TIPS in BAKING CAKES

*To cool a cake quickly for frosting, pop it into the freezer while you make the frosting. By the time frosting is ready, the cake will be cool and ready to slip out of the pan.

*To keep holes and tunnels out of your cake, run a knife through the batter after you have finished mixing it. This removes air holes.

*To keep loaf cakes fresher longer, cut slices from the middle rather than from the end. When you're finished slicing, firmly push the two leftover sections together to reform a loaf. This way, you eliminate leaving an exposed, quick-to-dry-out "end" slice.

*To decorate a cake directly on its serving plate, slip strips of wax paper under the edge of the cake, allowing them to hang over the rim of the plate. Frost cake, then, with a quick motion, pull out the paper. This leaves the serving plate nice and clean without a trace of frosting.

*To prevent a freshly-baked cake from sticking to the serving platter, dust the platter with confectioners' sugar.

*When flouring a cake pan, take into consideration the flavor of the cake. If you plan to serve the cake dusted with powdered sugar, a white ring on the side of a chocolate cake takes away from the appeal. For light cakes, use white flour to flour your pans. When making a dark cake, use powdered cocoa. The cocoa works in the same manner as the flour with regard to release and it doesn't leave a white ring around the edge or on top of the cake.

*To prevent cake filling from soaking into the cake, sprinkle layers lightly with confectioners' sugar before spreading filling.

*Cake will be less like to stick to the pan if you put it on a wet towel to cool as soon as you take it from the oven.

*To prevent a freshly-baked cake from sticking to the serving platter, dust the platter with confectioners' sugar.

SOURCE: http://www.cdkitchen.com/