Q&A
Baking thoughts, techniques and know-how
Heavy Sponge Cakes
14 Jun 2020 - Anneka Manning
Q: I tried making a sponge cake and it wasn't fluffy and light! It came out of the oven quite heavy. My egg mixture was lovely and light before adding the flour and cornflour so why did this happen?
Oven Hot Spots
14 Jun 2020 - Anneka Manning
Q: My cakes are often slightly lopsided and my biscuits are always unevenly coloured – can you please tell me why?
Baking powder vs baking soda
12 Jun 2020 - Anneka Manning
Q: Is there a difference between baking powder and baking soda?
The difference between fresh and dried yeast
22 May 2020 - Anneka Manning
Q: What’s the difference between fresh and dried yeast, and which is best to use in your baking?
Fan-forced setting
15 May 2020 - Anneka Manning
Q: If the fan-forced function isn’t mentioned in a recipe should you assume it’s not fan-forced? How do you adapt a recipe to use the fan-forced setting, and when is fan-forced best used?
Crisp Pastry Base
13 Mar 2020 - Anneka Manning
Q: When blind baking a shortcrust pastry case, should I wait for it to be completely cool before filling and doing the final bake?
Sunken Melt-and-mix Cakes
14 Nov 2019 - Anneka Manning
Q: Why is it important to not add hot liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients when using the melt-and-mix method?
My Cake Rose Significantly
15 Oct 2019 - Anneka Manning
Q: My cake rose significantly in the middle, and not so much on the sides... is that caused by the oven temp?
Curdled Buttercream
15 Oct 2019 - Anneka Manning
Q: My buttercream curdled after I added some milk to soften it. Why did this happen?
Storing your baking
16 Sep 2019 - Anneka Manning
Q: It is often suggested to store baked goods in airtight containers. Are all airtight containers the same? Also, should I store my baking in the fridge or at room temperature?
