I cannot bake at all, does anyone have a sure fire cake recipe for dd's birthday cake?

[headfairy]

I mean really can't bake. They never rise, never look nice, taste ok but that's it. I even asked Delia when she was on here and she made it all sound so easy. But I always fail :( Please help.

I know this isn't what you asked and I am sure someone will be along with baking tips but I would say to just buy one, I don't think there's any shame in it if baking isn't fun or a natural talent for you.

I do quite like baking, despite being utterly crap at it... 's funny cos I feel exactly the same about skiing :o

If I get to the day before her birthday and I haven't produced the goods then I will pop out and buy one, but I would like to try and attempt to bake one.

I could do cupcakes I suppose. I've got a very pretty cake stand to put them on.

I couldn't bake, it terrified me, but I then made this cake www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3092/ultimate-chocolate-cake and haven;t looked back!

I now do celebration party cakes on the side!

Nigella's rocky roads with Maltesers in - we put marshmallows in ours too. It's not a cake you bake, it's just melted butter, syrup, chocolate with crushed digestives, marshmallows and maltesers mixed in. YUM and nothing to go wrong!

I made Mary Berry's chocolate cake recently, and it turned out perfectly, her recipes are known for being reliable, I think.

If your cakes always go wrong, could your oven be to blame? Often the thermostats are dodgy, I think mine is over-estimating the temperature by at least 20 degrees, so I always adjust to compensate for that now.

meanmomma ooh thanks I will dig that one out. Sounds fab!

Epiphany I've often thought that, I made some shortbread recently which turned out fine but I did have to bake it for a much shorter time than stated on the recipe. I think my oven is over hot. Delia said the key to making good cakes is using the right tin, my friend claims that you have to properly cream the butter and sugar together (something I tend to do rather poorly as I never have the patience - I'd probably do a better job if I had a Kenwood Chef or a kitchen Aid )

oops ephiny even

If you don't like baking and you don't have a mixer, why bother?

If you are going to try, I get on fine with Mary Berry's cakes but I don't put all the ingredients in and mix the way her recipes tend to set it out. I cream the butter and sugar, then add the eggs and gradually add the dry ingredients (because I am not flexible enough to change not because I have secret knowledge). Sometimes they collapse if you use too much baking powder so only use the amount the recipe states and don't toss it another spoonful to help it rise or anything like that. If you suspect your oven is too hot, put it on a slightly lower temperature than the recipe states.

Good luck. I made Mary Berry's chocolate fudge cake a couple of weeks ago which is basically a sponge with cocoa in it and the icing to sandwich it together and to ice it. Was very simple and tasted fine.

I have a hand mixer and a dodgy oven, but took my time and found the right recipes to build up my confidence at baking.

I found a basic sponge recipe - 3 eggs, 6oz s/r flour, 6oz butter, 6oz sugar, one tsp baking powder which means I could bung everything in the bowl, mix away and the cake would turn out perfectly every time. I've taught it to my dcs, who have converted it into muffins and cupcakes.

I use the one above as well. You can also squeeze some orange/lemon juice or even milk as stated in some recipes. Also coffee.