There is an art to cake making and if you learn it well you can be a pro at it. If not, you can still bake beautifully but will never achieve your goals. It’s easy to get so wrapped up in all of the steps and techniques and forget that there is an art to cake making as well. It will take some time and practice, but it can be done.
There are 5 different methods of cake making that can be mastered if you do not end up with an ugly bottom, a collapsed center or disaster bake that the dog will not touch. Once you learn these, there will be so many happy baking times ahead. Here they are: Spray and Wait. This is very good for beginners because it teaches you how to spray cake mixtures thoroughly before baking. It is also useful for moist cake making.
Spray and Mix. In this method, you mix dry ingredients first, and then wet ingredients second. This produces a finished product that looks like a cake mix but is not one. You mix batter by using a wooden spoon, and once it’s mixed, you let it cool before you add the wet ingredients, which are beaten eggs.
Icing Method. This is the most difficult cake decoration method. This is when you apply wet icing over a pre-baked cake and place the finished cake on top. The idea here is to create a smooth surface that looks like fondant. In order to successfully do this, however, you have to use cold temperature icing. For those who are new at this, I highly recommend starting with one coat of icing and master this art before moving on to two or three layers of icing.
Hot Water Bath. This is the second most common method. This involves dipping a round rubber or plastic ball into hot water and pouring it over the pre-made cake. Once done, you simply allow the cake to cool before scraping it off and then applying the desired tips. One great tip here is to not wet the tip of your cake spatula with hot water; it will destroy the tip. After all, you don’t want your baked cake to peel!
All-In-One Method. The cake in this method involves pre-made components (usually a cake pan, a bake even sprayer, and non-stick cooking spray), melting them together, and pouring them onto a lined cake sheet. The end result looks like a single layer of cake, but instead of having different ingredients and a separate pan for each one, you have a single sheet that has everything incorporated perfectly and looks like a traditional cake.
Icing Tip Substitutions. If you’re new to cake decorating, the Internet is a great resource. You can find numerous tips and tricks to help make icing look more professional and eye-catching. Also, be sure to check out cake decorating videos online so you can get some practice with different techniques. The Internet is also a great place to get inspiration, especially if you’re struggling with a certain design or technique.
Crumb Tip Substitutions. If you are having trouble getting the crumb on your finished cake, don’t fret. Many experienced cake decorators make the mistake of not using enough sugar when making the crumb mixture. Instead, use a bit more than you think is necessary so you can still make beautiful cake-shaped crumbs. Watch your ingredients as they may seem like they only need a tiny amount, but in reality they need a whole lot.
