When is a cake ready?

Q: How can I tell when my cake is baked?

A: Generally, there are four main things that will indicate when your cake has finished baking and is ready to be taken from the oven.

1. Aroma – the cake will have a toasty, nutty aroma and your kitchen will smell wonderful!
2. Colour – the top of the cake will often be golden brown (unless the colour is dominated by an ingredient like chocolate, or it contains little sugar).
3. A small gap – cakes will often start to pull away from the side of the tin leaving a very small gap between the cake and the tin.
4. A clean skewer – this is the most reliable sign that your cake is cooked. A thin metal or bamboo skewer inserted into the centre of your cake should come out clean. Check by running it between your fingers (not just by looking at it). If it is sticky, bake it for another 5 minutes before testing again. Obviously, with cakes that are rich and fudgy (like flourless chocolate cakes or brownie-like ones) moist crumbs may still cling to the skewer when it is ready.

Watch the video of Anneka's explanation below: