I am receiving too many questions regarding baking, so I decided it is high time to do a separate post on baking tips for beginners. I am not a professional baker or an expert in baking but will share with you what I know and what I learn't from my personal experiences and from various books on baking.
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| Image source -Microsoft free pictures |
1.Measurement is very important in baking. Use standard measuring cups and spoons.Also you can invest in a small kitchen scale for weighing ingredients. For example if the recipe calls for 1 cup of flour, do not tightly pack the cup with flour, instead lightly spoon it and level if off with a knife.So stick to correct measurements.
2.Before you start to bake, read the recipe 2-3 times and see if you have all the ingredients. Keeping all the ingredients ready will save you a lot of time,energy and mess. Neatly spread a newspaper on the kitchen platform as it saves the trouble of cleaning the kitchen platform after baking.
3.Bring all the ingredient to room temperature.Keep all the ingredient ready an hours before you start baking to bring it to room temperature.
4.Use fresh ingredients. Using old stock maida (all purpose flour), baking powder will not give you desirable results.Get good quality brands.
5.Prepare the pan before starting.Grease and flour the pan. Grease and flour means take a little melted butter or oil and spread it all over the pan and dust it lightly with flour. Alternatively you can line the baking tray with parchment paper as this will help to remove the cake easily from the pan when it has been baked.Cleaning also becomes easier.
6.If you are using dry fruits or nuts, mix it with a little flour and keep it ready. This is done so that the nuts and fruits will not go and settle at the bottom of the cake.
7.Always preheat the oven before mixing the dry ingredients as once you mix the maida, you have to bake immediately otherwise the cake will become hard. Normally I preheat my OTG oven at 180 Degree C for 10 -15 minutes unless otherwise mentioned.
8.Don’t over mix once the dry ingredients are added. Just fold it gently with a wooden spatula.If using an electric mixer, mix in very low speed until incorporated.
9.Use the middle rack for baking unless otherwise specified in the recipe.
10.Avoid opening the oven door frequently due to curiosity when the cake is baking as the cake will sink.
11.Avoid over baking.Once the baking time is over, check the cake by inserting a toothpick in the center of the cake and if it comes out clean, then the cake is done otherwise bake for a few more minutes.
12.Cool the cake completely before frosting.
Solutions to some problems while baking cakes
Cake is dry - Cake is over baked or you have over mixed or over whipped the ingredients.
Cake stuck to the pan -You did not prepare the pan properly or you have removed the cake when it is too hot.
Cake did not rise - you have opened the oven door frequently thereby allowing hot air to escape or you have over mixed the ingredients.
Cake is not soft - you have to bake immediately after mixing the dry ingredients.If you keep it for a long time, the cake will not be soft.
Cake is soggy - It will be soggy, if you leave it to cool for a long time in the pan.
Cake did not cook properly or cracked - Oven temperature must have been too low.
Readers can add any new tips, they have learn't from their experience in the comments section, so that it will be useful for many newbies out there.
Finally do not give up if you have failed once or twice, with practice you will soon learn the art of baking and enjoy it.
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this is a real good post, thank you for sharing... :)
ReplyDeletejob well done :) i seriously got so many information !
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot for your useful tips of baking.
ReplyDeleteDeepa
Hi Padhu, thanks for sharing your baking tips. Very useful information.
ReplyDeleteHappy valentine's day to you.
very useful post dear... thanks for sharing....
ReplyDeleteVery useful post.. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips. surely help beginners.:)
ReplyDeleteWow all doubts and questions in a single post !! It is really of great help. Thank you :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing padhu - they are so useful. i just want to add one point - we should only give 10 minutes of rest time for the cake in the bake pan,after 10 min we should move that to cooling rack(more or less of 10 minutes makes a big difference). this is a common note i read in many baking books and also my self experience.
ReplyDeleteVery useful post, Padhu! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI had a question. Some recipes call for milk, some curd and some oil as wet ingredients. Are they interchangable? What is the role of each item in baking?
thanks a lot, this is a very useful post for beginners..
ReplyDeleteGreat and luvly tips! thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWow....wonderful post...great info's.....thanks for sharing da.....
ReplyDeleteQuirkygirl - To my knowledge the ingredients are not interchangeable.But you can substitute- For example- you can use melted butter as a substitute for oil.you can substitute milk instead of water. Well! that needs a separate post.
ReplyDeleteGood post Padhu definitely an useful one for everyone :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful tips,thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteGood sharing...tips are always useful...lots of info...
