Cake batter: what do I need for mixing (please explain me the differences)

[AfterTheRainComesSun]

Wood spoon, silicone spoon, spatula, hand mixer, balloon whisk
etc… what are the differences? Which ones do I need/when do I use them?
I am a beginner and appeciate this is a very basic questions but I find that recipes never tell you what to use, just that you need to “mix” the ingredients.

I have always used a hand held electric mixer. Some recipes call for folding, for which I use a wooden spoon, but if doing a basic sponge mix it's much quicker and easier to use a mixer.

I'd always use a handheld electric whisk for making cake. Just makes it so much easier. You can do it with whatever really but you have to put a lot of work into it and I'm too lazy.

Ok so I can just choose what to use!? So, for muffins for example, could I use the handheld mixer?

For something like a sponge cake, I use an electric hand held mixer to cream the butter and sugar, and to mix the eggs in. Then a metal soon to fold in the flour. I believe that for folding in flour you want a thin implement, so a metal spoon or a mixing spatula thingy.

There may be better things to use, but my cakes turn out pretty nicely and I'm a creature of habit.

Whisk for eggs and cream.
spatula for scraping out the bowl
wooden spoon or electric mixer for cake batter

Muffins just need to be gently folded together so a wooden spoon is best. A spatula is good for scraping out the bowl and a balloon whisk is good for whipping cream and making batters for pancakes or Yorkshire puddings.

My general rule is if it says whisk = electric whisk, if it says mix = whatever comes to hand first, usually a wooden spoon.

Whisk/hand beaters - creaming ingredients, incorporating air in stuff like meringue
Wooden spoon - general mixing
Silicone spatula - mixing, scraping bowls

The BBC cooking have some good, basic techniques to help: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/techniques

The main thing with cake batters is not to over mix them. Yes, mix until the ingredients are together, but don't keep mixing, otherwise they become tough due to the gluten development. A hand whisk is fine, but I have a very basic hand held mixer similar to this Buy Cookworks Electric Hand Mixer - White | Hand mixers | Argos. Its quicker and provides a smoother finish.

I've never heard anyone say 'Please explain me ...' Is this a regional thing or is English your 2nd language. (I'm not British myself, so just intrigued).

I use a hand mixer for creaming butter and sugar, and then mixing in the egg. I would use a wooden spoon for that if I didn't have a mixer.because it's thicker and harder. I use a metal spoon to fold in the flour as it is thinner and less likely to knock out the air.

I was taught by my Mum to fold in ingredients with a large metal spoon as the coldness of the metal helped to stop the mix collapsing. It's easier to "cut" through the mixture too, as the edge of the spoon is thinner, as PPs have said.

I have a stand mixer but I often find for small things that I pull out my 40 year old hand held mixer. Muffins however are always mixed by hand - you don't want to over mix a muffin, the "dough" should be a bit lumpy.

https://www.deliaonline.com/how-to-cook/baking

Depends how you are making them. If "all in one" method you can use hand mixer throughout, if creaming fat and sugar first use the mixer then beat in eggs but use a spoon or spatula when you sift in flour to fold it more gently and keep the air in. Folding means you slice through the wet mix to combine the flour a little at a time.

Wooden spoon - general mixing of ingredients (e.g. can use to cream butter and sugar together but takes a while), not to be used for "folding in" or "whisking/whipping" basically anything that needs air as the wooden spoon is too "heavy"

Silicone spatulas - I use these mainly. Use for general mixing the same as wooden spoon but can also use for folding. Ideally use a large metal spoon for folding as PP said but spatula does the trick if gentle. Also good for scraping bowls

Balloon whisk - use for whipping cream/egg whites etc (to incorporate air). Can also use a stand mixer or hand mixer for this

Stand mixer/hand mixer - use for whipping/whisking but also use for general mixing too like creaming butter and sugar. Don't use for folding though

For home baking I would recommend a hand held mixer and a set of silicone spatulas as can cover everything with those in my opinion. I use a stand mixer for my business but if just baking for fun tend to use the hand mixer

For a butter and sugar type cake recipe - hand held mixer. You are trying to incorporate as much air as possible into the butter, and unless you have very strong arms you are better off with an electric mixer.
After the butter, sugar and eggs, you can just stir in the flour, not whisking required.

For an oil or yogurt based cake - silicon spatula or wooden spoon. You are only needing to combine the ingredients thoroughly, not change them into big fluffy mixes. Silicon spatulas are great for getting all the batter into your cake tin. Wooden spoons are better if you want a bowl to lick.

For muffins - a wooden spoon or regular spoon, you want to mix as little as possible. Just lightly fold the dry ingredients into the wet, don't mix.

For scones - don't mix at all. Lightly stir the milk in with a fork or knife. Mixing or rolling the dough out makes it tough.

Have fun!

I have a lot to learn! Thanks for all these tips!