13 False Facts About Baking A Cake From Scratch You Should Ignore

One can't deny that any sort of celebration is incomplete without a decadent cake. Although the majority of people prefer getting cakes for special occasions from cake shops or grocery stores, many novice bakers are now attempting to bake their cakes from scratch instead. But more often than not, most inexperienced bakers struggle with baking the perfect cake even when they believe they are doing everything right, and somehow, they always blame it on the daunting process or their lack of polished baking skills.

Let me tell you this. After working as a pastry chef for over five years, I have realized that it's not just amateur baking skills that come in the way of baking a perfect cake from scratch, but also that home bakers believe certain false facts about it. While skills can be worked on, unless bakers choose to ignore these misconceptions about baking cakes, the chances of them getting their desired results will always stay minimal. So, I believe it's time to debunk these common false facts so that just about anyone can bake a flawless cake.

A fact about baking cakes that novice bakers often believe is that adding extra leavening agent will make their cake rise higher. Unfortunately, that's far from the truth. It's understandable why someone who doesn't have extensive baking knowledge would believe so, since leavening agents like baking powder and baking soda help a cake rise, and well, it's natural to think that the more you add, the better your cake will turn out. However, a fundamental rule in baking is that the ingredients' quantities must be precise, and leavening agents are no exception. When you add an excess of either leavening agent to a cake batter, the problem may not seem as obvious initially, however, it begins once the cake starts baking.

In general, leavening agents help a cake rise by producing carbon dioxide while it is baking. But, an excess amount of them will produce extra large bubbles of carbon dioxide instead, which may seem like they are making the cake rise, but are bound to quickly collapse. This will lead to a cake that rises rapidly while baking, but sinks soon after. Another common issue stemming from using excess leavening agents is a metallic aftertaste, considering their chemical composition, and hence, it is best to stick to the amount mentioned in the recipe.

If you've ever made the mistake of working with cold ingredients while making a cake batter from scratch, you probably know where this is going. Certain ingredients should be at room temperature before working with them to bake a good cake from scratch, and those of you who have believed otherwise have probably faced the misfortune of making a dense cake. When it comes to basic ingredients used in cake making like eggs, milk, butter, and yogurt, it is best to let them sit out for a while before you start working on your batter.

Since it may seem difficult to pinpoint exactly how room temperature ingredients work differently than cold ones, let me explain why this step is crucial for all the mentioned ingredients. Starting with eggs, they need to be at room temperature as they are less viscous then and whip better, resulting in a smooth and airy batter. Butter, as we all know, is softer at room temperature and whips more evenly, generating even-sized air pockets for a spongy cake. Lastly, you should use room temperature milk and yogurt, as, if these dairy products are added to whipped butter while cold, they are likely to freeze the milk solids and create lumps that will eventually turn your cake dense.

Although excessive mixing may be beneficial for certain recipes, it surely isn't the case for most cakes. Overmixing a cake batter will do the exact opposite of what the false fact suggests, and hence, it's crucial to start ignoring it. Since overmixing can ruin a cake's delicate texture, most cake recipes usually recommend adding the flour to the batter towards the end, and mixing it only until it's all combined. All of this is because most cakes are made with all-purpose or cake flour, and since they contain gluten, overmixing will result in excessive gluten development. The excess gluten will unfortunately give your cake a more bread-like texture rather than the spongy one that you were hoping for.

It's helpful to note that on the contrary, overmixing is instead preferred for gluten-free cakes. Gluten-free cakes generally use xanthan gum, which works in a similar way as gluten does, as it binds ingredients together, provides structure, and prevents the cake from crumbling. Overmixing the cake won't result in the gum getting sticky, but will rather make it disperse more evenly within the batter. That being said, it is also essential not to mix gluten-free cake batters more than what's called for in the recipe, as excessive mixing can still have adverse effects on the rest of the ingredients in the cake.

