Most home bakers have some type of electric mixer in their kitchen arsenal. Some are handheld and some are stand mixers. Either way, an electric mixer is essential for making cakes. Surprisingly, there are many different methods of making a cake, and most of them require the use of some type of electronic mixer.

Here are five ways to make a cake using a food mixer.

one step method

This method requires careful planning to make sure you add the ingredients in the correct order. As with most baking methods, the important part comes when you add the liquid to the dry ingredients because this begins the chemical reaction with the gluten in the flour.

So the one-step method requires you to first put the flour and leavening agents into the bowl, then mix to combine. Add the sugar and remaining ingredients and mix to combine.

Fusion Method

The blending method doesn’t really require an electric mixer to do, but it can be used on a very low setting to gently combine the ingredients at the end of the process.

The melt method is ideal for syrup, honey, or treacle cakes and requires you to melt the fat, usually butter, in a pan and then add the syrup and remaining wet ingredients, once the fat has cooled of course. Then once the mixture has cooled you can pour it into your bowl and add the dry ingredients. It is very important to use the mixer on the lowest setting for this part and mix until combined.

dry and wet method

The wet and dry method once again works similarly to the one-step method. It requires you to put all the dry ingredients in the bowl and mix to mix. In a separate bowl, place all the wet ingredients and mix. For the wet ingredients mixed in the dry and mix.

One small point to note with this method is that when you use white sugars, you can count them as a dry ingredient, but if you use muscovado or brown sugar, you must count them as your wet ingredients.

bread method

An electric mixer can also be used to make dough if you install the dough hooks. Depending on whether you are using fresh or dry yeast, make the required preparations for the yeast component and then add it to the mixing bowl. Add the flour and use the dough hooks to slowly knead the ingredients into a smooth, elastic ball of dough.

cream method

The cream method is by far the most common method used for baking cakes and cookies. It is when the fat, usually butter, at room temperature is mixed at very high speeds with the sugar. This mixture should be beaten until it turns pale and creamy. Then it is usual to add the eggs and mix well with the butter and sugar mixture followed by the rest of the ingredients according to the recipe. Having an electric mixer for this method is essential.

Each of these methods produces a different result for the desired effect of the cake, bread or cookie. Some result in a gritty, crumbly texture, others result in a light, fluffy cake or some can be chewy and soft. No matter what you’re doing, an electronic mixer is one of the must-have items in any cook’s collection of small kitchen appliances.