advice

It's National Cupcake Week in September, and I have been looking at the information for the National Cupcake Championships 2013. They have a Competition for both Professionals and Home Bakers, and they have recently extended the deadline! I can't wait to see all the lovely cupcake creations...

I am fascinated by mini cakes and was planning on creating them for a project but was a bit confused about them. Is there any recipe on them, just simple ones that I would decorate? Would I just need to make them in the same way I would make an ordinary cake?

Request by Jhinx: Request by Jhinx: Hi ange this is what im planning on making using your madeira recipe (yum) in a square tin then place 3 to give the height!!! Just wondering that as i need so many diff shades of green n brown i am using white icing and mixing own colours. Could i mix...

To create an even rise whilst baking, simply surround your tin with baking paper before placing in the oven. See illustration below:- After being baked you can see the cake has risen equally. After removing the baking paper you can see the final result. Basic Baking and Cake...

If you have run out of self-raising flour and only have plain flour in your cupboard then you can make self-raising flour by adding plain flour and baking powder together. Method:- 1. For every 110 grams of Plain Flour (used) add 1 rounded teaspoon of Baking Powder. Either that or check the...

No matter how good a baker we think we are, we can all agree that at some point in time, we have had one type of baking disaster or another. The good thing about these disasters or mishaps is that they help us evolve as bakers, and we grow from them. :D I have listed a few of the most common...

If you wish to mix fondant or icing together to make different colours or maybe a marble effect, then always make sure you use the same brand. The reason being is that some fondants/icing do not mix well with others and have been known to alter the consistency making it difficult to work with...

When grating a Lemon ensure that you only lightly grate the peel (zest) which is the yellow bright colour of the citrus fruit. Do not grate down to the inner white layer which is called the PITH as this has a bitter taste and will affect the taste of your bake. The above picture shows how far...

A quick and easy way to fill your piping bag is to stand it in a large tall glass, this will free up your hands making it easier to insert the buttercream in the bag with a spoon.

Cornflour or cornstarch, as it's known in the USA, can be used as an alternative to icing sugar for rolling out your icing, fondant or sugarpaste; however, for best results, only use it on light or pastel colours. Cornflour/cornstarch should not be used for rolling out dark coloured icing...

Can I use hot chocolate mix as a substitute for cocoa powder?

These are names used for icing or fondant that can be rolled out with a rolling pin then used to cover cakes, you can also make edible decorations with it too. This is what they look like:- Brand Names: Asda call it White Icing Dr Oetker call it Regal Ice Ready to Roll Renshaws call it...

If you want to try and avoid fruit sinkage whilst baking, then try one of the following. Firstly toss small dried fruits such as raisins, sultanas, cranberries etc. in flour prior to baking then add them to your batter as normal, the flour should bind the fruit to your batter and hold it in...

When dying your icing fondant, apply small amounts of the dye using a cocktail stick or plastic pick, then knead into the icing on a lightly dusted icing sugar surface. Continue adding the dye (and kneading) in stages until you build up to your required colour. Once your desired colour is...

Circle cutters have multiple uses and can be used for cutting pastry, cake icing or scone shapes. These are a must-have in any baking kitchen.

Before you start to bake get all the ingredients out that you require and then place the items on your worktop counter in the order that you are going to use them. Not only does this make it easier when you are mixing your batter, but it also ensures that you add all the required ingredients...

For great baking results and a lighter fluffier bake then always use eggs at room temperature. If you beat the egg slightly before adding to your mixture it will distribute evenly throughout the batter and trap air whilst baking giving you lovely light airy cakes and cupcakes.

To prolong the life of your tin and prevent rusting do the following:- Once you have washed and rinsed your tin and lightly dried it with a piece of kitchen towel place your tin in the oven with the door closed. The remaining heat from your oven after baking will dry out your tins fully and...

Always wipe your cake board over with either hot water or neat alcohol before placing a cake or icing onto them. This is required to remove any bacteria that may be present on the board. Do this even if the cake board has been in a cellophane wrapper; the reason being is that at some point...

If you have cracked your egg and tiny pieces of shell have landed in the bowl, you can use the following tips to get it out! 1 Use the large piece of the shell to extract the smaller pieces from the bowl. It attracts back to the larger piece like a magnet and is easily removed. (You'll spend...