Have you ever made a cake that looks divine on the outside, and then you cut into it and all you see is clumps of unmixed flour? If your answer is yes, you've probably believed the false fact that it's okay to skip sifting the dry ingredients before adding them to a cake batter. This step, although seemingly pointless, is crucial for preparing a good cake. The logical reason behind this is — sifting gets rid of clumps in the dry ingredients. Of course, not all dry ingredients may have clumps, but it's highly likely with flour, considering how tightly it is packed in its original packaging. In case you're wondering whether you should sift the flour before or after measuring it, my recommendation will always be to measure first and then sift, unless a recipe asks otherwise.

Other than getting rid of those clumps and ensuring your cake batter turns out smooth, sifting also helps distribute dry ingredients more evenly. This is especially important for leavening agents, as, if you don't sift them before adding them to a cake batter, the chances of them reacting with the rest of the ingredients as well as they should reduce drastically, due to their uneven distribution.

Technically, leavening agents don't really expire the same way perishable foods do. So, if you leave a box of baking powder or soda in your kitchen cabinet for an extended period, the chances of them getting moldy are low. But, that doesn't mean they can't lose their leavening abilities over time. Using these leavening agents past their expiry dates isn't the best idea, as they will make your cake flat and also dense. If you've so far believed that using expired leavening agents won't really make any difference to how your cake turns out, it's time to start ignoring this false fact, now that you know the potential consequences.

In case your stocked leavening agents are close to their expiry date and you're doubtful about their leavening abilities, you can carry out a few tests to check their effectiveness. For baking powder, mix a teaspoon with about ⅓ cup of warm water. If the mixture starts to bubble up, your baking powder is still effective and can be used. Similarly, to test baking soda's leavening abilities, add a teaspoon to a bowl and top it with just a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar. If you notice the mixture fizzing up, the baking soda can be used in a cake recipe, as it will effectively make it rise along with giving it a spongy texture.

Many amateur bakers have come to believe that ingredients can be added to a cake batter in any order without significantly impacting the final outcome. If only this were true! For cake recipes, it is imperative to follow a specific order to get the desired results, because unless each ingredient is added at the right stage in the batter making process, it may not work to its full potential. Let's understand this better with an example. As many of you may know, plenty of cake recipes start with creaming butter and sugar, which needs to be done to give the cake an airy base. Now, imagine a situation where you've directly added butter and sugar to the dry ingredients and are trying to mix it all into a cake batter. Will the result be smooth and airy? Unfortunately, not even a little bit.

Similarly, as noted, the reason behind adding flour to most cake recipes in the end is that it reduces the chances of overmixing and excess gluten development. Hence, when baking a cake, it is always ideal to follow the method mentioned in the recipe to the T.

It's safe to say that lately, most of us want things to be as quick as possible, including baking a cake. Considering that, some budding bakers often believe that baking a cake at a higher temperature will bake it faster without affecting its texture. Sadly though, this is a false fact and baking a cake at a temperature higher than necessary may cause a lot more damage than you may have thought.

In reality, cakes need to be in the oven at a certain temperature and for a specific amount of time for them to bake evenly all over. A higher temperature will surely bake the cake faster, but mostly just the edges, since the cake pan will absorb excess heat. This may result in uneven heat distribution which can cause the edges to burn, while leaving the center raw and inedible. While a cake like this can be salvaged later on, the results won't be on par with one that's baked at the right temperature from the get-go. It may be really tempting to get your cake to bake faster, but for it to bake properly, it's always better to let it take its own sweet time in the oven and at the right temperature.

A common misconception that newbie bakers need to start ignoring is that the oven door can be opened anytime to check if a cake is ready. Although it may be okay to take a peek at your meal while cooking something on a stove top, opening the oven door while a cake is still midway through baking is a big no-no. Baking a cake in an oven works a lot differently than cooking something on a stove top, and opening the oven door too early will definitely make it sink. This happens due to how heat is distributed in an oven.

Once you switch your oven on, the heat distribution inside it is even, which helps a cake bake uniformly. When you open the oven door halfway through baking, all the hot air from the oven escapes, resulting in a sudden temperature drop. This sudden temperature change causes the air pockets created by the leavening agents to collapse, especially in the center, as its structure would still be weak halfway through baking, making it more prone to collapsing. Hence, it is best to check your cake's doneness only after the buzzer goes off and if it needs a little more time in there, be gentle with the oven door while closing it, as slamming can also make a fully baked cake collapse.

