Ever try a recipe and it doesn’t turn out like you thought it should? There are a number of reasons why it may not “work.” The first one I think about is oven temperature. It’s best to check the temperature of your oven setting using an oven thermometer. Mine runs a little hot and to save on a repair bill (I don’t know how to adjust it myself), I just set my temperature setting down about 25°F.
The second problem that comes to my mind is inaccurate measuring. Read your recipe carefully and measure properly. Be sure to use a wet measuring cup for liquid ingredients and a different measuring cup for your dry ingredients.
Avoid packing your flour down when measuring it. Sifting is good but I sometimes cheat and just use a spoon to lightly fluff prior to measuring. I bake a lot so I know the texture of batters and can eyeball when something isn’t quite the correct consistency. If you’re not an experienced baker, by all means, you must follow your recipe and measure correctly.
I have included a basic guide for a variety of baked items that lists specific problems and what may have caused the issue. Great baked products are so rewarding…..the aroma in the kitchen is awesome but eating your results is even better!
[table id=4 /]
Desiree is the Public Relations Manager at Wilton. She spends her days monitoring media opportunities, working with newspaper, magazine and television contacts, collaborating with bloggers and handling a variety of other odds and ends. Desiree has a degree in journalism and experience writing for newspapers and television. Outside of Wilton, she enjoys running and planning outings with friends.
This is perfect! I can’t wait to share this with my friends. I am often asked for advice and not sure what to say.
Thank you lots of great tips. I will keep it.
this is awesome and answers a lot of my questions about some of my cakes that no one could answer. Thanks alot.
Thank you Ms. Siler for putting all of this information into one concise spot for us! This will be very helpful for when I am asked several questions during classes and I do not want to confuse my students! Thank you again!
Hi Susan, I read some of the blogs in this website. Can you please help me because I am really having a hard time baking my cakes and cupcakes in my small convection oven. I tried to reduce the temprerature for 25 degrees and but followed the the same baking time for my cupcake. It was moist when i tried it right after bakign it, but the followign morning after refrigerating, it became hard and not moist. What could be the problem? If you have some tips or receipes that would be a great help. please help! thank you.
Thank you very much for this information. Lately all my cakes had a collapsed center and I didnt know why but now I Know why. thank you!!
Just what I needed, I’m a beginning cake guy and I have made one cake so far. The cake came out ok, but with theses tips I’m sure to do much better. Thank you for sharring.
Cheers!!!
When you say overbeating the batter what do you mean? How can you make out that you are overbeating? I bake one in a while and the dense, heavy tunnely cake has been the result 3 – 4 times. How does one know when to stop beating? And at what stage does overbeating cause the most harm?
A perfect example for overbeating is when mixing muffins. If you beat them with a mixer instead of hand stirring the ingredients until they are all blended, you’ll be overmixing and you’ll get a tougher muffin that probably will have a tunnel inside and a peaked top. No major harm is done except your muffin doesn’t look as good and might be a heavier texture/tougher. The best thing to do is follow the recipe instructions. Don’t go off and let things continue mixing while you’re on the phone. Ingredients need to be blended and in some cases mixed a little longer. Some of this depends on the sugar/fat/flour content of the recipe so that’s why I said make sure you follow your recipe. Good luck!
Many a time it says add dry ingredients and mix for 30 sec but in 30 sec it doesnt even get mixed these recipes always cause grief 🙂
Sometimes it nice to read something that refresh’s the mind.
Thank you very much for this information.it’s really help me.
You have done me well wth these imformations. I use to have heavy, dry baked cakes. Now i know why. Thanks Nancy Silver.
I made one of the very large circle cakes, I believe the 18 inch, which turned out completely wrong! Before the inside tested done with a toothpick coming out clean, the edges shrunk way in from the sides, the cake was hard and even smelled a touch burned. I used the bake even strips, but it just didn’t do the trick, like with a “normal” sized cake. Because I have taken the series of Wilton decorating classes, I bake many cakes for my family, and I would really like to know how to make a large cake turn out. Thank you.
For any pan that’s 10″+, we recommend using a heating core to insure even baking. For an 18″ pan you will need two. The aluminum core absorbs and transfers the heat to the batter to bake it more uniformly and parallel to the area closer to the edge of the pan. If you use one I think you’ll see a much better result.
