A Baker's Guide
You always hear that baking is a science compared with cooking which is more of an art. We couldn’t agree more that it’s a science, but with new flavors and designs, it can also be an art.
You can learn the artsy side of cake baking with our Vegan Buttercream, but right now we’re sharing all the essential tools you’ll need to bake the perfect cake. A baker is only as good as their tools.
MIXER
All cakes involve mixing some kind of fat with flour and sugar to make the perfect ratio. Whether you’re creaming vegan margarine, mixing the ingredients, or whipping up some coconut whipped cream, a mixer will save time, take some pressure off of that elbow, and keep things much cleaner and more contained. We all dream of owning a Kitchen Aid Mixer, but this Hamilton Beach stand mixer gets great reviews and is under $100! Or if you just need the occasional mixer, check out this handheld with a convenient storage case.
CAKE PANS
A good cake pan is essentials for cake baking. That old dented pan with sloped sides you’ve had for years? It might be old faithful, but it’s also going to create dented, sloping cake layers. Invest in some new nice metal pans. Those cool new silicone ones look cool, but stay away. You’ll get dark cakes, and one false move separates you from a broken cake with those flimsy pans. Try this cool steel pan. The corrugated surface makes it extra non-stick, and it heats evenly for a perfectly baked cake.
PARCHMENT
Parchment is a chef’s best friend. Not to be mistaken for its icky cousin, wax paper. Parchment is non-stick, can be used for everything from piping bag to sheet pan liner, and it doesn’t smoke in the oven. We cut parchment in circles and use it to line the bottom of our cake pans to ensure easy removal.
OVEN THERMOMETER
Since baking is a science, it calls for very careful monitoring of oven temperatures. Chances are if you’re like us, you live in an apartment and inherited an oven that’s probably been used by at least 15 other people over the years, and that’s taken its toll. The oven might say 375°, but chances are that’s not quite right. Spend $5 and buy yourself a thermometer, so you can always be sure your cakes are baking correctly.
COOLING RACK
Proper cooling is the key to a successful layer cake. Placing the cake on a cooling rack once it leaves the oven helps the cake stay delicious and airy. By leaving the cake in the pan to cool, moisture will soak to the bottom, leaving it soggy. And worse yet is icing a cake when it’s still hot. A multi-level cake mudslide is just not how you want to celebrate.
CAKE BOARD
So your cake is properly cooled and ready to assemble. You could do so on your pretty platter, but chances are things will get a bit messy. That’s where cake boards come in. By placing the cake directly on a board and decorating off of the serving platter, you can afford to make a bit of a mess, without having to worry about carefully cleaning the platter. Once you’re done decorating, you slide on the cake stand or platter, and have the perfect cake and presentation. Here’s where to buy your cake boards.
OFFSET SPATULA
Let’s be real, the best part of the cake is the frosting. Yes, we were those kids who licked the icing off the cupcakes as kids – can you blame us? When you’re frosting your cake, be sure you have enough frosting to be yummy, but not too much so that you can’t get it even and amazing looking. That’s where the offset spatula comes in. You can lob on all that frosting and smooth it perfectly. A butter knife just won’t cut it, so put that knife down!
PIPING BAG + TIPS
If you’re trying to get all fancy, or just want to write a special message, be sure you have the right pastry bags and tips. We like to use recyclable bags like these and have a plain tip and a starburst tip for options. You can struggle with a ziplock baggie cut with a hole, but just invest the small sum to ensure perfect piping for a fancy AF cake.
Feeling inspired to bake something? Check out this delicious Coconut Sugar Coffee Cake from Bob’s Red Mill, our Trusty Classic Cake Recipe, and our Chocolate Vegan Buttercream.