ReplyDeletevery useful tips
ReplyDeleteVery useful post with tips.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this post... This is very helpful to me.. A baking newbie..
ReplyDeleteAll the recipes are easy to understand and can be cooked easily.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the recipes.
Rajani.
Very useful post padhu like beginners like me,willbe glad if u make pic. post with oven details
ReplyDeleteI dont have an oven. How to make cake using microwave ?
ReplyDeletemy cake was hard at the top
ReplyDeletecan u give some tips for steaming in pressure cooker txs
ReplyDeleteGr8 post . I have a microwave with convection mode. How to preheat the oven? What temp to cook cake and for how long?
ReplyDeletethank you padhu, i have entered this baking world and is slowly picking up. this is very useful to me.
ReplyDeleteUseful tips
ReplyDeleteOnce i have preheated the oven whether i should switch it off or i can just keep the baking tray. Im not sure of this at all please reply me. As im very new to baking.
ReplyDeleteYou should preheat the over for 10 or 15 minutes.After that it will automatically switch off. Then you have to keep the baking tray inside and set the time again for baking and switch it on.
ReplyDeletehey
ReplyDeletemay i ask you few questions
like whats the brand and size of the otg u use?
whats the biggest size of cake u can bake in it?
can we bake two 7 or 8 inch cake in a 28L otg?
i am starter in baking..n planning to get an otg..but u knw right so confusing
is convection req in otg?
coz i was wondering with convection we can bake a cake n a tray of cookies togther as due to fan thr wil b even temp distribution while w/o convection thr might nt b evn cooking in cake n cookies...right??
sorry so many ques..
please have the patience and do reply
thanks in advance :)
I use Morphy Richards OTG oven.THis oven is just enough for a family of 4. You cannot bake two 7 inch or 8 inch cake in my oven. I do not know about the 28L OTG.
DeleteOTG ovens will bake cookies also well.
ohh..okk..
Deleteu din mention size of ur oven..
btw i jst tried ur eggless ragi cake in pressure cooker..
i have tried many diff recipes frm diff sites for this..
but this is the perfect one ..though i din use the choco sauce..only icing sugar..and my batter required 1/4 cup extra liquid..n i used warm water..
thnx fr the recipe..
Dear Padhu, your recipes are very nice and you motivate me alot to try them without any hesitation. Well I have a doubt. Is it necessary to use oil for the carrot cake. If yes then will normal cooking oil do? if no then can I replace with butter. Then whats the measurement of the butter.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot Josephine for liking my website and recipes. Regarding your doubt -You can use any flavorless cooking oil.
DeleteHi Padhu,
ReplyDeleteI am new to baking. After watching many YouTube videos I am now ready to invest in some bakeware. I see lot of spring form tins in the market. Would you recommend buying this (I think it is aluminum with non stick coating and springform for loosening the cake) or should I just stick to regular aluminum tins?
Also, I have a cooking range with oven below. It has a mesh rack and a tray. Here are some doubt's
1. While baking cake is it OK to leave the tray in the lower slot below the rack or will it affect the cake in terms of reduced direct heat?
2. Can this tray be used directly as a tray to make cookies by adding a parchment paper on it?
Looking forward to your inputs. Thanks in advance.
Ramya
If you want spring form pans, you can buy but not necessary. I use only ordinary aluminium pans for baking.
DeleteIn OTG the lower tray is usually the crumb tray to avoid spillage.
It is always better to use parchment paper when making cookies.
what size morphy richards are you using?? can it bake 1 kg cake??
ReplyDeleteHi.... i have OTG oven... i tried baking cakes for nearly 4 times and it ended up in disaster... my cake gets over baked outside and inside its not cooked propery and when i tatste it i get flour taSte rather than a cake.. :(... i dont know where i am going wrong.. could u help me out?
ReplyDeleteOTG oven bakes cakes very well. Are you not mixing the batter properly or you might have set the temperature too low.
DeleteHi..could you please specify what kind of sugar we should use while baking cake.if its mentioned as just powdered sugar in the recipe then we should powder the granulated sugar or use icing sugar..thanks..
ReplyDeleteIf it is mentioned just sugar it is granulated sugar otherwise I will specify it clearly whether it is castor sugar or brown sugar or icing sugar etc.
DeleteMine is Bajaj OTG.
ReplyDeleteCan I use silicon cake tray in OTG.
Or aluminium tray is best for OTG?
After reading recipes from your site, I want to try baking in OTG.
Also where can I get parchment paper for cookies for making it in OTG.
