• Know your oven

To prevent an under or overdone cake, get an oven thermometer—it’s the best way to be sure your oven is warming correctly. Bake the cake in the middle (too close to the top or bottom can cause overbrowning). Gently close the oven door—a hard slam can release air bubbles trapped in the batter.

Lightly press the center of the cake to check if it is done; you'll know if it springs back. Or insert a wooden pick; it should come out clean.
 

• Use a good recipe 

For guaranteed results it's important to follow baking recipes to the letter so your cake will only ever be as good as the recipe you use. Start with a recipe from a source you trust.
 

• Measure the quantities correctly

This is a baking must!  One common cause of cooking failures is inaccurate measurement of ingredients.  You can use the best ingredients in the world, but if you do not measure correctly, the recipe will not come out properly.  
 

• Preheat the oven 

If you put a cake into an oven that's not hot enough, it will affect the way it rises. Fan ovens can dry a cake out, so for a longer shelf-life use the conventional setting.
 

• Prepare the cake tins

Prepare the tin carefully according to the recipe.  Place tins as near the center of the oven as possible.  Do not place tins directly over another and do not crowd the oven (this makes for uneven baking). Bake single layers in the center of the oven in the middle of the oven rack.  Good circulation is important when baking more than one layer – stagger tins on oven racks so they do not block heat circulation from one another. Spread cake batter evenly in the tins.  
 

• Stick to cooking times

If you've used the right tin and you've got a good oven, the timings stated in the recipe should be accurate. As ovens do vary, check the cake just before the end of the cooking time. A cake that is cooked through should feel the same if pressed around the edges or in the middle. Also, a skewer inserted in the centre should come out dry. If your cake is not properly cooked but looking brown, you can cover it with a bit of dampened greaseproof paper.
 

• Give your cake a cool down

Cool cakes in the tin on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then remove from tin. Once cooled, place a plate on top, invert the tin, and gently tap or shake it to release the cake. When it has cooled, run a narrow spatula around the edges, and release onto a plate.

Now that you have baked your perfect cake decorate it as you wish and enjoy eating it!!

The Tiger Who Came to Tea will be roaring its way back to London this summer! Playing at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in the West End from 11 July until 4 September 2022, this is one of the best London attractions for kids aged 3+ this summer, so why not book your tickets and enjoy a day out to remember? The show runs for 55-minutes long and is based on the popular children’s picture book by Judith Kerr.