Just hoping others may wish to share their own kitchen survival tips here, as well.

Here's one to get us started ....

Baking cakes and the dratted things never rise properly or have that big 'hump' in the centre?

Before popping in oven:

- Very gentle tap the bottom of your cake pan on counter a few times (it cause the wee air bubbles to rise and helps prevents those large holes later)
- Wet tea towel, wring, fold lengthwise several time ... wrap it around the exterior of cake pan and hold in place with either large safety pins or old-fashed wooden clothes pins.

The moist heat from the towel helps the cake bake and rise more evenly and ta da!, a flat top cake!

p.s. I'm a firm believer that there is nothing wrong with cheating when cake baking! One name-brand cake mix ... substitute the liquid oil it calls for with softened butter ... add 1 teaspoon extra of water and you end up with one great cake!