Can You Bake A Full-Sized Cake In A Toaster Oven?
Toaster ovens can be a wonderful substitute for the full-size version. They won't heat up your kitchen the way that regular ovens do -- which can be important when working with certain ingredients -- and they use way less energy (up to 50% less). On the downside, their smaller size means they can't handle larger dishes so, sorry, you won't be able to cook your whole Christmas turkey in one. But what about smaller items? For example, are they powerful enough to bake a full-sized cake?
It might come as a surprise, but toaster ovens can get just as hot as conventional ones. So if the pan can fit, well then the little powerhouse is perfectly capable of baking the cake through. Toaster ovens also take much less time to pre-heat thanks to their smaller size. So you might even find that you prefer it to the big old oven that takes its sweet time warming up.
Read more: Cake Hacks Every Baker Will Wish They Knew Sooner
Caveats To Baking A Cake In A Toaster Oven
There are a few things to keep in mind when you choose your toaster oven for baking. For one, although they have specific temperature settings, these can vary just as they often do with conventional ovens. So be sure to know just how hot your specific toaster oven runs and adjust accordingly. When in doubt, go ahead and check on that cake before the time is up so that you can pull it out early if need be. Also as with any oven, there can be sections that are hotter than the rest. So you might need to turn the pan at some point. Otherwise, you could end up with crisp edges on one side while the other isn't quite done yet.
You might also be wondering if there is a limit to what kinds of cake pans can be used in a toaster oven. Fortunately, if it's oven-safe, it's probably toaster-oven-safe as well. So whether you prefer aluminum, silicone, or something else -- it'll likely work. There is one big exception, however: glass. That's because glass can explode when it's too close to a heating element, which it no doubt will be in the small confines of a toaster oven.
What Else Can You Bake In A Toaster Oven?
While it may not be realistic to bake a huge seven-layer cake in a toaster oven (and you may have to use your smallest cake pan for the cakes you do make in there) the mini ovens are actually great for baking a lot of different goodies. Cookies of all sorts can be made in toaster ovens, as can muffins and cupcakes. The toaster oven can even produce delectable crisps, cobblers, and pies. Just as with cake, if the pan fits then it can be baked.
As it turns out, toaster ovens can do almost anything a regular oven can. The proportions might just be a bit smaller. Still, if you're only baking for one or two people, the size is actually ideal. And considering that you can still make a full-sized cake this way, the toaster oven is a great way to get your baking done. So give it a try, you might find that before long you are a pro at making cakes this way.
Read the original article on Daily Meal.
