Cake baking tips.

I received the following email and wanted to share this with you all.

Hi Jackie,


I am having many problems cooking a cake that I have done many times before. I am at the point of tearing my hair out and would appreciate any help you could give. It is a Womens Weekly cake that I have cooked about 6 times in the old oven and twice successfully in the new oven. It is the one I sent you a photo of with the "J" on the front.

I am having many problems - from being overcooked on the outside to being not cooked in the centre or completely hollow. I believe these issues to be temperature related and I have varied the temp, the length of cooking time, the size of the eggs, added more flour. I don't know what else to do.

If a recipe states that it is for a 20cm round tin - is it ok to use a 20cm square tin? I can't locate my round tin in the renovations we are doing from the floods but am tempted to go buy another one just to trial it.
I hope this email finds you and your family well.
Thank you for your time, Ann.


Hi Ann,

I am sorry to hear that some  cakes are not consistant.The first thing is to check the oven temperature and so you will need to buy an oven thermometer to check this.


If the cakes are overcooking on the outside and raw in the centre the oven is simply too hot.
Some ovens cook too quickly and so when the cake has formed a crust you can cover this with a piece of baking paper and a wooden spoon and this will slow the overbaking.

A "6"square tin has more volume than a 6"round tin, fill a 6"round tin with water to the level you would fill it with cake mixture and then pour it into the square you will then see you would need more mix to fill it, they are not the same quantity.

Are you pre warming your oven?

Are you measuring your eggs? or does the recipe say 3 eggs? If so they should be 50 g eggs not super dooper X large eggs.


Are the eggs fresh within use by date? the yolks should be nice and pert and the whites jelly like and not watery.



Are all the ingredients at room temperature before starting ?

Are you correctly weighing all the ingredients?Always sift the flour to add airation as flour is sometimes over a year old.



If the oven is over browning the cakes a small oven proof dish, ramekin, can be placed on a shelf with some water in it and this will create a moist vapour and slow down overcolouring of the cake.


Is the cake in the centre shelf of the oven? do not overcrowd the oven.

I hope this helps and I may have to put this on my cake blog as this is a common problem that cake makers have but if we create with the above guidelines we should be achieving beautifully baked cakes, fingers crossed!


Let me know of your outcome.

Have a good week, Jackie.

If you have any questions about baking just send me an email and I will reply on my blog to share with everyone too.

jackie@contemporarycakes.com.au

Brisbane Ekka Show.

I am very pleased to anounce I have been asked to  judge the Contemporary Cake category at the Brisbane Ekka Show.

For those wanting to know how to enter their baked goodies or created decorated cakes click onto the below link., childrens categories also available too.
This is the link for the Brisbane Ekka show.

http://www.rna.org.au/royal-qld-show.aspx

I look forward to seeing all those beautiful entries.

Have a great week, Jackie.

Queensland Cake Decorators Ässociation Show.

Friday 24th June 2011 11.30am- 4pm, Saturday 25th June 9 am -4pm and Sunday 26th of June 2011 9am -3pm  at the Auditorium Mt Coot-tha Gardens, Brisbane.

Adults $3,  Pensioners and students $1 and ankle biters free!

Cake decorating techniques and demonstrations will be featured throughout each day.

Come and view Queenslands talent and a chance to grab a cuppa and a slice of cake and purchase some cake decorating goodies.

Come and have a look at all your local talented cake decorators creations.

This years group displays are Australian Native Flowers in sugar.

June 2011

Last week myself and Sharnee Rawson. a previous contestant from Masterchef had the delightful task of tasting and judging  some very tasty morsels.I donated a shooting stars cake that was then auctioned to raise much needed funds and I also offerered a gift voucher for one of my beginners classes, to the novelty cake category.The entries were both equally spectacular so I ended up giving the contestants a voucher each and I look for ward to them attending a class very soon.

Talking of classes I have just listed my next 3 month cake class calendar with some additional children and teenager baking cupcake classes for the July holidays.I have also introduced some sweet baking classes of whoopie pies, decadent deliscious desserts and a zesty lemon day of baking to!

*********Wednesday 6th of July2011

Childrens animal cupcakes.Cost of class $250 10-4pm( 8 to 14) years) Adult supervision will be required.

This class is for children to learn how to bake cupcakes from scratch.With the help of adult supervision, they will then decorate the cakes with animal themes.Modelling Making faces of elephants zebras, lions and monkeys a great way of being creative with food.The cupcakes will be boxed to take home and will guarantee a roar once the box is opened!


A light lunch and refreshments are provided.



********Thursday 7th of July 2011


Animal cupcakes. Teenage cupcake class 10am-4pm $250 Year 10,11or 12 students.


This class is for teenagers to learn how to bake cupcakes from scratch.

You will then decorate the cakes with animal themes.Modelling faces of elephant,s zebras, lions and monkeys a great way of being creative with food.The cupcakes will be boxed to take home and will guarantee a roar once the box is opened!

A light lunch and refreshments are provided.

*********Friday 8th of July 2011Teenage cupcake classPirate and treasure cupcake workshop .


10am-4pm $250 Year 10, 11or 12 students.


This class is for teenagers to learn how to bake cupcakes from scratch.

You will then decorate the cakes with sugar paste and create pirate faces , treasure chests, gold trinkets and more! aaarrrrh!!!!

A light lunch and refreshments are provided.

PAs Biggest morning tea,

Join me this wednesday 25th at PA's Biggest morning tea,12pm start, main foyer.


Princess Alexandra Hospital, 199 Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba .

Are you a budding chef in the making?

Do you have a winning recipe?

...Enter your best Cake, Slice/Biscuit or novelty cake in the Bake Off.

HOSTED & JUDGED BY Masterchef Contestant SHARNEE RAWSON and JACKIE THOMPSON of Contemporary Cakes.

New classes soon to be listed ......................

Queensland floods 3 months on the road to recovery

Join me at Bakels for  a cookie workshop to raise money for the floods, please support me in this event.



Join Jackie Thompson of Contemporary Cakes in a Cake Decorating fund raiser for the

Flood appeal. Saturday 7th of May 10- 4pm.

Hosted at Bakels 100,Compton Rd Underwood.

Cost of the day $200

All monies raised 100% will be going to the flood victims to purchase white goods. Dominique Rizzo from Ready Steady Cook will be talking about her soon to be published book, her recent travels overseas and why she loves to bake and cook.

Bakels rep. John will also be talking about their products that cake decorators can use.

Relish owner Leslie from the Logan Hyperdome will be donating a gift to our raffle as well also chocolate goodies donated from Jimele.

Gary, from The Packing Place will be showing us the latest trends in packaging and transporting cookies and cupcakes with some beautiful ribbons too.

I will also be donating a gift voucher to the value of $325 for a cake class.

Please bring a packed lunch and refreshments will be provided.


We will decorate already baked cookies, learn how to stencil the cookies using royal icing and then package them to take home. Readymade gifts for Mothers day! with other goodie bags to take home'.


To book your place please email me jackie@contemporarycakes.com.au 33882453