Dry and tough cookies and cakes can be caused by badly measured flour. Do not pack flour in (and shave with a knife) or shake your measuring cup. First aerate the flour with a spoon or whisk or chopsticks as Alice Medrich does. Then lightly spoon flour into measuring cup – just filling it. A cup of flour should weigh about 4.5 ounces. This will make a huge difference in the outcome of your sweets.
Too much mixing after the flour has been added to the moist ingredients in the batter can also result in a tough cookie or a heavy crumb in a cake – as well as a cake with a high rise – domed top. Just mix in flour (unless stated otherwise) and really try not to over mix.
