Knowing when cake is 'done'

[loveshack]

How do you know when your cake is done?Most of mine have been guesswork(around the normal baking time),and for the occasional one that I prick with a skewer,the pricking causes the side of the cake to fall due to the air escaping:crying:.How do you find out?

[YMo7]

softly press it on the top and if it bounces back its cooked. if it stays in where you pressed it, it needs longer.

[chunkydunks]

The other thing you can do it stick a skewer into the centre of it. if it comes out clean then the cake is cooked, if not it needs a bit longer. You can use a knife if you don't have a skewer.

[drewid]

Look at the edges...if it has shrunk in from the side of the tin...its done.

[mochridhe]

The skewer trick works best. Make sure you have a metal skewer & rather than taking the cake completely out of the oven to test it, just pull the rack out, test the cake & if need be, whack it back in quickly so as not to ruin it.

The skewer test is good because it gives you a better indication of exactly how cooked the cake is.

[firstimemomma]

I use a metal fork and stick it in the middle of the cake, that way the cake doesnt fall apart. if the fork come out clean the cake is ready to be taken out

[SassyMummy]

I tap some cakes in the centre with the back of my finger (at the middle joint). It should make a hollow sound. If it doesn't, then it's still got uncooked batter and needs longer.