Tips for a more moist cake

Heloise
Heloise

Dear Heloise: My "from scratch" yellow cake tends to be on the dry side. What can I do so it's more moist? I try not to overbeat or overbake. - L.R., Harrisonburg, Va.

There are several things you might like to try:

1. Add an extra 1/3 cup vegetable oil to your batter.

2. Add one box of instant pudding mix to your cake's dry ingredients. Vanilla with your yellow cake would taste nice.

3. Separate the white from the yolk of one egg used in the recipe and use only the yolk.

4. Try brushing your cakes with simple syrup to keep them moist. You might even want to add a little flavoring or liquor. But don't oversoak the cake.

It's not necessary to use all these hints on one cake. Experiment to see which method you prefer. - Heloise

 

Firmer Gelatins

Dear Heloise: I make a gelatin (molded) salad that my family loves. It's become a tradition to have it every Thanksgiving. This year, we'll be celebrating Thanksgiving outdoors, and as you probably know, it's very warm here on Thanksgiving. I want the gelatin to stay firm in warm weather. 

Any hints on how to do that? - Georgette T., Hollywood, Fla.

Georgette, to help your gelatin stay firm, add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar to the recipe. Also, take the serving plate and put it in the freezer the night before so that it's nice and cold.

Did you know that vinegar can clean out the lime deposits in a kettle and do so much more around the house? - Heloise

 

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