Renowned baker shares tips for baking the perfect cake
Learn how to make the perfect cake with these tips from baker VKings.
Baking the perfect cake doesn't have to be mission impossible.
Chef VKings, the owner of VKings Kitchen, says what makes one a good baker is having passion - and loads of practice.
He says his love for baking was developed at a young age when he watched his grandmother bake. He then taught himself how to bake from watching YouTube videos and later attended chefs forums to upskill his talent.
Soon after that, he found himself making cakes for weddings and parties.
He currently runs his own cake business, VKings Kitchen.
So, what does it take to make the perfect cake? VKings shares his tips below:
- Follow the recipe step by step and use the right ingredients
“From my experience and few flop cakes that I had when learning, I came to realise that we do not differentiate the type of cakes we bake - from a sponge, oil based and butter cake etc.
“The texture of the cakes is different. For instance, butter cake is denser, while sponge cake is more fluffy. So, if you don’t use the correct ingredients and don't follow the recipe, you might end up with a different cake than what you wanted to bake."
VKings says it is important to follow the right steps.
"When the recipe says mix eggs first and add sugar and oil - some might add both ingredients at the same time and use butter instead of oil.” He says this will affect how the cake comes out.
He adds that you must use baking butter and not spread butter, because that will affect the taste.
- Weigh your ingredients correctly
“As a baker, you must use the right measurements,” says VKings.
Some people don’t like to measure with measuring tools, instead, they measure with their eyes. VKings says using the wrong measurements might affect the cake and cause it to flop.
- Set the right oven temperature
VKings says it is important to know and understand your oven.
“Ovens differ. There are conventional and convection ovens. Then there are those ovens that even if the temperature is set correctly on the dial, the temperature inside your oven might not be correct.” Baking at the wrong temperature can affect how your cake comes out.
You can check your oven with a heatproof thermometer to make sure that your dial is accurate.
“Remember to ensure your oven is on bake and not grill,” says Vkings.
- Use the right pan
“The batter must be appropriate for the pan you are using. You can’t use a bigger pan because your cake won’t be a perfect size, and you can’t use a smaller one because your cake is going rise,” says VKings.
Lastly, VKings says you must always “wait for the cake to cool down before you put on icing or any filling.”