10 Tips For Baking Cake

Want to know the secrets to baking the perfect cake? Today I'm sharing my top 10 favorite baking tips. Whether you're a beginner baker or looking to fine-tune your skills, these tips will help you make a moist and perfectly baked cake every time.

Since launching my website in 2017, cake recipes are consistently the most popular with readers. I've received countless questions about substitutions, baking times, pan sizes, and the most popular cake baking issue - how to prevent dry cake.

Today I'm sharing ten tips that I've learned from years of baking, writing recipes, and fielding questions from readers like you.

Jump to:

• 1. Read the recipe before beginning
• 2. Measure flour properly
• 3. Room temperature ingredients
• 4. Don't substitute ingredients
• 5. Don't add extra wet ingredients
• 6. Don't overmix your batter
• 7. Baking times are suggestions
• 8. Checking for doneness
• 9. Allow cake to cool completely
• 10. Don't serve cake from the refrigerator
• More resources
• Comments

1. Read the recipe before beginning

This can prevent issues like realizing you don't have the correct ingredients, tools, or pan size on hand to make the recipe as intended.

2. Measure flour properly

This is the number one issue I see in baking. You probably don't even realize it's a problem!

Adding too much flour can cause the following issues:

• Bland flavor
• Dry cake
• Batter too thick to pour
• Cake cracks while baking

Use a kitchen scale (they cost as little as $10 Amazon - Kitchen scale) for accurate results every time. This is the only way I measure flour.

Want to see just how inaccurate measuring cups are? I conducted an experiment to compare measuring with a scale and measuring with cups.

Flour weight can vary based on brand and type, but the generally accepted weight for all-purpose flour is around 120 to 125 grams per cup. I weigh my flour at 120 grams for my recipes.

1. Measured with a scale - 120 grams. I filled the measuring cup until the weight on the scale reached 120 grams (the weight of 1 cup of flour).
2. Spoon and level method - 131 grams. Spoon the flour into a cup and level off the top with a knife. I recommend this when you don't have a scale.
3. Scooped with a measuring cup, leveled with a knife - 148 grams. Next, I did what I believe most home bakers do, scooping the flour straight from the container using the measuring cup.
4. Packed into the cup, leveled with a knife - 170 grams. Last, I had a little fun and packed the flour in, like you'd measure brown sugar. Don't try this at home!

The difference between properly measured all-purpose flour (120 grams) and scooping with the measuring cup (148 grams) adds an extra 23% flour to a recipe.

What happens if you add an extra 23% flour? Your baked goods turn out dry and bland.

3. Room temperature ingredients

Recipes may call for room temperature ingredients like eggs, butter, or cream cheese. In most cases, "room temperature" means around 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Why do we need room temperature ingredients?

• Ingredients incorporate fully into batter
• No butter clumps or egg streaks
• Cake bakes evenly
• Creamed butter and sugar helps cake rise in the oven

How do you bring ingredients to room temperature? Set ingredients on the counter for 30 minutes or more. Butter should be slightly firm and not greasy.

4. Don't substitute ingredients

Baking is a science and each ingredient serves a purpose. Making substitutions or omitting/reducing ingredients will change the flavor, texture, and rise of the baked good.

• Example: Cutting the sugar in half, or using a sugar substitute, will result in a dry cake. Sugar isn't just a sweetener. It also adds moisture, preserves the cake, and helps it rise in the oven.

Do you want to use different ingredients than what the recipe calls for? Instead of potentially wasting ingredients, do a Google search for what you'd like to make.

• Example: You're reading a chocolate sheet cake recipe and would like to make it vegan. The author doesn't specialize in vegan recipes and hasn't tested the recipe with vegan ingredients. Go to Google and search for 'vegan chocolate sheet cake' instead of attempting to alter the recipe.

There are millions of recipes on the internet and it's likely that a recipe has already been developed for what you'd like to make.

5. Don't add extra wet ingredients

I'm frequently asked by readers whether they can add extra wet ingredients to their cakes "to make sure it turns out moist". This happens because:

• Too much flour is measured into the recipe
• The cake is baked too long
• Other moisture adding ingredients are reduced (like sugar)

To combat this, home bakers add extra wet ingredients, like sour cream or oil, to balance with the extra flour they don't realize they've measured in.

If you've properly measured your ingredients and aren't omitting other ingredients, there's no reason to add extra wet ingredients to a recipe.

Adding too many wet ingredients can make a cake turn out dense, wet, or sink in the middle while baking.

6. Don't overmix your batter

Mix dry ingredients just enough to combine them into the batter. Overmixing overworks the gluten and can cause:

• Cake to turn out tough
• Excess air to get whipped into the batter
• Cake to sink in the middle

7. Baking times are suggestions

Baking times are the times that worked for the author at the time of baking. These times can vary based on:

• Brand of your oven
• Age of your oven
• Your altitude
• Time of year
• The current weather
• Type of pan used
• Baking rack position

Instead of relying on time alone, use visual cues to tell when your cake is done (see next tip).

Example: The author suggests a baking time of 16-18 minutes, but it's been 18 minutes and your cupcakes don't look done yet. Continue baking until your cupcakes pop back when gently pressed in the center. If it takes an extra 4 minutes of baking time, that's okay!

8. Checking for doneness

Don't rely on time alone. It's best to check for doneness using a combination of visual cues and temperature for a perfectly baked cake every time.

These are the steps I use every time I bake:

• Jiggle test - Jiggle the pan. Is your cake jiggly and liquid in the center? It needs more time.
• Spring back - Gently press the top of your cake. If it springs right back, it's done. If it leaves an indent, it needs more time.
• Thermometer - Use an instant read thermometer and test the center of your cake. It's done when it reaches 210F in the center.

Can I use the toothpick method? I don't like the toothpick method because it's unreliable and can come back 'clean' while the center isn't quite cooked through. If you don't have a thermometer, use the spring back method above.

9. Allow cake to cool completely

Cutting into a piping hot cake releases steam, AKA moisture. Releasing this steam makes your cake dry. Instead, allow it to cool completely to room temperature before slicing or frosting.

Many frostings are made with butter or shortening as the base, both of which melt at high temperatures. Frosting a hot cake will cause it to melt.

Warm cupcakes can stick to the wrapper. Once allowed to cool, they'll release easily from the sides.

10. Don't serve cake from the refrigerator

Butter-based cakes (like vanilla layer cake) will harden when refrigerated, just like butter does when it's cold.

Cold cake may feel dry and hard, but don't worry! Your cake isn't ruined.

If you have a refrigerated cake on hand, allow it to come to room temperature for an hour or more before serving. Your cake will go back to its original soft and spongy texture.

More resources

Here are more resources you may find helpful on your baking journey:

• King Arthur Flour - High-Altitude Baking - What to change, how to change it, and why.
• King Arthur Flour - Ingredient Weight Chart - Volume, ounces, and gram measurements for common ingredients.
• Joy of Baking - Baking Pan Sizes - Determine the volume of different pan sizes.
• Thermoworks - Doneness Temperatures for Baked Goods - Perfectly bake your next cake by checking its internal temperature for doneness.
• Wilton - Cake Serving Chart: Our Ultimate Guide to Perfect Portions - Need to serve cake for a crowd? Use this guide to determine how much cake you'll need.