The holiday season is coming soon. We have been getting quite a number of questions about storing and packaging methods that can be used for baked goodies. Here are the questions.

Q: Hi Jun Jun and Adoree, you have tremendously helped me with my Christmas baked goodies. Your suggestions have been very effective and helpful in my growing business. I have a question about packaging my frozen pound cake, which I make and bake a week before I sell. The box that I place it in gets very wet just before I deliver it. What can I do to modify this? (Karen of Makati)

Jun Jun: You are welcome, Karen. We are more than happy to be of service to you and all our readers. If your container is wet, it means that the frozen cake is releasing the water it kept. The best method is to thaw your pound cake in the refrigerator overnight. Then, wipe the water off and leave it to thaw further in room temperature. This is the only way to make it stop sweating. Another method is by changing your packaging with a more frozen-friendly one or simple foil packaging with plastic that can absorb all the water that comes out. 

Adoree: Karen, it is really quite hard to maintain your packaging if you are packing a frozen item. I suggest you thaw the cake completely before wrapping it or putting it in a box so that it does not condense and water.

Q: Jun Jun and Adoree, the paper lining in my pans always move, I have a hard time transferring my cake batter unto it. Help! (Jordan of Pasig)

Jun Jun: Jordan, you should brush your pans with shortening or oil before you pour your batter so the paper lining won’t move. Brushing the pan with shortening or oil will paste the paper to it. 

Adoree: You can also drench the pan with a little water to secure the baking papers in place.

Q: Why do the sides of my cake look ugly? Even the slices I make are not good to look at, there are always crumbs. Jun Jun and Adoree, how do I fix this? (Dina of Quezon City)

Jun Jun:  I will answer your question with another question. Do you line the sides of your cake pan? I have a feeling that you are making some kind of butter cake. When making this, you have to be sure that your sides are lined. Another method is to brush both the bottom and sides with shortening or oil, then dusting the whole baking container with flour. However, don’t forget to tap the container so that the excess flour is removed.

Adoree: Be sure to either grease your pan generously with shortening then dust with flour or line with baking paper all the way to the sides.  Also, if you need to loosen the sides with a spatula, do so gently while doing an upward-downward motion. Do not drag the spatula around the pan, doing so will break the sides and create crumbs.

Q: Baking in a bain-marie really makes my custards and cheesecakes velvety, smooth, and soft. However, sometimes it takes me three to four hours to bake them. Please, let me know what I am doing wrong? (Barbie of Pasay City)

Jun Jun: I don’t know if your recipe is wrong, but it seems that you are very happy with it. Your oven temperature could be too low. The correct temperature for baking is around 300 to 325 F. Also, the last possible source is how much water you have in your pan and if it is warm water. When doing the bain-marie method, your water should be warm and must only reach about one-third the height of the container that you are baking. You might have too much water. Check.

Adoree: Check your recipe; you might not have enough eggs in the recipe to bind the whole thing together. Check your oven temperature as well; you might be baking it with a very low oven temperature.

Q: Why do some of my cakes come out dark, and the others do not? What’s wrong? (Betina of Quezon City) 

Jun Jun: Betina, are you making chocolate cake? It is supposed to be brown... Kidding aside, sometimes it depends on the bakeware you are using. As I suggested before, the best cake pans are still the aluminium or tin ones that have no folds or holes. If you are using the Teflon-coated ones, you will surely get a darker shade of brown. What to do? Simply put a cookie sheet underneath the Teflon-coated pan. By the way, after sometime, you still have to grease and line this type of pan since they lose their non-stick features. 

Adoree: You might be baking the cake near the hot spots of your oven. You should know your oven very well. As much as possible, avoid the hot spots and if you need to move the pan to ensure even baking, do so provided you do it after half of the baking time has elapsed and it is already safe to open the oven door without fear of the cake collapsing. If the cake is browning rapidly while the center is still wet, you may cover the cake loosely with a foil and continue baking until done. This will help prevent the cake from browning further while trying to bake the inside.
 
Questions? Email us at mbdining@gmail.com.