I love Wilton products, wish I could afford more. My son works for
Wilton, wish he would give me Wilton pans etc. for presents. I only have two Wilton sets, one set of cake pans I got one at a garage sale and one rectangular pan my daughter gave me. Sure would like a bundt pan, maybe someday.
Buy them at Michael’s, they always have 40% off coupons so you can get them for a lot cheaper!
My favorite fluted tube (bundt) pan from our Dimensions® Decorative Cast Aluminum Bakeware is the Cascade pan. I always receive compliments when I take anything baked in it to a function. The Perennial and Giant Cupcake pan are also quite nice and the definition of the baked cakes is wonderful. Hope you can make the investment soon!!
plse sent me messages by arabic languge
none
I’m trying to make “cut-out” cake — like a sail boat from a rectangle cake. My problem is that it’s so crumbly, I can’t frost it after I’ve cut it. Is there a better recipe to use to prevent the crumbling. (Freezing the cake even didn’t help)
THanks,
Try using a denser recipe, such as a sponge or madeira (sp. also madera) cake. They have a tighter texture than a mix cake, and can also be glazed and marzipanned before coating in fondant. I used a lemon madiera for my wedding. Note that because of its denseness, portions will be smaller, so a cake will feed more.
One of my suggestions was going to be to freeze the cake but since you’ve already tried that…oh well.
A pound cake is firmer and less “crummy”.
Put a crumb coating of icing on the cake prior to the heavier coating of icing and place in the refrigerator to allow coating #1 to crust before adding icing layer #2.
What will really help is to use a Wilton shaped pan so when it’s baked you have the perfect “crumb” or “skin” that is nicely browned and “locks in” your crumbs on all areas to be iced. You could use the Pirate’s Ship for the sail boat.
Tnks so much 4 the tips, they’re so cool.
I love Wilton products & no longer buy anything else.
found it very helpful, could not have come at a better time. thank you
Shelly–
Use Wilton’s butter cake recipe for carving, it works awesome! The texture is a bit more dense and sturdy than traditional cakes. Happy baking!
Jemoiselle
Where do I find a “heating core” for baking the larger size cakes. I too have the same problem with the under/over baked cakes
Michaels Craft store sells them
You can find a heating core on our website, or check our store locator for a retailer near you.
I sometimes have issues with getting the cake to come out of the character pans. I lightly spray with cooking spray and then flour them making sure to get the extra flour out of the pan. What am I doing wrong? Is there a certain time to get them out of the pan? I let them cool a bit before I turn them onto the platform.
Also, I have a hard time making black, gray or red colored icing. The black/gray look purple and the red looks pink or dark pink.
You need to take the cake out of the pan before it cools too much or you will have a hard time taking it out and it may become soggy on the bottom from the steam inside the pan.
As for colours….you just need to add more of it to get your desired colour
Pan release
Sometimes pan spray can get a little gummy especially if flour is added. Bake Easy™ is a really good product to use or use shortening and then flour making sure you get into all of the crevices. Letting the cake cool in the pan too long can make it stick. We recommend cooling about 10 minutes.
Black icing
Start with chocolate icing and add black icing color.
Red icing
Use Red Red for smaller areas. For larger cake areas of red I recommend using No Taste Red. You will need to add a lot of icing color especially if you use a different red. White icing may need 1 tsp of icing color per cup to achieve the red that you want.
Thanks for all your help. I tried the football helmet cake pan and it did it again. I turned it over right away this time and it still stuck. I had to let it sit in the pan overnight and then took a silicone spatula around the edges as far as it would reach. With a little tapping on the pan with the spatula and shaking it finally came out. I will have to try it again and try the shortening. I used flour on top of the spray and it still did not come out.
I will try your ideas with the frosting. I never thought to use that much at a time, I use a toothpick and then mix it and keep adding until I think it is the right color. My gray is still having a purple tint to it though.
thanks again for your answer.
I am just now reading all of the replies. When I bake a cake, I use crisco shortening, not oil, and grease the inside of the cake pan using a paper towel(easy clean-up). Then take flour, and swish in pans until coated. I then, tap the pans while they’re upside down to make sure all of the residual flour is out. After baking, I don’t leave them in a full 10 minutes–mine will get too moist on the bottom. I usually take them out after around 7-8 minutes. So far this has worked for me. Hope this helps.
this is a fool proof recipe for cake release and it never fails.
