Baking Mad.com - everything you want to know about baking

Home
Recipes
Recipe Finder

Browse our collection of over 1000 delicious recipes from all over the world

- or -
Competitions
Baking With Eric
Kid's Baking
Inspiration
- Truvia Recipes
- Valentines Day
Blog

Home »
Ask the Expert »
Cake Baking

Cake Baking

My cake has risen too much and is cracked, what went wrong?

It is most likely that the oven was too hot. When a cake mixture is put in the oven the outside starts to cook immediately and if the temperature is too hot the cake will form a crust, as the middle of the cake heats up the mixture will force it\'s way up through the crust making the cake look like a volcano. Turn the heat down by at least 10 degrees next time

How to save it

Using a sharp knife cut off the top of the cake to level it, then turn upside down and ice. Pointy cup cakes can be turned into butterfly cakes: slice off the top and cut into two wings. S pread the cake with buttercream and place the \'wings\' back on, then dust with icing sugar.

If your rich fruit cake is very domed, slice off the top if necessary then turn the cake upside down on a cake board. Roll almond paste into a long sausage and pack between the cake and the board to create a flat smooth side.

My fruit cake is still not cooked, what has happen?

Fruit cakes are cooked at a very low temperature for a long time, so it is essential that the oven is preheated to the correct temperature before the cake goes in so that it has a chance to start cooking. If your oven is 10 or 20 degrees lower than that stated in the recipe your cake can take a long time to heat up. We recommend that rich fruit cakes are cooked in a hotter oven for the first 30 minutes to 1 hour of cooking and then the temperature is reduced. Oven manufactures allow 10 degree variation in oven temperature so if you are having problems with cake baking in your oven buy an accurate oven thermostat.

How to save it

Turn the oven temperature up by 50 degrees for 30 minutes to an hour then lower the temperature according to your recipe.

My cake is burning on top, how do I stop that?

Cover the surface of your cake with a double sheet of baking parchment or brown paper, reduce the oven temperature by 10 degrees and continue to cook for the stated time.

My cake is raw or undercooked in the middle

Either your oven temperature was too low or the cake was not cooked for long enough.

How to save it

Cut out a neat circle of cake from the centre and turn it into a ring cake, pour fondant icing over and decorate.

How do I test when a cake is cooked?

The cake should be a pale golden colour, it should feel just firm but spring back when touched in the centre and you will be able to see that the cake has just shrunk a little from the side of the cake tin. If in doubt insert a skewer or point of a sharp knife into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean it is cooked, if any cake mixture clings to the skewer, return the cake to the oven to continue cooking

My cake has sunk in the middle, what has happened?

Either the cake was not cooked for long enough or you opened the door before the cake mixture had \'set\'. Never open the door until three quarters of the way through cooking time.

How to save it

cut out the centre and turn it into a ring cake, or fill the dip with whipped cream and berries and serve as a dessert

My cake is burnt?

The oven temperature was too high (remember if you have a fan oven to reduce the conventional temperature by 20 degrees or as stated in the users instruction booklet) Or the cake was left in the oven too long.

How to save it

If possible, Slice off the burnt edges and cover with icing, however if the cake is badly burnt it is likely that the burnt flavour will have permeated the whole cake, so feed it to the birds instead!

My cake is too dry, what does that mean?

If your cake is very dry it probably means that the oven was too hot or the cake was cooked for too long.

If you are baking a rich fruit cake for a long period of time, wrap the outside of the tin with a double strip of brown paper or newspaper tied with string to prevent over cooking

How to save it

Pierce the cake all over with a cocktail skewer and pour over a little liqueur, or brandy. Or boil lemon juice and sugar together to make a syrup to pour over a sponge cake.

My cake has broken, how can I fix it?

Patch the cake together on a plate or cake board, paint with warmed sieve apricot jam and cover with almond paste to hold it all together then coat in royal icing or butter cream. Or chop it up and turn into a trifle or cake balls (see Baking Mad recipe)

Can't find your answer?

Try searching our forum or post your own question for our community of friendly, like-minded bakers to help you with. Maybe you'll be able to help someone else at the same time!

Click here to go to the forum.

No luck with the forum?

Email the kitchen with your question or alternatively call us on 0844 880 5944 (10am-4pm Mon-Fri)

Recipe of the Month

Rhubarb Crumble

Everyone will love this rhubarb crumble recipe. If you fancy putting a twist on the classic why not add orange rind and juice or chopped stem ginger to the rhubarb or add a handful of choppe...

Read full recipe