Leave Space for Cakes to Rise

Sometimes you just don’t have the time to spend hours preparing – you just need to make something delicious and head to the party! Follow these quick tips to saving prep-time.

Leave Space for Cakes to Rise

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Preparation Tips

Sometimes you just don’t have the time to spend hours preparing – you just need to make something delicious and head to the party! Follow these quick tips to saving prep-time.

Cake Preparation Tips

How to Bake a Birthday Cake

How to Bake a Birthday Cake
There’s no better way to celebrate a birthday than with a homemade birthday cake! Get Betty’s tips and tricks for baking success every time.
Icing Spatula

Icing Spatula
Every girl needs a small metal spatula or palette knife in her kitchen – they are perfect for spreading cake mix and icing! Just remember to dip your spatula in hot water before using to keep the mixture from sticking.
How to Line a Baking Tin

How to Line a Baking Tin
- Preparation Tips
- Cake Baking Tips
For blissful non-stick baking, use this easy tip to line your round baking tins. Place the base of your tin upon a sheet of greaseproof paper, then draw around the base and cut out the circle. Cut a strip of paper one inch taller than the sides of the tin and fit this around the inside edge of the tin. If you don’t have any greaseproof paper, simply rub some margarine around the sides of the tin using some kitchen roll.
How to Fold Muffin Dough

How to Fold Muffin Dough
- Preparation Tips
- Cake Baking Tips
Adding additional yummy treats into your muffin mix is a must, but make sure you stir them in gently. Folding is a more gentle method than mixing and very effective – simply use a spoon or spatula to cut down to the bottom of the mixture, move it across the bottom of the bowl, and come back up, folding some of the mixture from the bottom of the bowl to the top. Do this until all your ingredients are evenly distributed. This method will also allow more air into the batter, giving your marvellous muffins an even better rise.
How Much to Fill Cupcake Cases

How Much to Fill Cupcake Cases
- Preparation Tips
- Cake Baking Tips
Too much of a good thing is indeed wonderful, but make sure you don’t fill your cupcake cases more than two thirds full – any more than this and they will not bake properly and might overflow when they rise, losing that pretty finish!
Spacing Out Your Cookies

Spacing Out Your Cookies
- Preparation Tips
- Cake Baking Tips
A sweet crush is a lovely thing, but cookies prefer lots of space when baking. Leave at least two inches between each of them so that they don’t spread into each other in the oven.
Best Cake Tins

Best Cake Tins
- Preparation Tips
- Cake Baking Tips
Shiny tins are great for a last-minute lipstick check, but they are also best for cake baking because they reflect heat well and help to bake the cake evenly.
Betty Crocker Tropical Fruit Cake

Betty Crocker Tropical Fruit Cake
- Preparation Tips
- Cake Baking Tips
How to make a wonderful Tropical Fruit Cake with Betty Crocker!
Betty Crocker Tips – Preheating Your Oven

Betty Crocker Tips – Preheating Your Oven
- Preparation Tips
Don’t forget to pre-heat your oven before you start preparing your cake mixture. For the perfect cakes, turn your oven on at the correct baking temperature 20 to 30 minutes before you pop your cakes in.
Betty Crocker Tips – Leave Space for Cakes to Rise

Betty Crocker Tips – Leave Space for Cakes to Rise
- Preparation Tips
- Cake Baking Tips
Patience is a virtue, so try not to crowd the oven when you are baking as this will affect the baking time of the cakes. Give your tins plenty of room in the oven and try to cook just one large cake or one tray of cakes at a time. If you absolutely have to bake two trays at one time (because cake frenzies do happen!), make sure you switch the position of the trays halfway through the cooking time.
How to Make the Perfect Brownies

How to Make the Perfect Brownies
- Preparation Tips
- Cake Baking Tips
To achieve your perfect brownie, remember that your brownies will be affected by the shape and size of the pan you use, because the depth of the mix affects the taste and texture of the cakes. So shallow pans make slim chewy brownies while deeper pans make denser, cake-like bars. The choice is yours!
How To Add Flavouring To Your Cake

How To Add Flavouring To Your Cake
- Preparation Tips
- Cake Baking Tips
If you are feeling inspired and are adding a flavour to your cake, such as delicious vanilla or cinnamon, remember to add it at the cake mix stage and stir well so that it is fully mixed though. Mmm!
Keep Your Oven Door Closed When Baking

Keep Your Oven Door Closed When Baking
- Preparation Tips
- Cake Baking Tips
The mouthwatering aroma of baking cakes may be irresistible, but be sure not to open the oven for at least the first half of the baking time, as the cold air will stop your cake rising beautifully. It’s definitely worth it in the long run!
Cupcake Baking Tray

Cupcake Baking Tray
- Preparation Tips
- Cake Baking Tips
A good fit is everything, and it’s important to use a good cupcake tray that fits your cupcake cases well. The best trays are shiny to reflect the heat and fairly heavy to conduct the heat well.
How To Make Chewy Cookies

How To Make Chewy Cookies
- Preparation Tips
- Cake Baking Tips
Chewy or Crunchy – it’s up to you! You can adjust baking times to achieve the cookie texture you like best. A few minutes less in the oven produces chewier cookies, while leaving them in a little longer gives them a crispy finish. Decisions, decisions…
How To Know Your Cake Is Ready

How To Know Your Cake Is Ready
- Preparation Tips
- Cake Baking Tips
Looks can be deceptive, so to test if your cake is properly baked, insert a blunt knife or a toothpick into the deepest part of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is ready to come out of the oven, and your wait is nearly over!