1 cup crisco
1 cup canola oil
1 cup flour
mix with electric mixer untill incorporated and fluffy.
coat all surfaces of pan using a pastry brush. Store in air tight container. If storing longer than a week store in refridgerator. You will never use anything else after you try this.
Lisa, Try making pan coat, I teach CAKE DECORATORING at John Wood College, plus Hobby Lobby. I TELL ALL OF MY STUDENTS ABOUT IT. TAKE 1/2 CUP OF OIL, 1/2 CUP OF CRISCO, OR SWEETEX, 1/2 CUP OF FLOUR…… MIX WITH MIXER…… PERFECT FOR CHARACTER CAKES, COMES OUT PERFECT. NO MORE DIGGING OUT CAKE, OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF YOUR CHARACTER CAKE PANS.,,,, PUT ON PASTRY BRUSH, ,,,,,,,,BRUSH YOUR CHARACTER PAN, AND IT WILL AMAZE YOU…………PUT IN FRIDGE AFTER YOU ARE DONE…..P-E-R-F-E-C-T……………
Judy,
I am just now reading your reply to Lisa in 2010 about her cake sticking. You spoke of sweetex. You said to put it in the fridg.
Are you talking about what is left over or have to put the cake in it? I am not familiar with the use of it.
Thank you
super……………….ok
Thanks for the tips they’re very usefull
I bake cakes all the time from box to homemade and for some reason my cakes don’t rise like they are suppose to i use all the right tools and measure right. And the temperature in the oven is correct and i don’t over or under mix. So i don’t know what the problem is all the other times that i baked cakes they rose. So what goes.
Are your cake mixes/ingredients expired? If they are old and out of date the cake will not turn out correctly.
My thought is what elevation do you live? You may need to alter the recipe if your higher than 3,000 – 3,500 ft above sea level
Buckeye is correct in that your cake mixes could be old so check the expiration date before using. If the baking powder is old or the box has been subjected to poor storage conditions it may not provide the full rising power. Also check the age of your baking powder when making scratch cakes. Maybe it’s time for a new can.
Are you sure your oven thermometer is still functioning correctly to check the oven temperature? Sometimes if dropped, they no longer work properly.
What changed when you started seeing lower rising cakes? Did you get a new oven or mixer? Are you switching pan sizes such as you used to bake in a 8” pan and you are now using a 9” pan?
Hi, I cannot seem to get my cupcakes right as they often have a “hole” at the bottom where they have come away from the case. Is this what you describe as “tunnelling” or is this caused by something else? I always use the best ingredients but don’t know what I am doing wrong. Help please!! Great site – thank you.
Tunneling is when the rise very high or peak in the center but you have a hole underneath. Always follow your recipe for the correct mixing time and I’m sorry to say sometimes there could be a misprint in the recipe so I would try another if this keeps happening. Happy Cupcake Eating!!
plse sent me message by french languge
Thank you so much Mrs. Siler for the tips are very helpful..
I just bought the cup cake pan. I followed the recipe that came with it. I baked it on 325 for 70 minutes and the outside was hard and burnt. The inside was not done. This was not a good experence. I had to give it to the birds. Could you let me know what could have went wrong?
Hmmm…that recipe has been prepared so many times both in the Wilton Test Kitchen and Decorating Room. If you feel as though you have measured correctly the only other thing I can think of is that your oven temperature may be set at 325 F. but that your oven may have hot spots. Try checking the oven with an oven thermometer and move the pan around twice during baking to see if that helps.
thanks alot for this tips i know it will be really rewarding. thanks again
i made a coconut cake for someone, they enjoyed it but they said “they want the cake to be a little more moist…the liquid from the recipe is 1 cup, so do i add a 1/2 cup more…
I definitely would not just add 1/2 cup extra liquid.. You could do the following:
1. Bake again and test for doneness early since it might have overbaked.
2. Poke toothpicks into the cake after it has baked and add some cream of coconut over the top so it “seep”s into the baked layers
3. Compare your recipe to some other recipes to see how much liquid to flour ratio they have and that will indicate about how much more liquid you might be able to add to your recipe.
