Story of my baking -
Planning - Planning started a couple of months ago. I had decided it is high time I did some baking. What am I scared of. When we were in US, I did try making muffin a couple of time and cake once. It came out ok. I remember being stressed. So I went to the store. Walked the isles a few times. So many options. All look the same. What to buy. Bought a few stuff. Came home. That was last week.
Saturday morning - Oh, I did not get x and y. Back to the store. Bought all that. All set.
Sleep deprived me the whole of saturday night. Had nightmares of me falling into a pile of raisins (you guess right, I was going to make a fruit cake). Then I kept stirring at the batter till it woke me up cause I thought I was burning my cake. You guess it, I thought of all possible things including baking myself inside the oven. It will be all fine - I kept telling myself.
Woke up in the morning. Was in a crappy mood. I kept telling my husband - I am scared. Please make everything alright. He was being supportive, poor guy. Hung around in the kitchen while I was trying to make breakfast.
Then realized, I did not have the right tray. Back to store. It was so cold yesterday. Walked all the way and back cursing myself for not getting it yesterday.
Baking - I decided to use Priya's recipe. I have been following her blog for some time now and like her recipes. She made it all sound simple. Mixed everything up. Greased the pan, poured batter and put it in the oven. Waited for 35-40 min.
Result - The centre of the cake was falling apart. The hard part tasted so good. I wish the whole cake had come out good.
Possible faults - This is based on what I think I did wrong and also on googling.
1. I may have stirred the batter after adding everything a little too long
2. I set the oven to 350F (175C). Should I have reduced the temp? The outside of the cake was all browned up and the inside was mushy
3. I did not let the cake cool before I turned it over. After I took out of the oven, I kept it for a few minutes. Could not wait to see what had happened. No patience you see.
4. I did test with a cake tester. The pin came out wet at 35 minutes. But when I tried at 40 min, it was dry. May be I hit a dry patch :-(
Anyways, the end result is really buttery and fruity cake in the parts that was hard. And the rest was all guey :-( Now I am looking at the experts in the blogging world to help me... PLEASEEEE... I do not want to give up. What can I do to make it alright next time???
This is the upside down photo after I tipped it from the pan. See how the centre has a dip
Check the stickiness of the cake. some portions were worse than this.
I understand the feeling when you put lot of effort and the result is not what you expected. I have had this problem when I made my first chicken curry. I made the gravy and it tasted superb. Then I added chicken and closed the lid of pressure cooker. When I opened it all I got was a black chicken curry :)
ReplyDeleterosh, dont give up on baking. i was having the same initial trouble like you...but now i am able to bake even homemade bread, dinner roll and lots other stuff (though i am not a pro still). i will send you some tips soon.
ReplyDeleteSankar - so hopefully I will become a baking queen as you have become a chicken king :-)
ReplyDeleteSree - Do send me tips as what to do and what not to
ReplyDeleteHi Roshni, everyone have a story of their first baking experience.It happens to everybody, not just you. The tricky part is keep going, try few other ones, then you will come to know a lot about your oven. What I think went wrong here is that you kept the cake tray in the top most part of the oven and not in the middle. I am just guessing ..;)
ReplyDeleteHope to see lot of great baking recipes from you in the future.All the best.
Thanks Sumi for the encouragement! Am planning to try something again this weekend or may be next so that I have some more confidence :-)
ReplyDeleteOh thats sad Roshni, even i had this sort of disasters when i started baking,first of all we should know about our oven,its all depending upon them, each and every oven varies the baking times,sometimes the bakes can get bake before and later depending upon ur mould,preheating temperature and quantity of ingredients u went for,hope to see lot of bakes from u in future,never give up..DOnt worry ROshni,hope u will rock soon..
ReplyDeleteThanks Priya... will try again when I get bold enough. This week busy with Karthigai.
ReplyDeleteThe first time I baked a cake was for someone's birthday and I had her cut a cake that was not done in the middle! Imagine the surprise when you cut a cake and it you get a piece that is slightly runny?
ReplyDeleteSo be cool, yours isn't as bad as mine. And next time, check the center with the skewer, not the sides.
Thanks Rajani. You make such amazing cakes these days. and the decoration is also out of the world. So it makes me feel better that you also had a disaster :-) I agree, mine was not as bad as yours... Will try again when I am bold enough
ReplyDelete