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Solving Cake Problems

Most often, baking problems result from oven problems. We suggest you first check your oven thermometer to be sure your oven is heating properly.

Categories: Baking | Cakes & Cupcakes | FAQ | Everyday Baking

Check Your Oven Temperature

If your oven is too hot:

  • Your cake may have tunnels and cracks.
  • Your cake may set before it fully rises and may be uneven.
  • Your crust may be too dark.
  • Your crust may burst or crack.

 

If your oven is too cool:

  • Your cake may have coarse, dense or heavy texture.
  • Your cake won’t set fast enough and will fall.
  • Your crust may be too light.
  • If your oven temperature is uneven, your cake may be uneven.
Mixing Ingredients

Your cake top can also burst or crack from too much flour, too little liquid, or improper mixing.

If your cake is uneven, you may have mixed the ingredients improperly or spread it unevenly.

If your cake texture is coarse, you may not have combined the fat and sugar well enough.

Adjusting Ingredients

If your crust is too dark, you may have used too much sugar.

If your cake is too dense or too heavy, you may need more leavening or liquid, or you may have used too much sugar or shortening.

If your cake crust is too light, you may need more sugar.

If your cake doesn’t have good flavor, your formula may be unbalanced, or you may need to check the quality of your ingredients.

Crust Issues

If your cake crust is soggy, you may have under-baked it, cooled it in pans without proper ventilation, or wrapped it before it completely cooled.

If your cake is crumbly, you may have used too much flour, not enough sugar or shortening, or over-mixed the batter.

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