I now know why I’v not been producing a good and fluffy cake.
Thanks.
I will like to make a cake, but I dont know how to get the recepis
I dont want from the box, i will like to do form flour.
Check out the recipes on http://www.wilton.com and http://www.bakedecoratecelebrate.com. You’ll find lots of great cake recipes that can be used for cupcakes and mini cakes also.
What fantastic advise specially about the cookies. This is really very helpful. Thanks again. Can’t wait to see the results now that I have the
information.
se ve el pastel super quisiera que me ayudara con la receta no hablo ingles, quisiera que tambien me diera una cubierta para brownies, en este momento los estoy ensayando, para decorarlos quisiera montar mi negocio, yo tengo el libro de wilton brownies, que es precioso, pero necesito un frosting o cubierta.
yo vivo en cali colombia, y hago tortas para la venta, a nivel casero, pero necesito ampliar mi negocio y quiero hacer los browinis, le agradeceria que me ayudara.
gracias
Muchas Gracias!
Encontrara la receta de betún de mantequilla de chocolate aquí http://www.wilton.com/recipe/Chocolate-Buttercream-Icing
Usted puede encontrar otras recetas en http://www.wilton.com y http://www.bakedecoratecelebrate.com, pero son en inglés.
Thank you so much! Your tips are much needed. My dream is to become a pastry chef, so I am always baking something. I make alot of mistakes, but I guess thats how you learn. Your tips will stop me from making certain mistakes, so thanks!
I HAVE TROUBLE WITH LIKE LITTLE AIR HOLES IN MY CAKES. I HAVE
BAKED FOR A LONG TIME AND STILL HAVE THEM ESPECIALLY WITH
A CAKE MIX. WHAT AM I DOING WRONG.
SOME ONE TOLD ME TO USE THE FLOWER NAILS IN MY CAKES THAT ARE 10 INCHES OR MORE AS THE CAKE GETS LARGER USE MORE
NAILS. ON A REALLY LARGE CAKE 22′” USE 3 OR 4 NAILS SPACED
APART. JUST SPRAY THE NAIL AND PUT IT IN THE PAN AND FILL
PAN AND BAKE. HAS ANY ONE TRIED THIS IT WOULD BE GREAT
I DON’T LIKE THE HOLES THE HEATING CORES MAKE.
what a relief. please what makes the top of the cake crusty or have tiny holes instead of smooth. my large cakes have a smooth finishing touch but the small ones, as many tiny holes a possible. please do reply soon.
Crusty top: your oven could be too hot. Best to check with an oven thermometer to make sure when you set it on 350 F that it truly is 350F. Also make sure you place your cake pans in the middle of the oven and there is room for air circulation around the pan. For the tiny holes at the top, you may have mixed air into your batter and that rises to the top when baking. Some people will tap their pans filled with batter on the counter top to rid the batter of air bubbles prior to baking.
I just bought the monkey cake pan and tried the recipe twice, baking at two different temps and the outside burned and the inside was way underdone. can you give me any suggestions? I want to make this for my son’s birthday party. thank you
Not sure which recipe you had a problem with because there is only a buttercream icing recipe on the label. Whatever recipe or cake mix you used be sure to check your oven with an oven thermometer to make sure it is functioning correctly. Make sure to fill your pan no more than 2/3 full. Also put your pan in the middle of the oven.
You can use this pan to make a giant sugar cookie or rice cereal treat also.
Good luck.
I used a box brownie mix like the label said. Thank you for your help and I will be out to buy an oven thermometer tomorrow. thank you
Help! I have a home cupcake business, and have a question.
Many times, when I use the cute cupcake paper liners that are out, by the time they’re finished baking, you cannot see the cute print anymore. Any ideas on what to do? Should I spray them with PAM before I fill them? Any help would be appreciated!
Stephanie,
I was reading through the 2010 blog on the Wilton website. I read you have a home cupcake business. How in the world did you get that started. I would love to have a cupcake business, but can’t afford the overhead to get started. That sounds like the perfect thing. I am in Mobile, Alabama, just to let you know where I am. I have the same problem with my cupcake liners. I don’t know what to do about that unless you have found something since 2010.
