To check cakes are cooked use a skewer or toothpick. Carefully push all the way through the centre of the cake. If it is clean when you remove it the cake is cooked. If food is stuck to it then the cake will need longer.
To stop biscuits and cakes from sticking to trays always grease with margarine or butter. Also line cake tins with greaseproof paper.
For best results butter and eggs and any other cold ingredients should be at room temperature before you start. So leave them out of the fridge for 10 minutes prior to baking.
Never open the oven door whilst a cake is cooking until at least half the cooking time has lapsed. Otherwise the cake will sink.
Oven temp equivalents:
| Celsius | Fahrenheit | Gas | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 110°C | 225°F | 1/4 | cool |
| 120°C | 225°F | 1/2 | cool |
| 140°C | 275°F | 1 | very low |
| 150°C | 300°F | 2 | very low |
| 170°C | 325°F | 3 | low |
| 180°C | 350°F | 4 | moderate |
| 190°C | 375°F | 5 | moderately hot |
| 200°C | 400°F | 6 | hot |
| 220°C | 425°F | 7 | hot |
| 230°C | 450°F | 8 | very hot |
Volume equivalents:
| metric | imperial |
|---|---|
| 25ml | 1fl oz |
| 50ml | 2 fl oz |
| 75ml | 2fl |
| 100ml | 3fl |
| 125ml | 4fl |
| 150ml | 5fl (1/4 pint) |
| 175ml | 6fl |
| 200ml | 7fl oz (1/2 pint) |
| 225ml | 8fl |
| 250ml | 9fl |
| 300ml | 10fl oz (1/2 pint) |
| 350ml | 12fl oz |
| 400ml | 14fl oz |
| 500ml | 18fl oz |
