"Cooking and Baking is both physical and mental therapy"  I truly love this quote, as it is the same case with me. When it comes to baking cakes, I can never say no to it! Right from sifting the ingredients to decorating the cake, it gives me immense pleasure. Even when I started baking cakes, I made mistakes, but with time, things began falling into place. So, today I am going to share some things that I consider while baking. 

Ingredients must be at Room Temperature

Whenever I m about to bake, I make sure that all my ingredients are kept at room temperature prior to baking. You must be wondering why this step is important, right? So, let me tell you that if you want your cakes to be fluffy you must have all the ingredients at room temperature. Specially, when you are adding butter and eggs. This ensures even mixing of the batter and gives a nice texture that you have always wanted. For this reason, the next time you plan to bake, see to it that you have all your ingredients at the room temperature. 

Have all the ingredients with you before baking

Keep all the ingredients ready before baking, as it will save a lot of your time and you will have less chances to forget adding ingredients. It is also important to understand your ingredients.

Measurement is the key 

You must have heard that baking is all about accurate measurements. One small mistake and the whole thing is going to turn out a disaster. Here, I would suggest that even if you are following a recipe then do it completely, don't make changes in the measurements, as you won't find the mistake while making the batter, you will come to know only when the cake is out of the oven. So, yes take utmost care while measuring your ingredients. 

Quality of the products

You should understand that every brand products differ in taste. And it all comes with experience. Also, make sure you use the good quality products to get the perfect results. Do not use products that are expiry or old. For instance, you if use baking soda or vinegar which is expired, it won't react with the other ingredients and in the end you won't achieve your desired result as well. 

Preheating oven/pan

This step is very important, make sure your oven is preheated nicely for about 10-15 minutes. Even if you are baking your cake on gas make sure the vessel you use is preheated. 

Grease tin properly

Make sure you grease your cake tin properly before adding the batter, otherwise your cake won't come out easily. If you don't have parchment papers, you can grease it with butter/oil and dust it with the flour. 

Test your cake

Once the time is over, check whether your cake is baked completely or not. Insert a toothpick, if it comes out clean it's done. 

Timings 

You must know that oven timings differ. Once you start practicing, you will get to know your oven better. 

Let your cake cool 

Before removing your cake from the tin, ensure that it is cooled properly. Otherwise, the cake will stick in your tin and you won't get the proper results. Even if you are decorating your cake, make sure it is not hot, so that the layers can be done easily. 

Invest in the right equipments

Don't go for the cheaper ones, if you are willing to invest, do it for the right and quality product things. Think for long-term and invest accordingly. 

So, these were a few things that I consider while baking. Happy Baking!