Baking Guidelines
DISH SHAPE
Ring moulds are ideal for baking cakes in, especially dense cakes. They help prevent the outside edge of the cake overcooking before the dense centre is cooked through.
KEEPING QUALITY
Light sponge type cakes cook very quickly by microwave and so should be cooked as required, since their keeping quality is not as long as those baked traditionally.
CONSISTENCY
Generally cakes to be cooked by microwave should have a softer consistency than those baked traditionally. As a general rule add
COVERING
Just as you wouldn’t cover a cake baked in a traditional oven, NEVER cover your cakes cooked by microwave.
DISH SIZE
Always use the exact dish size stated in the following recipes, otherwise cooking times and results will be affected.
MIXING/BEATING
Cakes cooked by microwave need to be well mixed, but not over beaten. Generally it is unnecessary to cream butter and sugar or beat eggs in an electric mixer or food processor. Do not attempt to cook whisked/fatless sponges, or any cakes containing whisked egg white.
EGGS
The following recipes have been tested using medium eggs. Using a different size of egg may affect cooking times.
Ingredients
100 g (4 oz) self raising flour
100 g (4 oz) soft margarine
100 g (4 oz) caster sugar
2 eggs
30 ml (2 tbsp) milk
Ingredients
2 eggs beaten
150 ml (1⁄4 pt) vegetable or corn oil
150 g (5 oz)
100 g (4 oz) soft light brown sugar
10 ml (2 tsp) cinnamon
75 g (3 oz) raisins
100 g (4 oz) carrots, grated
Icing
50 g (2 oz) cream cheese
50 g (2 oz) butter
100 g (4 oz) icing sugar
10 ml (2 tsp) lemon juice
50 g (2 oz) walnuts, chopped
Sponge Cake
Dish: 18 cm (7”) souffle dish, based lined with greaseproof paper
1. Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix well until smooth. Tip into prepared dish and smooth the top.
2.Cook on MEDIUM power for
Carrot Cake
Dish: 25 cm (10”) ring mould, based lined with greaseproof paper
1.Mix eggs and oil together.
2.Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, raisins and carrots in a mixing bowl. Pour egg mixture into flour and stir well until well combined.
3.Pour into ring mould and cook on MEDIUM power for
4.Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually beat in icing sugar and lemon juice. Spread over sides and top of cake and sprinkle with walnuts.
B A K I N G
55