Hello all! The top of my cakes have started to crack now when I cook them. What am I doing wrong? Is my oven too hot (usually at 350 and it does not heat as hot as it says). I even use the bake even strips and it still cracks. Help!!

Have you tried using a flower nail in your pan? (like a heating core?)

I have the same problem and I have heard from most on the sit that it is the temp of the oven. They say 325 is best.

you may be baking them just a few minutes to long, or they may not have quite enough liquid in the batter

I've been having the same problem and everyone is telling me 350 is too hot of an oven to bake your cakes in and to lower it to 325, also bake it a little longer to compensate for the lower temperature. Give a try!

Hello christele,


325 is the best and when baking larger cakes always use a flower nail it helps it bake even ( inside and out) thats how I bake and never have a problem.

When you use a flower nail what do you do about the hole it leaves?

I have two ovens, both convection, I bake at 325 and I get the same results out of one oven! I have checked the temp, and it's accurate, but I still drop it down another 5 degrees and that usually does it! It's strange, but consistant!

Thanks for all the comments. Re the flower nail, do I put it in the middle of the uncooked bather, nail sticking up? Or do I just put it on the batter, nail sticking down?

Nail should be up. Good luck and post your pictures.

Sorry christele,


Nail is pointing up and make sure you spray the nail or use the cake release so the nail will slide out without pulling the cake apart, and it will not leave any holes that cant be filled with frosting. Good luck and post pics please.

I'm having the same trouble. My mix is very wet (oil and water) but it is my favourite. But takes a long time to cook. So I'm going to try these suggestions with flower nail and lower the temperature for longer!

ARUGH no that didn't work it rose up and cooked fine but the shape was like a donut hourglass. it sunk around the middle of the height... I cut both in half flipped and filled with a tonne of ganache. and levelled it out. IN the end everyone loves ganache so who cares... HAHA