Clues to check cake for doneness

Testing a baked good for doneness can be confusing, and it's easy to overbake a recipe in just a few minutes or even seconds. 

A dry, crumbly cake when you've been anticipating a wedge of tender perfection is a very sad thing. It can take practice (and a good recipe!) to know exactly when you've reached cake nirvana and should take it out of the oven, but here are four little clues to help you out.

·        When the Sides Pull Away: The cake is usually done when you see the sides of the cake just start to pull away from the pan. The outer edges will look dry and you'll see a gap forming between the edge of the cake and the side of the pan.

·        When the Cake is Pillowy: The middle of the cake should feel springy and pillowy if you gently press your finger against it. 

·        When a Cake Tester Comes Out Clean: Any thin skewer can be used as a cake tester, but many bakers just use a simple toothpick. If you insert it into the center of the cake, it should come out clean, with no streaks of batter. A few small crumbs are ok! If you really want your cake to be moist in the center don’t bake till the toothpick comes out clean.

Many recipes say to bake a cake till a toothpick tests clean. I personally suggest that you bake a cake until a toothpick shows a few moist crumbs still clinging. This is because pans hold residual heat and the cake will continue to “bake” after it is removed from the oven.

·        Take the Internal Temperature: If you're in any doubt, you can always take the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer. The cake is done when the temperature in the middle is about 210°F/98-99°C ( internal temperature could vary largely from 160°F to 210°F or 93°C to 99° or even 100°C depending on the recipe.)

If you err on either side, err toward under-baking. Personally, I always prefer an overly moist cake to one that falls apart on the plate! (Then again, crumbly cake is a great excuse to make cake pops...)