Coating fruit in flour doesn't stop it from sinking to the bottom of cakes: there are better ways to do it

This common practice, however, doesn't have the benefits attributed to it. "Not only is this trick useless, but it can ruin your pastries," warns pastry chef Allie Chanthorn Reinmann in the pages of the American culinary magazine Milk Street. Far from holding the fruit in place, the flour is more likely to clump in its crevices and folds—think blueberries or walnuts, for example—leaving small, unpleasant lumps in the cake.

According to the expert, the problem lies elsewhere. If your inclusions sink, it's generally not because they're too slippery, but simply because they're heavier or denser than their surroundings. The key, therefore, is to "prepare a batter that's firm and structured enough" so they don't sink.

And don't necessarily trust what you see before baking. Your dried fruit or chocolate chips might very well float on the surface of your raw muffins... and sink afterward. As the cake bakes, the leavening agents activate and produce gas bubbles, which form especially around and under these small additions. Denser than these air pockets, they can then gradually sink if the batter doesn't offer enough resistance.

That's why flour is rarely a lifesaver. In a batter that's too runny or too light, no matter how much you roll your inclusions in, they'll still end up sinking to the bottom of the pan. So, what's the solution? "Use a batter specifically designed to incorporate ingredients. These batters are denser, thicker, and have the necessary structure to hold them in place during and after baking," advises Allie Chanthorn Reinmann.

If a plain cake recipe doesn't call for any additions, and even if the temptation is strong, refrain from throwing in that last handful of red berries that have been lingering in the fridge! Save them instead for a recipe that will give them pride of place.