Every baking skill you need to know

Butter should be at room temperature before you start, to avoid the batter curdling. Speed up the butter softening process (without melting it to liquid in the microwave) by grating the stick into a bowl.

Instead of having to finely chop your chocolate, get easy melts such as NESTLÉ BAKERS' CHOICE Choc Melts. The best method for melting is using a bain-marie, half filling a saucepan with water, bringing to a simmer and placing the bowl of chocolate melts on top. Make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water (or it will overheat).

Add room temperature eggs to the butter one at a time, beating between each addition. This will ensure a fluffy, creamy consistency and means your cake will have a springy, even crumb.

The secret to a light sponge is to actually sift your flour three times. The higher you lift the flour above the bowl, the more you'll aerate it. Always use a large metal spoon to fold dry ingredients into wet - if you use a wooden spoon, the mixture will lose all its air.

Always turn your oven on 20 minutes before baking cakes and check the rack is in the centre of the oven to ensure even heat distribution. Conventional ovens are generally better for baking cakes, but if you must use a fan-forced oven, drop the temperature by 20C to imitate conventional.

During baking, don't ever open the oven door during the first half of the cooking time! If your cake is over-browning, cover it loosely with foil. Test if the cake is done by inserting a skewer - if it comes out clean, it's ready.

Always leave cakes in the pan for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool. You'll know it's ready to be turned out when you can see the sides coming away from the tin and it's springy to touch.

Always ice on a wire rack over a sheet of baking paper. Elevating the cake stops the icing pooling around the bottom. Using slightly warm icing over a cool cake is your best bet for getting a smooth finish.

Decided to keep things simple by just dusting your cake with NESTLÉ BAKERS' CHOICE Cocoa instead of frosting it? Using a sieve to sift the cocoa will ensure you evenly distribute the powder and create a masterpiece. Baking for the kids? Place stencils on the top of the cake using baking paper before dusting to make fun shapes.

Making an impressive decoration for your cake, such as chocolate collar, is well worth the effort. The trick? Use quality chocolate like NESTLÉ BAKERS' CHOICE. Learn to make a cool chocolate cake collar here or pretty chocolate curls here. 

If you've greased your cake pans with melted butter or spray oil before lining with baking paper, you shouldn't experience too many issues. For burnt tins, use a non-abrasive scrubber or you will damage the non-stick coating. It's a good idea to place them in a warm oven for a few minutes after washing up to evaporate any moisture around the rolled edges.

If your cake has not been cut or frosted, you can safely freeze it for up to 3 months (wrapped in plastic wrap). If you don't want to freeze it, frosting will protect it from air and moisture, keeping it fresh for up to 4 days. If you've cut a slice, spread icing onto the exposed sponge to keep it fresh.

(Brought to you by NESTLÉ BAKERS' CHOICE)