Cake Baking

Instructions

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   A moist, beautifully frosted cake is the crown jewel of baking accomplishments.

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   The art of baking perfect cakes is still the highest achievement of baking technique.

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   Premix cakes are very good, but are also expensive and require much of the same baking knowledge as baking from scratch.

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   You must always carefully follow each step of the formula's directions.

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   Your baking environment is different from anyone else's.

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   Your oven will bake differently, your mixer will mix differently, the temperature of the pre-mix ingredients or your fresh ingredients will be different.

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   Even the humidity of your kitchen will be different.

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   You are unique and because of your being unique, the problems you face will be different from anyone else's.

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   Cake baking isn't difficult, it just demands close attention to each detail of the project.

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    Cake baking technique is not forgiving, when you make a mistake ... the project is ruined.

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    Read the formula's methods of ingredient combination carefully, think positively, throw in a handful of common sense and you will make perfectly baked cakes time after time.

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    Many bakers make cake from premixed ingredients which will produce excellent cakes.

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    When using a batter made from a premix you will find my methods of preparation, baking tips, icing tips, and cake handling tips to be of value.

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    Using premixed ingredients saves a little time and reduces the needed skill level as far as scaling and mixing goes.

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    However, all the other parts of cake handling is exactly the same as making from scratch.

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    Using my suggestions will save you time and money no matter which form of mixing you chose.

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    YOUR OVENS Ovens have a tendency to have wide swings in the temperature they hold.

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    When they are heating up, the temperature may rise several degrees past the setting.

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    When they reach the setting, the heat source turns off.

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    The time they are actually heating, at the required setting, will vary with how well the oven is insulated.

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    Each time the oven automatically turns on and off signals a swing in temperature which is different from what you pre-set.

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    A setting of 350, or 360, or 370 degrees may result in a perfect average between heating and cooling periods.

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    The way to know your oven's perfect average is to experiment.

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    Experimenting is time consuming, but once you know, everything you bake will be better because of your effort.

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    Set your oven at 350 degrees and heat for about twenty minutes.

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    Use a premix box of white cake or scratch and mix according to directions.

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    Fill a round cake pan with the suggested amount of batter.

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    Place the cake into the oven on the center shelf and in the center of the oven.

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    Bake for the suggested amount of time.

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    The only variable will be the baking temperature.

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    At the end of the suggested time, remove the first layer from the oven and let it cool.

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    While the layer is cooling, turn the oven up to 360 degrees and wait 15 minutes to heat.

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    Place a second layer in the oven and again bake for the suggested time.

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    At the end of the suggested time, remove the second layer from the oven and turn the oven up to 370 degrees.

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    Wait 15 minutes to heat, then place a third layer in and bake for the suggested time.

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    Remove the third layer after the suggested time and let all three layers cool.