Do We Need To Spread The Cake Mix?
I have always carefully spread my sponge cake mixes in the tin so as to try and get a symmetrical cake, but is it necessary?
A sponge cake mix is fairly fluid and the heat of the oven should make it even more fluid. So will the cake 'find it's own level' before it starts to bake?
Here is a chocolate sponge mix just heaped in the tin, with no attempt at trying to smooth it out.
Here is the same cake just out of the oven. While it isn't the flattest cake that I have ever seen it isn't too bad.
Conclusion? Yes the cake mix does need to be smoothed out but probably not very much. I think it is a good idea to make sure that there is mix towards the edge of the tin, the centre will look after itself.