HELP!!! For several years I have been making a really good chocolate sponge cake which always turned out fab! it has always peaked a little but not too much to trim off but the last 3 times it peaks and cracks so much that I am losing about half an inch of the complete top - I have tried turning the oven down as I believe this can be a cause - making a small well in the centre of cake - putting a large tin over the whole lot whilst baking - I cannot understand why it has suddenly started going wrong I've tried everything, even changed my flour brand this time - anyone got a good choc cake recipe???? must be suitable for decorating though.

i have no idea, but here is a bump for you

I don't know if this will work because I have not tried it yet (but I'm going to) is to put a tub of water on the bottom rack, that the steam keeps the cake from cracking, I know it works with cheese cake but not sure about regular cakes. Sorry I could not help more. Good Luck.

dark chocolate cake thats in teh recipe section. get rave reviews every time.

If the recipe has worked before, it's possible that there is something wrong with your oven. It could be the thermostat or the heating element. You can research on-line the price of parts and/or service for your particular oven.

Until then, try lowering your rack as well as the temperature by about 25 degrees.

I don't know if this will help, but it's the best I can do.

Michele

You know, flour is so funny. It could just be that the flour has absorbed moisture from the air, enough to throw off your recipe. Or it could be dryer than other times you've used it. The weather may have caused it, or even a difference in the wheat crop they made the flour from!

Or you may have the answer with the oven temp thing. Do you use an oven thermometer? They can really help, as ovens can be off by so much!

Have you tried the pan wrap things? My wilton instructor swore by them, but I've never tried them. I found the tip about using a flower nail baked upside-down in the cake to be very useful. It worked like a charm, even with boxed cake mix which is notorious for rising in the middle!

Hope this helped at all.

OK- I dug out my trusty Farm Journal Recipe book again. Foam cakes this time. "Thick hard crust- baking temperature too high or overbaking. " Sounds like your oven has gone wonky on you. I would get a an oven thermometer and check it out. My old stove was off by 60 degrees and drove me crazy; since I was replacing the kitchen, I just lived with it until the remodel.

Do you use the bake even strips (Wilton)? If you dont have them, rip up an old towel..and make strips(doubled material) to go around the bottom 1 1/2" of your pan.... really soak them in water..slightly remove the excess water and bake as usual.

Since I started using them, my cakes have really been better..less of a middle hump..more even baking, less dry and cracking business...

HTH
Jane

What a friendly + helpful bunch you all are - think I'm going to be spending far too much time on this site!

Thanks for all the responses - perhaps I am over-baking to compensate for lowering the temp - I think I'll invest in oven thermometer - oven not even 3 yrs old yet so should be OK though. Recipe calls for 180 so lowered to 150-160 this time - last time lowered to 160 which is what oven manual says to allow for this fan-assist oven - Ho-hum....