Perfect Cakes and Cupcakes

There are three factors to consider when judging a cake. The first is flavor; it simply has to taste good. Texture is, however, equally important. A rubbery, dense, oily, or excessively dry cake will not be eaten even if it tastes good. The final factor is outward appearance; a cake should have a uniform shape, a crack-free surface, a lightly browned appearance, and be free from stickiness.

The ingredients in a cake all interact to create its unique taste, texture, and appearance. It’s not magic, there’s actually a lot of science to it all. Unfortunately, the cake recipes that rank highest on outward appearance often do not match up for taste and texture. To me, it’s what is on the inside that matters most, so it has to score high on taste and texture to be included in this book.