5 Hacks Every Baker Should Know

When you want a fresh-from-the-oven cake but just don't have the two-plus hours to make the batter and bake it on the same day, Gardner has two words for you: Freeze it. This hack works best with creaming-method cake batters (i.e., not ones with whipped egg whites), and you can store the batter up to three months. Here's how: Pour the batter into a zip-top freezer bag, squeezing out all the air so the bag lays flat in the freezer. The night before you want to use it, transfer the bag of batter to the fridge to defrost; the next day, stir it and portion it into the prepared pan(s) and bake according to the recipe.