Cake Troubleshooting Tips
For Cake Problems

Photo courtesy of: Jules Stone Soup

• Wrong measurements. Refrain from the baking style of using a pinch of this and a handful of that method. Use your measuring spoons and cups and follow the recipe.

• When you add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, be sure to not overmix. Also, add the flour to the creamed mixture gradually and not all at once.

• Wrong pan size.

• Using a glass pan, but following the aluminum pan baking directions.

• Wrong oven temperatures. Be sure your oven works properly and heats to the appropriate temperature.

CAKE TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS FOR COMMON PROBLEMS

PROBLEM: CAKE DIDN'T RISE

- Improper mixing
- Too much butter or oil
- Not enough baking powder or baking soda
- Baking powder too old
- Wrong size pan
- Oven too hot

PROBLEM: CAKE SINKS IN THE CENTER

- Batter over mixed
- Cake removed from oven too soon; not completely baked
- Oven temperature too high
- Opened oven door too often during baking
- Too much baking power or baking soda
- Too much liquid or sugar

PROBLEM: TUNNELS, CRACKED OR DOME TOP

- Too much flour
- Not enough baking power or baking soda
- Not enough sugar
- Too much liquid or eggs
- Batter over mixed
- Pan too close to oven's top heating element
- Opened oven door too often during baking
- Baked cake removed from pan too soon

PROBLEM: BATTER OVERFLOWED

- Too much baking powder or baking soda
- Too many beaten egg whites
- Over mixed batter
- Pan too small

PROBLEM: CAKE IS TOO DENSE AND HAS HEAVY TEXTURE

- Too much flour
- Too many eggs
- Too much butter or oil
- Not enough baking powder or baking soda
- Over mixed batter
- Over beating egg whites
- Pan too small
- Wrong temperature

PROBLEM: CAKE STICKS TO PAN

- Pan not greased sufficiently
- Salted butter used which causes cake to stick to pan
- Cake turned out of pan too soon after baking
- Cake cooled on flat surface rather than a raised rack
- Cake cooled in pan too long

PROBLEM: STICKY CRUST

- Too much sugar
- Under baked
- Oven temperature too low

PROBLEM: CAKE FALLS APART

- Too much baking powder or baking soda
- Too much sugar
- Too much butter or oil
- Improper mixing
- Oven temperature too low

PROBLEM: CAKE IS COURSE AND DRY; TOP IS HARD AND DARK

- Too much flour or sugar
- Too much baking powder or baking soda
- Not enough liquid
- Oven temperature too low
- Over baked





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