Essential Cake-Baking Tools by Rose Levy Beranbaum - Bake from Scratch

      There are many high-quality tools that enhance the baking experience, but here are the essentials I consider crucial. The oven is highlighted as it is the key factor in successful cake-baking.

      OVENS: No two ovens bake identically. All ovens, apart from those with circulating trays, will have some areas that are hotter than others. Convection ovens usually provide more even baking but can still have hot spots. I rotate my cakes halfway through the baking time after two-thirds of the estimated time, except for sponge cakes like génoise or chiffon, which may collapse if disturbed before they are done. When you acquire a new oven, try baking a familiar recipe to see how it performs. I usually bake my All-Occasion Downy Yellow Cake from The Cake Bible. Familiarize yourself with your oven so you can make necessary adjustments.

      I consider the Square Dot (a dual oven and probe thermometer) from ThermoWorks essential for monitoring temperature fluctuations and adjusting the heat as needed. In my experience, gas ovens tend to have less fluctuation than electric ovens, though both are effective for baking cakes.

      Don't hesitate to experiment. While traditional cake recipes typically suggest baking in the oven's center, I recently discovered something surprising: My Gaggenau oven, often compared to the Rolls Royce of ovens, has a hot spot at the center front. I tried baking a cake off-center, and it baked evenly in color!

      INSTANT-READ THERMOMETER: Years ago, I designed and sold mercury thermometers, which were the most precise until the use of mercury in kitchens was prohibited. I didn’t expect anything to replace them until ThermoWorks introduced an even more accurate thermometer. The latest model, Thermapen ONE, provides readings in less than a second—much faster than my mercury thermometers ever could! I cannot imagine baking without it. Knowing the exact temperature of items, especially syrups and cakes, is essential.

      INFRARED THERMOMETER: ThermoWorks also makes an infrared thermometer, which I use to check temperature in various spots for critical ingredients like butter.

      SCALES: The Cake Bible was the first cookbook to provide measurements by weight, and it has taken over thirty years for other baking authors to recognize the advantages of weighing ingredients compared to measuring by volume. The most reliable scales I've found are the Escali Alimento, the My Weigh, and the OXO.

      STAND MIXER: While you can use a hand mixer at slightly elevated speeds, if you frequently bake cakes, a stand mixer is a must-have. The KitchenAid Artisan 5-quart tilt-head mixer works well for nearly all cakes, except wedding cakes, which need to be baked in batches.

      LAYER CAKE PANS: My preferred pans are the USA Pan 9-inch-round, 2-inch-high pans made of aluminized steel. They provide even baking and are easy to unmold.

      BUNDT PANS: Nordic Ware cast aluminum pans are the gold standard. The 10-cup pans have various designs, but I suggest opting for simpler shapes for easier unmolding. If I had to choose just one, it would be the Anniversary Bundt Pan, which works well for both 10-cup and 15-cup cakes.

      OTHER PANS: Tube pans for chiffon and angel food cakes, springform pans for cheesecakes, heavy-gauge sheet pans for cake rolls, and muffin pans for cupcakes.

      You can find Rose on Instagram at @realbakingwithrose and at realbakingwithrose.com.