It's normal to assume that adding extra sugar to a cake will make it extra sweet. While that will happen, the excess sugar will also affect the cake's texture, although many home bakers, especially inexperienced ones, tend to believe otherwise. This is because most people don't know that sugar does a lot more for baked goods than making them sweet.

Sugar is naturally hygroscopic, which means it has the ability to attract and hold water molecules. This hygroscopic nature of sugar helps make a cake moist by holding on to water. When you add more sugar than required to a cake batter, the excess will end up attracting more water than needed, leading to negative consequences like making the cake overly moist and crumbly, further causing it to fall apart easily while slicing or frosting. For those of you who like your cake to be extra sweet, I always recommend brushing the cake with a simple syrup once it's ready or using a highly sweet frosting, instead of adding extra sugar to the cake batter and ruining its delicate texture.

Many bakers prepare their cake batter meticulously, ensuring they get every step right. However, regardless of making the perfect cake batter, sometimes, their cake doesn't turn out as good as expected. While it is unfortunate, it is also the consequence of believing the false fact that a well-made cake batter is all that determines how your cake will eventually turn out. Of course, if you make a cake batter properly, it should technically result in a good cake and in most cases, it will. But, there's plenty of other factors that can sometimes hinder the process.

When baking a cake from scratch, common factors that determine how it will turn out are often overlooked, which include things like if the air circulation in your oven is even, whether your oven has any hot spots, and even which rack the cake is placed on while baking. All these factors can collectively lead to a cake baking unevenly and give you undesirable results despite using a well-prepared batter. Other than how well your oven is functioning, you should also be careful about things like greasing your pans properly and letting the cake rest for a sufficient amount of time before removing it from the pan, as these factors can also make or break your homemade cake.

The toothpick test is a common way to check if a cake is fully baked, but many home bakers believe it to be the only reliable way to do so. As it turns out, this is a false fact and there are plenty of other ways to determine whether a cake is fully baked or not. Some of these methods are more preferred by professional bakers for certain types of cakes.

For instance, chocolate cake and carrot cake usually have an extra moist texture and using a toothpick to check their doneness isn't the best way to go about. Due to their high moisture content, crumbs often stick to the toothpick once it's inserted in the cake, despite being fully baked. This can be misleading for inexperienced bakers, which may result in them over-baking these cakes and turning them dry. So, instead of relying solely on the toothpick test, it is better to consider other ways to check a cake's doneness, like pressing it gently to see if it springs back.

While it is possible to swap sugar for liquid sweetener in a cake recipe, swapping it for an equal amount is bound to lead to disappointment. If you have believed this false fact so far and even practiced it while making a cake, you may have noticed that your cake always turns out extra dense. As is evident, liquid sweeteners have a lot more moisture than sugar. This moisture retains itself in the cake even after it is fully baked and ends up turning it extra dense and heavy. Liquid sweeteners also don't aerate a batter the same way sugar does when it is creamed with butter, leading to a flatter cake. Furthermore, some liquid sweeteners also have other flavor notes, and using them in excess may cause them to overpower the actual subtle flavor of the cake.

When swapping sugar for liquid sweetener, you should start with half the amount as the sugar and gradually add more if needed, depending on the type of sweetener you are using. Moreover, try reducing the amount of liquid used in the recipe by a quarter, to bring down the moisture content further.

Let's be real, the fact that the color of a cake pan can affect how a cake bakes may sound utterly ridiculous. While the thought is rational, the fact of the matter is still that darker cake pans absorb a lot more heat than lighter ones due to their dark color. This excess heat absorption can indeed have an effect on the way a cake bakes, proving the contrary to be a false fact.

Since darker cake pans end up absorbing more heat, the chances of a cake's sides getting over baked are quite high, especially if you bake the cake at the same temperature as you would while using a lighter pan. Moreover, once you sense the cake's sides overbaking, you might take it out of the oven before the center is fully set, causing it to sink. But, fortunately, baking a cake in a dark pan doesn't always have to go south. You'll just have to take a few precautions while using a dark cake pan, like reducing the oven's temperature by 25 degrees Fahrenheit, and also checking the cake's doneness 5-7 minutes before the oven's timer goes off.