I'm really stumped as I've never had this happen.
DH asked me to make a cake for his work so Friday night I whipped up a box mix but use a flavored creamer instead of the water. I baked the cake in one of my oval pans (the middle size) at 325 for 50 minutes. After the timer went off, I checked it (still needed about 10 more minutes) and when I opened the oven door the cake collapsed and never recovered. If I was doing a Noah's Ark it would have been perfect as once I flipped it onto cooling rack it had a beautiful sunken middle.

Ok, no big deal I still had today as I'm make it for Monday. So I try it again, same pan, it looked beautiful in the oven one of the times I checked and when I went back 15 min later I saw it had collapsed again (didn't open oven door at all). This time the only thing different was I used flower nail.

What in the world makes this happen??

I don't know what would cause that especially since you used the flower nail the second time. This always seems to happen to me when I try a chocolate cake. Do you know if you cake mix was fresh? Most of the boxes have a date on them.

Hopefully, someone here will have more insight.

C

Which kind of a flavoured creamer did you use? Did you use an edible oil product or the creamers that are actually made with cream? What percentage of cream is there in the product.
You would likely have been better off using some of the creamer but mostly milk or water.
Yes, this can happen with some chocolate cakes too. Sometimes that is just the nature of certain recipes, a bit of sinking in the middle. Sometimes the ingredients are too rich and it happens.
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

What's with using the flower nail? That went right over my head?
Suzanna

She is using an upside down flower nail instead of a heating core to act as a heat conductor in the centre of the cake.
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

Whenever I have a problem with a cake I've baked, I look at this chart. Really handy.

http://www.baking911.com/cakes/problems.htm

Here are some of the reason's it gives...

Oven too cold (baked too slowly). Preheat oven for about 20 minutes.
Batter undermixed
Not enough liquid
Careless or poor depositing in the pans.

Too much fat or sugar can cause it too.

If you didn't underrmix, my guess would be that the liquid creamer really didn't provide enough liquid and it may have added too much sugar.

Thanks for helping me figure this out. I knew you guys would help me out, THANKS!
I'm coming to the conclusion that I didn't have enough liquid. I used the vanilla flavored international creamer, and that is pretty thick. My batter was kind of thick too so I bet that's what it was.

If you mean International Brand Vanilla Flavoured Creamer, the edible oil product, then there is no dairy in this particular product, at least not in the one I am reading the stats on.
The trouble with these edible oil products is that you are adding this extra oil that is really meant to be added to coffee, not baked in a cake. Different products are designed for different uses. Some fats or oil type products do better than others when subjected to the baking process.
Baking is a chemistry, so everything you combine, has an effect on everything else in the recipe.
Perhaps a couple of tablespoons added along with milk or water, would have been fine, but you cannot substitute one liquid for another in most cases without having an effect on the way the leavening process works and this is likely what caused the sinking.
If you really want to add this flavouring, you will likely have to experiment to see how much you can get away with before you have sinking issues. I would think starting with a tablespoon or so would be your best bet.
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

Thanks squirrellycakes for the lowdown...... I LOVE reading your posts when they really break down what's going on............its kind of scientific

Good luck Joshsmom, that web site Lisa gave should really help. I copyed it down too. Thanks Lisa



http://www.baking911.com/cakes/problems.htm

HI Joshs mom, it IS the creamer. I have never used creamer before - but wanted a flavored cake and decided to try it this weekend. right enough the cake sank - and the only thing different was the creamer.
NExt time I will look into the Lorann oils instead. Also the cake took so much longer to bake.
Live and learn, like they say!Elaine

I'm glad I'm not the only one that this happened to! It seemed like everyone did it with no problems! I love the taste of it, but can't sell them that way!.....and people were just as happy with my cakes before I started screwing them up!

I did use the hazelnut creamer in a chocolate cake and it was fabulous and didn't sink tooooo bad. The chocolate cakes seem so much stronger than the white ones.

Let us know if you try the flavorings...I would think they're just so expensive for such a subtle change in taste?

Hi Joshsmom, its just a few drops (2-3 drops) as they are quite strong. I dont know all the flavors they have - will have to look it up. but normally 2-3 drops is just fine for a subtle flavor.
Byt he way, we shar something other than sunken cakes. I am assuming you have a boy called Josh and so do I. Till alter, Elaine

Or you could use pure extracts and add an additional 1/2 tsp. to about 1 tsp. to your mixes. You could try Creme Bouquet from Earlenes. You can flavour a simple sugar syrup and brush it on your cakes before icing them.
There are a lot of good extracts and flavourings out there that you use only a bit of. You don't have to worry about the effects of the edible oil products on your cakes and the falling syndrome.
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes