Layered desserts that will make you the talk of the party
Aim high with our tips for cooking multi-layered cakes…
Whether it’s a birthday or an engagement party, a cake is a great way to celebrate a life milestone with family and friends. But why settle for one layer when you can have many?
Tiered cakes are no longer just for bakers and culinary experts. They can be made by anyone with an oven and the determination to make something beautiful. We know that making a layered cake isn’t easy, so we’ve put together a list of tips we’ve developed over the years.
Here’s how to make sure your multi-layered cake is a success…
- Read through the entire recipe before getting started. While people pay a lot of attention to the ingredients, it’s easy to skim over the method which can have devastating results, especially if you need an extended period of time between steps.
- Take note of the temperature of your ingredients (and oven). Don’t forget that baking is a science, and temperate is important during the preparation and cooking phase. For example, your butter needs to be softened in order to cream with the sugar properly and your oven cavity has to be properly heated for your cake batter to rise.
- Prepare your cake pans properly with butter and baking paper. Because there is nothing worse when making a cake from scratch, than patiently waiting for it to bake and cool, before realising that the cake is stuck to the dish and can’t be removed without ruining your base.
- Check the doneness beyond the clock. While recipes will usually provide the ideal time for baking, every oven is different, so make sure you check it yourself before taking the cake out of the oven. Your cake is done when it begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. When you touch the middle of the cake, you should feel a firm bounce-back.
- Never frost or cut a cake until it is completely cool. We know it can be tempting to cut a warm cake fresh from the oven, but doing this may result in cracks and crumbs that will make the cake lose its shape. Trying to ice a hot cake will either melt your icing or will see crumbs mix into the icing. For a smooth finish you really need a cool cake.
- Use steam in the cooking process. When using a NEFF steam oven, water is injected into the food at regular intervals which seals in all the flavours and ensures your cake stays moist. So, whether you’ve chosen a flavoursome orange cake or something more chocolatey, steam will let the individual flavours shine. In addition, NEFF’s steam oven uses a hot pressurised system that helps your cake cook evenly while retaining its moisture and flavour. Click here to learn more about why you should use steam when making cakes.
Want to test your new-found skills on some tall cakes from around The NEFF Kitchen? Here’s a list of layered cakes that will make your home-made dessert the talk of the party…
- Ultimate chocolate cake with dark chocolate ganache
- Festive gingerbread layer cake
- Cherry ripe layer cake
- Layered meringue cake
- Indulgent vanilla layer cake with white chocolate ganache
Learn more about how your NEFF appliances can help you take your culinary skills to the next level by booking a free product demonstration with our experienced home economists.