I personally prefer to use aluminium tray for baking. You get parchment paper in all shops which sell baking accessories.
DeleteMam i made two cakes today for first time ever...but it contains eggy smell also oily taste:(
ReplyDeleteYou did not mention which cake you made. Anyway try adding a little more vanilla essence. Also I use only small eggs (not large eggs)for all my cake recipes. Make sure that you cook the cake well.
DeleteHi Padhu. I'm a great admirer of ur website n whenever I cook sme veg dishes I always refer ur recipie. I tried ur zebra cake for this Christmas n it came out excellent. I would like to mention tat I had STEAMED it using an idli steamer n it came out exactly like a baked cake. Thanks for ur steamed banana cake recipe
ReplyDeleteHey, where do you place the crumb tray while baking?
ReplyDeleteIt is placed at the bottom of the oven to collect crumbs which may fall during baking or gilling.
DeleteWow, your recipes are very easy to follow and has all the details.. I am recommending your website to my friends too.. Continue the good job, cheers!!
ReplyDeleteHi! A quick question. Wonderful tips here.. I just want to know if both the heating rod's have to be on while baking?
ReplyDeleteOnly the bottom rod for baking. If you want light browning on the top, top rod in the end for just 1 or 2 minutes.
DeleteHello mam. Yet another fan of you and your recipes. Thanks for helping me learn this new skill of cooking. I prepare a number of recipes from your site and most of the time they come out well.
ReplyDeleteMam, could you please help all your readers understand the individual role of some standard ingredients in baking like baking powder, baking soda, curd, vinegar, milk, eggs etc.
Could you please let me know what is the general replacement for eggs in any cake for those who are vegetarian. Is it curd or baking soda or vinegar or what else???
Thanks.
Thank you Mona for liking my recipes.
DeleteYou can use 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce in place of 1 egg
or 1/4 cup vegetable oil or 1/4 cup of buttermilk or yogurt in place of 1 egg.
Ma'am, at what temperature and how much time to bake this parle g and hide and seek biscuit cake?
DeleteBake in a preheated oven at 180 degree C. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Check my parle G biscuit recipe for more details.
DeleteThanks for sharing the tips paddy.it will be very useful
ReplyDeleteHi padhus .I tried almost all ur baking recipes n south indian recipes.ur recipes r full proof.wenever im in doubt which recipe I hd to follow I just search padhus kitchen n follow ur recipes blindly.
ReplyDeleteHi padhus just tried ur traditional Christmas cake n it came out super as always. Love u
ReplyDeleteHi I have brought new Morphy Richards 18 ltrs OTG posted queries in many site but didn't got reply plz help
ReplyDelete1)when I made cup cake in silicon mold my cake was nice but bottom layer was burnt
2)I tried litti bihari dish but instead of browning it was black at bottom.In bake mode my oven has to set bottom rod on is that wrong..And Kept temperature 180c for cake and litti
Try keeping it in the middle rack and use only the bottom coil/rod when baking.
DeleteMam iam using middle rack but then also burning
DeleteCheck your oven temperature. Read your oven manual regarding the temperature settings.
DeleteHi Padhu
ReplyDeleteI got a new Bajaj otg and tried your easy moist chocolate cake. Set the temperature at 180 and baked for more than 40 mins. Still cake is uncooked.. The same recipe I have tried in proper oven and it came out well. What could be the problem now
If it is not cooked, keep it for another 5-6 minutes. First time you have to keep checking. Once you get used, you can set the time and go.
DeleteHi padhu even I own 18ltr otg Morphy Richards Bt when I bake cake at 180degree I think oven become too hot n cake remains uncooked in d middle so at what temp u bake cake in 18ltr Morphy Richards otg n how preheat at what temp
ReplyDeleteYou have to find out the right temperature by experimenting. If it is too hot, reduce the temperature setting to 170 or 175 degree C. You can preheat the oven for 10 mins at 180 degree C before baking the cake.
DeletePlease tell which heating rod to turn on for various items like bake veg in white sauce, cake ( mostly lower one I think) , etc
ReplyDeleteExcept for grilling, I use the lower rod for everything. I use the upper rod only for browning the top.
DeleteHi padhu..I almost learnt cooking from your recipes..now everyone appreciate my cooking skills,Thanks to you..
ReplyDeleteBut I've never done baking before..I'm planning to buy a good oven..the options are really confusing..what kind of oven should I buy which serves all purposes.. I live in Qatar..hoping to see your reply soon..