Baking can be a tricky process to master, especially if you’re not following the recipe to a T. To infuse bags of flavour and add an extra dimension to cakes, adding the likes of berries, chocolate chips or a variety of nuts are usually a go-to for many home cooks.
When it comes to incorporating these ingredients into cake batter, a common problem that could occur is that the ingredients could sink to the bottom of the batter, making them unevenly distributed throughout the cake. To prevent this from happening, one kitchenware company has shared a useful tip to stop this from happening. All you need to do is one store cupboard staple.
Old Country Kitchenware explained that the secret to helping fruits, chocolate chips, and nuts not sink in your cake batter is flour.
They wrote in a post on Instagram, which was then shared to the Food Bible account: “When you’re adding fruit, nuts, chocolate chips, or other inclusions to your cakes, remember to give them a quick rinse then toss in flour so they don’t sink!”
In the video, the company explained that when inclusions are added directly into the cake batter without flour and then folded in, they’re more likely to sink to the bottom of the cake, leaving plenty of room without any added flavour or texture.
Inclusions that sink to the bottom could make the base of a cake more soggy.
Inclusions will sink to the bottom when they’re heavier than the cake batter or when the cake batter isn’t thick enough to support them.
To remedy this, Old Country Kitchenware suggested pouring your inclusions into a clean mixing bowl and adding a liberal amount of flour, before mixing the two together.
By coating inclusions in flour it will prevent sinkage by increasing the friction between the fruit and the batter, allowing the fruit to be suspended more effectively during baking.
The flour also absorbs some moisture from the fruit, making it lighter and less likely to sink.
Many home bakers agreed that a flour coating is the best solution for this problem, with Iamkeia saying: “Yep, it’s true. I do it to all of my cakes as well.”
Another wrote: “If this actually works, then it’s the best lifehack I’ve ever seen.”
One person suggested: “And if you add dry fruit it’s even better with out the wet pockets and the fruit re-hydrates.”
