I need help quick. It is almost two in the morning here and I am having the worst time. I have a cake order for Saturday. It calls for a full sheet 1/2 strawberry and 1/2 white. I made the cakes, 1/2 sheet strawberry and 1/2 white. Both cakes sunk in the middle. I have never had this happen to me before. Ideas or suggestions? I need to get these cakes done so I guess I am going to have to bake and decorate tomorrow. Any help is needed badly.
TIA,
Bradymom

Well, I'm up so I'll see if I can help. I just pulled out my copy of The Cake Bible for an explanation. If this is a scratch cake I would try reducing the amount of baking powder by 30% for such a large cake (if the original formula was for an 8" and you are scaling up). Essentially the larger the surface area the weaker the cake structure is and there is a higher potential to fall. Baking powder weakens the structure since it expands air space so decreasing the amt of powder actually strengthens the cake without negative effect in a largecake.

You say this never happened to you before with this recipe? Have you baked this size cake before with this particular recipe? Perhaps your baking powder is old? Just throwing out some thoughts here, not sure what has happened this particular time.

I'd also throw some greased/floured flower nails in towards the middle of the cake to help, or a baking core.

If it's a mix you're making I'm afraid that I'm at a loss - I thought those were infallible. I suppose you could bake 1/4 sheets and put those together if you're worried about rebaking the 1/2 sheets.

All the best, tomorrow's another day, things will look better in the morning .

What about trimming the cake to the height it is in the middle? Assuming it is fully cooked and didn't fall totally flat. Then put extra icing on the top to regain some height.

This happened to me when I set the cake on the countertop and didn't pay attention to the a/c when it came on it was blowing down on it. I think the clash in temperature was the problem for me.

Good luck!

I'm guessing that if the middle sunk bad enough to distress her, then cutting it down to that level is going to be waaay too short. I think you need to rebake and maybe leave it in a tad longer if you don't think its the recipe (again: scratch or mix?) and if it happens again (and is cooked thru) then trim today's and tomorrow's down as the PP said and stack them both together.

Thanks for your suggestions. I am using cake mixes. I think I am just going to try to rebake them when I get home from work today. I will let you know how it goes.

A bunch of people have said DH mixes are doing this to them. Is that what you used? If so try BC or Pillsbury next time

My DH's have been doing that too. I need to branch out here.

One other thought, but a metal flower nail (sprayed with pam or something) in the center of the cake pan before baking!

When that happened to me it was because I over beat my cake mix I was using my Kitchen aide, when i used my hand mixer it didn't do it

Molly

I do use Duncan Hines, but I have never had any problems. As a matter of fact I just made a cake a last week and it was fine. It is very possible that I over mixed them. I think I will by another brand on the way home just in case. I did use flower nails but maybe I used to many. I put two in at each end of the pan. Could that have done it?
Thanks

I don't have an answer of than the suggestions given.

What are flour nails? I have never heard of them.

I'm just learning all the unexpecteds that can happen when baking cakes for other people. I was baking a cake yesterday for delivery on Saturday and the directions said to fill pans a little fuller than usual. Well, instead of me using my common sense, I followed directions and the cake batter flowed over both pans and into the oven... which gave me an opportunity to clean my oven . . . and make the cake again.

Good Luck tonight.

Maam1993

I have head a lot of people are having issues with DH cakes falling. If its not the mix you may be overmixing as you suspect. A flower nail is used to make roses and other flowers on. I place one in the center of my half sheet pan to ensure even baking. Also bake even strips are a great help in getting an ever rise.

Shouldn't the flower nails go more in the center of the cake, rather than at the edges? I thought the purpose was to conduct more heat to the center (since the sides of the pan are metal and will have more heat than the middle)

Debbie

sorry I guess I hit enter too many times.

please forgive the double post

Shouldn't the flower nails go more in the center of the cake, rather than at the edges? I thought the purpose was to conduct more heat to the center (since the sides are metal and will have more heat than the middle)

Debbie

please forgive double double post!

For large cakes, I've learned that the best thing to do is to start off cooking them on a lower temperature than normal. Until it levels out and rises uniformly and then turn the oven up to the regular temp that you would bake at. Works for me. You get a flatter cake that way as well, less to level or throw away.