| For many, the very thought of baking sends shivers | | | | today were written in the 1960s and 1970s and |
| down the spine. Yet a sponge cake is one of the | | | | 1980s where fan-assisted ovens were rare. As a |
| easiest and most enjoyable recipes you can make. | | | | result, those trying those recipes in the new ovens |
| Whether you're making a very simple classic Victoria | | | | found that no matter what they did, the cakes |
| sponge or something more elaborate, you could go | | | | would almost always burn. |
| from making the cake to eating it in under 90 | | | | If you are following an old recipe and you do have a |
| minutes! | | | | fan-assisted oven then turn the temperature of the |
| I'm not really certain why cakes have a reputation | | | | oven down by 10°C lower than the temperature |
| for being daunting. In fact, cakes are what recipes | | | | in the oven. Bake for the same amount of time as |
| were invented for. Follow the recipe and the cake will | | | | given in the recipe, but cover the top of the cake |
| turn out perfect every time! There's no playing | | | | with kitchen foil for the last 10 minutes of cooking to |
| around, no adding your own 'little touches'. You read | | | | prevent the cake from burning. Then you will get |
| the recipe, buy the ingredients then prepare the cake | | | | perfect results. |
| according to the recipe and hey presto, you have a | | | | Remember also that when you can smell the cake |
| cake ready to eat. | | | | cooking it's almost done. Even if the recipe says you |
| Perhaps part of the problem lies in the variability of | | | | have another 20 minutes to go always check the |
| ovens. Everything else in a cake recipe follows a set | | | | cake when you can smell it, as it may have cooked |
| pattern but ovens can differ from house to house | | | | much faster than you thought. |
| and type to type. Many of the basic recipes we have | | | | |