From novices fumbling and familiarizing themselves around a kitchen to a seasoned veteran who has complete knowledge about the ins and outs of a bakery, everyone feels a unique attraction for baking cakes.
The number of festivals, birthdays, and functions that are celebrated every year see a lot of cake being baked around the world.
However, very few people are familiar with how to make a cake rise higher.
In this article, we’ll learn how to do that.
How to Make a Cake Rise Higher
Baking a flat cake is always a constant fear among bakers worldwide as it ruins the flavor profile and the consistency of the entire cake. The higher the cake, the lighter it feels on your taste buds, the fluffier it gets in consistency, and the more attractive it looks visually.
Although there are a lot of cake mixes right now in the market, there can even be a situation where the best cake mixes will result in a botched cake.
To avoid such disastrous and embarrassing situations, here are a few basic steps that will ensure that your cake rises beautifully and you can make a delicious cake.
Step 1: Investing in an Oven Thermometer
The first step also happens to be the simplest step here. Although every oven has a built-in thermostat, they are nowhere near as accurate or effective, as is the case when most ovens run on hotter temperatures than the one they have been set on.
Having an oven thermometer can go a long way in determining the exact temperature of the oven regardless of the setting it’s in.
It’s also worth mentioning that ovens may have uneven heating areas that can be identified simply by filling sheet pans with breadcrumbs and tossing them into a heated oven for a bit. The patterns and consistency of the breadcrumb will make the identification process quite simple.
Step 2: Proper Execution of Creaming
Creaming is the process of beating the butter and sugar together to shorten them. The mixture has to be smooth with no chances of separation. Creaming helps create the air, which makes your cake rise.
It is something that should not be compromised as it helps to make the cake smooth and well-distributed. And it’s best to maintain the timeframe for beatings and the ingredient ratio for the creaming.
Step 3: Adhering to the Recipe
Many might think that baking is all about letting your creativity take control and playing with different ingredients. However, the best cakes are made when the recipe is followed to the letter. Baking a cake in a sense is nothing short of a scientific process.
The cake mix provides most of the height to a cake. In order for that to happen, the mix needs to be beaten properly for a certain amount of time for the batter to be airy. It’s best to start beating the mixture with a timer in hand for the best results. Avoid adding anything extra into the batter as it may ruin the final texture of the cake.
Step 4: Including Eggs in Batter
Many might consider using leavening agents to make the cakes rise and become fluffier. But in all honesty, there is a much organic substitute to the chemical touch of these leavening agents.
Adding eggs is a very popular tactic when making baked goods and desserts. The simple reason behind is that it elevates and upgrades their flavor by miles.
It makes the cakes become super fluffy and helps them to rise smoothly as well. If your baking a plain cake, consider beating eggs into the batter individually.
For best results, keep eggs at room temperature before beating them and adhere to the beating time of the recipe. Make sure not to put in too many eggsas there is the risk of the cake becoming too heavy and dense.
Step 5: Having Proper Amounts of Batter
One of the concerns of using a ready-made cake mix is the risk of them being too little in amount. In order to not have a flat cake, it’s best to ensure that the batter reaches at least half of the sides of the pan.
There are lots of websites that can help you understand how much batter you would need for any pan with the help of conversion charts. Make sure the batter maintains the proper amount for the cake to rise nicely. (Here is a nice option to know more about pan sizes and conversion charts!)
Step 6: Maintaining the Right Oven Temperature
The oven temperature plays a significant role in the structure of the cake as well as helping the baking powder create ample air bubbles for the cake to rise properly. Only the proper oven temperature can ensure that a cake will set properly.
Overheating the oven will cause the cake to rise too quickly and drop in the center even before it can set. It’s best to do a test run to understand the proper oven temperature with your batter.
One of the pre-requisites, in this case, must be to pre-heat the oven. Be sure to give your oven a proper cleaning on a timely basis to ensure consistent heating.
Step 7: Not Letting the Batter Set
There are many cases where a cake doesn’t reach the desired height because of the batter having already set around the edges of the pan a bit too fast. This stifles the growth of the cake and messes up the density. In such scenarios, lower the baking heat by 15 to 20 degrees and have it bake a bit longer.
Using insulated baking strips is also quite a helpful measure to solve this issue. They prevent the batter from hardening at the sides and make the cake rise higher. It’ll also prevent the cake from having an ugly dome-like figure at the middle as well as the sides of the batter from hardening too fast.
Conclusion
Just like that, you’ll have a beautifully fluffy cake with some incredible height! The next time you enter a kitchen and look to bake a cake, you’ll know exactly how to impress your guests or family with a delectable cake!
Now that you know how to make a cake rise higher with ease, the rest will only be smooth sailing from here on out! So go get those ingredients, grab your apron, and pre-heat your oven! It’s high time everyone becomes shocked by your newly honed baking skills over your next party!