Is The Toothpick Test The Best Way To Check If A Cake Is Done Baking?

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Although cakes can be simple, it's also easy to mess them up. One tiny misstep and you'll end up with a cake that's too dry, not thoroughly cooked, or just plain bland. The blandness can be fixed by following simple hacks that can be used even with boxed cake, but timing is a bit harder to get right. For decades, people have turned to the toothpick test to see if their cake was done. This method calls for taking a toothpick and sticking it into the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is ready — at least, according to old wisdom. Many people love this method because it requires nothing but a small tool they probably already have in their kitchen. But, is it actually trustworthy? We asked Yami Mercado, pastry chef at Cindy's Rooftop at the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel, and she doesn't think so.

"The toothpick test is old-school," Mercado said. "And while it works in a pinch, it's not always accurate. A cake can test 'clean' and still be overbaked." Basically, while the toothpick test can tell you if a cake needs a bit more time, it doesn't save you from the dryness and subpar texture of a cake that's been left in the oven for too long. Grandma is almost always right in the kitchen, but this is one instance in which old wisdom hasn't withstood the test of time.

If you have to give up your beloved toothpick test, what should you use instead? "I always tell people: Use a thermometer for precision," Mercado said. She herself uses it at work, claiming "it's the same philosophy I apply in the professional kitchen — it gives you control and consistency." It turns out that the secret to professional-tasting cakes isn't just adding surprising ingredients like instant coffee, but also using gadgets that allow you to be more precise in your baking.

Mercado suggested getting a digital probe thermometer over laser ones "because they read the actual internal temperature, not just the surface." Using this kind of thermometer is as easy as sticking it into the cake and waiting for it to show you the temperature. "For most cakes, you're aiming for an internal temperature of about 210 to 212 degrees Fahrenheit at the center." 

Once your cake has reached this temperature, you'll know it's thoroughly cooked but still moist. It's possible to find a digital probe thermometer for under $20, so it's not a gadget that will completely empty your pockets. As Mercado suggests, "It's a small investment that pays off big time in perfect bakes." You may not want to rely on the vintage toothpick test anymore, but you can use your shiny new digital thermometer to make some delicious vintage cakes.