to one side before I get back to the fun part. If you are making a two layered cake, spread the mixture between two cake tins.

   P.S At this stage, you may also want to get all of the ingredients, like margarine, eggs etc out of the fridge to warm up and also set out all of the equipment you will need, including cooling racks.

   
   

   So enough of the boring, but necessary stuff .

   
   

   LETS LEARN HOW TO MAKE CAKE .

Basic sponge cake recipe

Ingredients: 

1. 250g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature for at least 2 hours.

2. 250g caster sugar

3. 4 medium eggs (220g) , again at room temperature.

4. 250g self-raising flour

5. 3g (1 flat tsp) baking powder (sift in with the flour when you add )

6. 30mls milk. I always prefer proper full fat milk, but the low fat variety will be ok. ( My pastry daughter told me that milk is not always necessary, but adds a touch of professionalism to the end result )

Method

1. Cream the butter (or magarine) and sugar until light, fluffy and pale in colour.

   Slowly add the eggs, one at a time, mixing between each egg.

2. Sift the flour and baking powder together and slowly add to the egg and butter mix.

3. Once mixed in, add the milk until combined and no lumps. Sorry to hassle you at this stage when you are doing so well and blasting it. I just had instructions from Chef Daughter, that we need to aim for light and fluffy, so remember not to over mix, even if you feel like if it. I think that scooping lumps out of the cake mix is probably better than over mixing, and I won't tell anyone, because I've done it myself.

4 Cook your delicious cake mixture in your pre-prepared tins at 170 degrees fan or 175 non fan, for 45 minutes.

When the timer goes, run a sharp knife through the centre of the cake to see if it is done . The knife should pull out clean if done, it there is any uncooked cake on the knife, then put the tin back in the oven for another 5/8 minutes .

5. Let the cake rest for 5 minuets and then carefully upend and place on a wire cooling rack.

Now, get out the prosecco, you have nailed it and deserve a night off, but remember to keep any husbands, children or friends away from your magnificent creation, this is you're cake base and we need to keep it intact for the decoration stage later on. However, as I have learnt from living with six children, the call of a newly baked cake is very hard to resist. And they don't care that it's just a plain sponge, they just add their own slightly disgusting, and very sweet toppings. It's sad to watch, but at least they are creative and don't waste a crumb.