Thanks,
Sue
Good luck
I bake from scratch and use boxed mixes(Pillsbury cake mix). Lately, my cakes have been collapsing and seem extra wet. They brown well and when I pierce them it comes out clean. I’ve noticed that they aren’t totally done on he bottom. I use a recipe from my Cake Doctor book that calls for 1c. of sour cream, and 1box of (choc. or van.) instant pudding. These recipes have always come out perfectly until just recently. Can you help, I have three weddings comong up!!! Will take all the advice I can get. Thanks
It could be a fluctuation in oven temperature. Have you ever had your oven calibrated? If not, try that. Something may have happened to the temperature settings. Did you start filling your pans a little more than usual to get a higher cake? Those are the two reasons I could think of that may affect the change if everything else is the same.
I keep having trouble with the 1st & ten football pan. Every time I use it the cake comes out too done on the ends and gooey in the center. I have followed the Wilton directions and used the heating core. Is there a trick that Wilton uses to get a perfect cake from that pan? Thank you!!!
You could try lowering the oven temperature by 25 F and baking slightly longer (maybe 5-10 min). Using Wilton Bake Even Strips wrapped around the pan could also assist.
My cakes always makes a big valcano in the middle of the cake… I have even tried baking the cake in my small convection oven but it still does it…What do I do wrong?
Please help,
Elizabeth
The high peak of a cake can be from a few different reasons but if you follow these steps, you should be able to prevent this:
1. Check the temperature of your oven by placing an oven thermometer inside. Ensure adequate temperature before placing the cake. If you live higher than 3,000 feet above sea level, you will need to increase the oven temperature 15-25 degrees.
2. Beat the cake mix for the specified time. Over and under-beating can be a problem, so it’s best to use a timer.
3. Place the cake on the center rack of the oven to allow for even baking.
You may be overmixing or mixing on too high/fast a speed. I am big on oven thermometers to make sure the temperature is correct too.
whenever i bake fruit cakes, when they are cool they sink in the middle, and what is the correct temperature to set the oven at? and with 12″ fruit cakes the takes longer to bake so the outer parts sometime get a little burn especially with the large ones
i have struggle with these problems for a long time now
The collapse or sinking of a cake can be from a variety of reasons but if you follow these simple steps, you should be able to prevent this from happening:
1. Check the temperature of your oven by placing an oven thermometer inside. Make sure the oven is the correct temperature before placing cake inside.
2. Measure dry ingredients in dry measuring cups and be sure the level off the top to ensure the amount of ingredient that you are adding.
3. Measure liquid ingredients in a liquid measuring cup and set it down onto the counter to get an accurate read of the amount inside before adding it to your mixture.
4. Be sure to mix your batter as directed . Under and over-beating can be a problem – use a timer to get it right.
5. When selecting your pan, be sure to use the appropriate pan size. If you double the recipe, you will need a bigger pan size.
6. Lastly, once your cake is in the oven, do NOT open the door until the minimum bake time listed on your recipe or in the instructions. When you open the door, the temperature drops and can cause your cake to fall.
Just be sure to follow your recipe for oven temperature. You can cover the outer perimeter of your fruitcake with foil initially and then take the foil off halfway through the baking time. You should also consider making sure you have an oven thermomemter so you know your oven is at the correct temperature. Just heard of someone having 2 oven thermometers to make sure she had an even temperature. Rotate your fruitcake halfway through the baking time might help.
hi, I tried making a zebra cake ,but it turned out very oily and the stripes merged with one another ,I measured all the ingredients and followed the instructions,but the cake was a total disaster,what could have gone wrong?
My walnut meringue some times sink inspite of keeping every thing grease free,may I KNOW THE REASON?
Not sure if you’re talking about mixing batter colors or the icing and whether it was fondant or buttercream. If decorating for a zebra cake use Wilton Sugar Sheets that have a zebra print. If using fondant, cover your cake in white and then add the black “stripes” on top. Make sure the black fondant is needed well.
Trying to do cupcakes and not sure if they should have a dome or should they be flat> last ones I did were flat and hard around the top edge surrounding the cupcake paper. What is the problem? Should cupcakes be measured differently than cakes?
