The chocolate scratch cake receipe, that I have been using for a long time, has all of the sudden become a problem. The last few times I have made this chocolate cake they all have come out dry. The latest was for a fund raiser, a friend of mine purchased the cake and she let me know through my sister that the cake was dry and that she has eaten my cakes before, including the chocolate and that she knows that they are always moist. I don't know what to do. I have tried adding pudding to the mix. I want to be able to keep baking from scratch, because that is on of my hooks to get my customers, but if they are going to be dry, I may have to not do scratch chocolate cakes. If anyone has used a chocolate receipe from the CC site PLEASE let me know which one is fool proof and works everytime!!!!!! I really need ya'll's help!!!! Thanks

I could be WAY off base, but it is possible that your oven could be the culprit? If the temperature has gotten thrown off, the cake could be getting a bit overdone by the time it's supposed to come out.

I would say try it and cook it for a little shorter time than normal and see how it comes out, but at the same time if none of your other cakes seem to be any different than they always have been then it puts me at a loss.

I have tried many chocolate cake recipes. The only one I use now is HERSHEY'S "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" cake recipe right on the back of their cocoa container. Is is ALWAYS moist.

Sina

I agree about the hersheys recipe- it is a really dependable cake! But since you have used this recipe of yours for so long with no problems, you should try to figure out what changed. JulieBugg had a good point about your oven, they do need to be recalibrated occasionally. Also, have you changed ingredients recently, like maybe using a different brand of flour or sugar? I know from experience that not all flour is created equal- protein content differs from brand to brand and they are not all milled the same way either. Also there is the beet/cane sugar debate that we won't get onto here.....And it has been REALLY hot in Texas this summer.

Amber

I use Hershey's perfectly Chocolate too, and soooo love it! But definitely get your oven checked....I've had similar problems when using a different oven.

do you use any type of simple syrup glaze on your cakes???? Maybe you could try that to add to the moistness.