Bake Us a Cake and We'll Tell You If It Was Any Good
By: Jennifer Post
Estimated Completion Time 5 min
"
Image: © Hiya Images/Corbis / Corbis / Getty Images
About This Quiz
Baking doesn't use recipes, it uses formulas. This is because it is an exact science. The reactions of the different ingredients with each other can get messed up by even the smallest misstep. Too much baking powder? You'll taste it for sure, and it will overpower the rest of the flavors. Use gluten-free flour instead of all-purpose? That will make a huge difference. Some people prefer cooking because they can add whatever they want that they think will taste good. But cake baking is far different, and if the directions are followed, the reward is a tasty treat.
Even when you have a recipe to follow, sometimes things don't work out. Your oven temperature, quality of ingredients, the temperature of ingredients and amount of love you put into the cake will all determine how good it turns out. But the good news is, the more cakes you bake, the better you get at it. You have to have fun with it, too. After all, it is just a cake. Anyone you feed cake to probably won't be upset unless you mix up the sugar for salt. Now that you're all primed and ready to go, bake us a cake and we'll tell you if it's any good!
START QUIZ
Which flavor of cake are you going with?
I love a good dark chocolate cake.
Lemon cake for fresh flavor
Where are you getting the recipe from?
One of my many baking books
Is the cake for a special occasion?
Nope, it's a "just because" cake.
A family member's birthday
Any time there's cake is a special occasion.
Have you baked this cake before, or are you a first timer?
I've baked similar cakes, but not this exact recipe.
First time with this cake, but I bake this way a lot.
I've baked it a few times.
Is your cake supposed to look like something else that's not cake?
It's just a standard looking cake.
I want it to look like Elsa.
If it does, it's not on purpose.
Do you read through the whole recipe before getting started?
Nope, I take it step by step.
I look at the ingredients I'll need.
I just look to see what I need to preheat the oven to.
Will you get all of your ingredients measured, weighed out and organized before starting the process?
Mise en place is crucial to successful baking.
No, I like to do that one at a time.
It definitely makes the process go much smoother.
I have before but not every time.
What if you are missing a key ingredient?
I will run out and get it.
I will try to find a reasonable substitute.
It depends on the ingredient I'm missing.
How accurate is your oven when it comes to temperature?
I have a thermometer in there to make sure it's accurate no matter what the nail says.
I've never had issues before.
How do you know when your batter is properly mixed?
Mix until the dry ingredients are just incorporated.
When there's still air left in it
Are you using the creaming method or the reverse creaming method?
Creaming method is the most classic.
I just put everything in at once.
Reverse creaming is a fail-safe way to do it.
It doesn't matter much for this type of cake.
Do you care about the quality of the ingredients you put in the cake?
I use organic everything.
Nah, just whatever is on sale.
With some things I do, others not so much.
I try to use the best I can find.
What add-ins are going in your cake?
Is your batter on the thicker side or a little runnier?
It's a bit thicker, just like it should be.
It's thick but not gloopy.
Time to bake! How long are you baking the cake for?
No set time, just until it's done.
What method do you use for testing when the cake is done?
I stick a knife in it and if it comes out clean, it's done.
It's always done in the time allotted.
Do you let the cake cool properly before trying to decorate it?
That is maybe the most important step.
I try but sometimes I run out of time.
When you're ready to decorate, what are you using?
How are you frosting the cake?
With a crumb layer, then doing it for real
I cover the whole thing with the frosting.
I'm going to try something decorative.
Simpler is definitely the best approach.
Are you adding anything to the top or sides of the cake to really jazz it up?
Edible flowers and sprinkles
I'm going to do it to look like the picture.
Chocolate shavings are so elegant.
I think candied lemon peel will go on top.
Will you chill the cake before serving it?
Depends how far in advance I make it.
Nope, it'll hang out on the counter.
What are you hoping the texture of the inside is?
I'm hoping it'll be a little dense but in a good way.
It will be juicy from the fruit.
Will you cut the cake into standard triangle slices, or does it require something different?
Yep, normal triangle slices
The slices will probably be all different sizes and shapes.
It will be sliced like a loaf of bread.
I will try to cut it like a wedding cake to get more pieces out of it.
Are you proud of your cake so far?
I think I could have done better.
It might not be my best, but it's pretty great.
It's turning out exactly like I hoped.
Is there anyone who inspired this cake?
It's a pretty common cake.
It's what the kids wanted.
I just felt like baking something.
What is the main flavor that you are hoping people get from your cake?
Like an enhanced fruitcake
Will there be leftovers?
There usually isn't anything left.
It's a big cake, so probably.
Depends on how many people show up.
Did you like this recipe enough to make it again?
I would definitely make this again.
No way, never doing this again.
Maybe for a special occasion
Did you change anything from the original recipe?
I used vanilla paste instead of vanilla extract.
I didn't have butter so I used bananas.
I used olive oil instead of canola.
What was the most common comment you got about your cake?
How brave I was for attempting a character cake
That it didn't even taste healthier
That it was so soft and fruity
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