Some recipes produce a more dome appearance while some are flat. Also how much you fill will make a difference in what bakes up above the baking cup. There really isn’t a problem with either result. Fill your baking cup or muffin pan about 2/3 full.
i make a double cake . i make a yellow and one chocolate in a 13 +9 pan .when i put them together on my cake board they have a swag in the middle .how do i get this out .thanks kim
As this is a finished product, the best way to “remove” the swag if not too deep and mounds in the center is to level the cake, a process called “crowning.”. This can be easily done with a Wilton ULTIMATE Cake Leveler (product# 415-800) or a Wilton Cake Leveler (product# 415-815). If you do not have one of these tools, you can use a long serrated knife and carefully shave off the highest areas of the cake until it is even all the way across. You can also invert the cake so that the swag is not visible.
A “swag,” or dip in a cake usually signifies it has either not been: baked long enough or checked for doneness (toothpick inserted into center of cake). It could also be due to incorrectly positioning the pans in the oven (the center rack is best for even baking or a miscalculation in the amount of time a 13×9 in. pan takes to bake. Oven temperatures also vary, so you may want to consider using an oven thermometer.
I just baked a cake which came out heavier and tougher than I had hoped, and it seems that it may have been the gluten in the flour that caused it. How do you get gluten free flour?
Gluten free flour is starch. Add some corn starch may improve the texture.
I don’t see the table with common problems – am I blind, or is it no longer available? Also, I have a question you may be able to answer – I’ve been making all sorts of pound cakes for a long time already, and sometimes, they come out PERFECT. For the past few tries though, they looked as if they had raw, “wet” spots when cut–even though I KNOW they were completely baked, for the full time according to the recipe (sometimes even longer), the toothpick would come out clean, etc. At first, I thought the problem was berries being too juicy, since it happened the last time when I made a blueberry one. I made a chocolate chip pound cake this weekend though, and the same “wet,” raw-looking spots appeared! Any suggestions??
The temperature in the oven is not constant during baking.
My frosting for the carrot cake remain running and do not become stiff for spreading. I have done the frosting 3 time without success. Please help,
I am baking Paleo breads now, but find that many have tunneling problems: center is unbaked and soft like the original batter, almost seems to be unbaked and the top of the loaf is sunken. the outside edges of the loaf are baked, but the center is soft and unbaked. Do I reduce the amount of liquid/ increase the dry ingredients? I use the small 3 x 7 loaf pans. Help appreciated.
From The Wilton Test Kitchen
I found this recipe online where readers were complaining of tunneling when they made this bread recipe. The woman re-wrote the recipe and changed the amount of flour, baking soda and coconut oil. I don’t have any idea why she changed those ingredients but maybe this link could help?
http://www.elanaspantry.com/paleo-bread/
looking for suggestions on sm holes in pound cake it calls for pastry flour and I used all purpose would this create the problem I sift the flour help getting expensive im makeing it for a wedding cake I need help
A possible reason your pound cake has small holes is because of the flour you are using. If the recipe calls for pastry flour and you don’t have any on hand you can substitute with a mixture of 1/2 all-purpose flour and 1/2 cake flour. This will give you a flour with a protein percentage closer to pastry flour.
Another possible reason your cake has small holes may be due to over mixing. When a batter is over mixed the resulting cake gets tunneled/holey. Make sure to mix your batter until the ingredients are just combined.
Hope this helps!
where is the troubleshooting guide?
I cannot find the trouble shooting guide either…..
If you have specific questions about your baking please let us know and we will try to help you as best we can. This post was giving you examples of how to better your baking but we are here to help.
What causes a hard streak at the bottom of the pound cake?
I did not substitute any ingredients and I have used this
recipe for such a long time and I have never had a problem
until recently.
Switching from a light colored pan to a dark colored pan can cause a hard/dark crust on your cake. Also make sure that your oven is not running hot or has hot spots; these can lead to over-baking. I would recommend getting an oven thermometer and making sure your oven isn’t running hot. Also make sure that your butter is softened and all of your ingredients are incorporated before baking. I hope this helps. Happy Baking!
I’ve encountered this problem for the first time. When serving my cake, it crumbled and fell apart. What am I doing wrong? I have never had this problem before. I am using the same cake recipe as before.
A few things can cause a dry/crumbly cake. Make sure that your oven is at the right temperature and calibrated correctly so there isn’t a chance of over or under baking. Also make sure that all your ingredients (especially your wet ingredients) are measured correctly and softened; this step is important for making a moist cake. And lastly make sure you are not over mixing your batter. Over mixing will cause a dense, heavy cake. Hopefully these tips will help with your crumbling issues. Happy Baking!
Hi there, just wanna ask you, im having different result each time i bake the same recipe, where the recipe calls for mixing all ingredients at once, and the amounts are just like a pound cake. I used 175 g sr flour, soft margarine and c sugar, 3 eggs, 1 1/2 tsp b powder and orange zest. Last time i bake this cake it turns out well, but not high enough like shown in the pic, it should be like 4 to 5 cm and the recipe ask to use 2 8cm tins., but i just use only 1 deep one, and mine turns out to be aroumd 3cm in height. But that is the past, and this tme(yesterday) when i bake this there was a different result, the sides of the cake risrs well but it sinks at the bottom, and the texture is quite coarse. The only different i done is the last one i used to mix with a mixer, while this time i beat using my hand. Does this made any difference? The recipe itselfs tells to beat with a wooden spoon. I do measure all the ingredients correctly and mix until light and fluffy. Could it be the temperature? The recope calls for 160 C. Does it seems too low?
Thanks for your opinions.
Have you ever made this recipe successfully? I’m wondering if the recipe is scaled correctly. Never the less, using a mixer instead of a spatula can over work the flour causing a heavy, course and dense cake. Next time you make the cake try mixing everything with a spoon rather than a mixer. And only mix the ingredients until fully incorporated; ingredients should be mixed until light and fluffy when using a creaming method.
The temperature does seem a little low to me so it may be possible the cake was not fully baked. Was it raw in the center? Remember to check your cake with a toothpick or cake tester before removing it; the toothpick will come out clean when it is done. I hope these tips help! Happy Baking!
I crumb coated cake,put in fridge, nice layer of buttercream. Then I put borders on cake. After I was done and thought it looked good. I look back and the top border is falling down the side. Any advice?
My only thought was the butter cream was too soft or warm to hold a top boarder. Or the cake underneath was too cold and the butter cream had a hard time attaching to the cake. Next time make sure the butter cream in your decorating bag isn’t too warm and has a stiffer consistency. I hope this helps.
Hi I had a cake recipe tht calls for 1LB sugar, flour, butter 6 whole eggs 6 egg yolks 1 c. Milk or pineapple juice or orange juice 1 Tbsp vanilla 1/8 tsp salt now I can’t remember exactly how much baking powder should be added so if you can please help me also thecake batter is so thick I was wondering can I add extra liquid? Wht can I add or sub to make this cake more moist? The last time I baked it I used cake flour also seperated the whole eggs and beated the egg white and folded to the batter last added more juice abt 3oz and the cake was a disaster it tons of air bubbles it sunked around the edges the center crowned the cake was dense and hard please help..
Forgot to mention whn I made the cake I used 2 1/4 TBS of baking powder which is wht I think was the original recipe
Since your recipe called for 1 pound of sugar, flour, butter and (more or less) eggs it sounds like you have a pound cake recipe on your hands. A pound cake batter is going to be very thick and the resulting cake will be dense but delicious. If this is not the type of cake you are looking to bake instead of trying to whip egg whites or sub ingredients I would just look for a different cake recipe. Sometimes changing even the smallest ingredient amount can greatly effect the outcome of your cake. Also that sounds like a lot of baking powder for this recipe; which could effect your crumb and cause all the air bubbles. I attached a basic ‘butter cake’ recipe from the Wilton website for you to look at. Maybe this will lead you in a better direction.
http://www.wilton.com/recipe/Butter-Cake
Used a DIY Mastro’s Butter Cake recipe that calls for ALOT of butter – followed exactly and both times I ended up with a lot of what became clarified butter leakage. No mention of this problem in any of the knock off recipes…
I’m sorry to hear that. Where did you find the recipe? Do you have a copy of it?
Why does my banana nut bread loaf sink in the center, and tend to fall apart when removing from the loaf pan?
It is possible that your banana bread is under baked. Make sure to test the center with a toothpick before removing it from the oven. Also the amount of leavening called for in the recipe can be wrong. If you are still having issues with this recipe I would recommend comparing it to a few other recipes to make sure the ingredient amounts seem correct. Hope that helps.
Hello, I would like to know how to correct a gooey texture in my 10″ homemade pound cake that I bake in an angel food pan. It happens when I make sweet pot, coconut and even sometimes my almond pound cake. This is baked at 325 for 1:20 or I have even gone up to 1:40 hrs? The flavors R Great but I’m trying to start a biz And some people don’t want to see the clear street going thru, bec they think it’s under cooked.. Help thx u
When you say gooey texture do you mean that your cake feels wet or under baked? For such a large cake I would recommend increasing the temperature to 350; this might help with your bake time. Make sure to check the inside of your cake with a toothpick or cake tester before pulling it out.
My successful recipe for sour cream pound cake has always been and always bakes up perfect for years until lately; it bakes up with goody texture and the crusg is crumbly with an inside thats gooey touhg a nd has lots of holes throughout. I don’t know what happened…help!
It is very hard to say what is causing the gooey texture. Make sure you are buying the same type of sour cream (low fat can change the texture of your cake). Also make sure your oven is calibrated. If your oven is running cold your cake can be under baked.
I’ve been making cakes for my family for 20 years, without a problem u pintail recently. I made a wonderful cake for my grandson but when I cut into it, it was “wet” or soggy? It tasted fine but I was so upset, it was sitting in what appeared to be water? I baked my cakes froze them for a week let the defrost in the fridge, and then decorated using American butter cream, and fondant the next day we served the cake and yikes! That was the first cake I had the issue with, but this week I had the same thing happen with an 8 inch round cake? I’m so afraid to do any more cakes! Help any ideas? My cakes are cooked when I take them from the oven.
Thank you for any help you can provide.
Is it possible that the extra moisture is from the thawing process? If your frozen cakes have ice crystals on them, and then they thaw out, that could cause the cake to be soggy.
Thank you for the reply, when I freeze my cakes they are completely cooled, and I wrap in layer upon layer of plastic wrap. Then defrost in the fridge overnight. I’ve never had so many issues with cake in my life. Next cake is due on jan 12, 2014 and I’m truly worried..yikes
pls i can’t seem to find the guide that she talked about. Has it been removed?
I have a question about the double chocolate pound cake recipe. I have used this recipe for the jumbo cupcake pan before. I recently used it for ceramic mini loaf pans and in a 8″ round cake that is 3″ deep. The cake sank in the middle for both pans. I had made the mini loaves before and didn’t get this but now it is happening. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Forgot to add that I do live in a higher altitude.
Hi. I tried baking a choclate cake and it came out crumbly: the ingredients I used are as follows;
125g butter,185g brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla,165g flour,1tsp baking soda,1/2 tsp baking powder,60g cocoa powder, 185ml yoghurt(plain)
Hi all I have got a spongebob wilton cake tin and used it twice. The problem I have got is the cake gets stuck in the tin I have greased the tin but still no luck with my cake coming out in one peace has anyone got any tips to stop this from happening please I have also got the monster high tin but dreading using it. Thank you
I baked a cake the cake browns around the cake and edges and does not brown well in middle. not even browning. what do I do wrong.
when I baked my cake it browned around the cake and edges but didn’t brown well in center.
I recently purchased Wilton’s fabric strips that are supposed to bake better cakes, without browning and crusting them on sides and tops.
I Have Under Baked 2 Different Cakes Using these Fabric Strips What Is Wrong? I have baked for 50 years and now after trying these strips I am wondering what is happening? I test the cakes with tooth pick and they seem done. They fall and are unbaked after removing them from the oven to cool. Does anyone know if are supposed to increase baking time in recipes? Maybe best to go back to the old fashion way of baking?
I have misplaced directions for the 3 inch deep tiered set. Can you help..
How can I get a copy of
Obtaining Better Baking Results – A Baking Troubleshooting Guide
December 31st, 2009 by Nancy Siler
Can not find it on your website.
I have Wilton brownie pans and love them but I just used them to make brownies and i made 4 batches and all 4 stuck and broke up when i tried to get them out of pan never had this problem before very disappointed cause i need them for a church function Thank You