I've made the Chocolate Fudge Cake posted here on CC a few times. I LOVE the flavor, but I've had troubles with it. And it just seems to be getting worse.

For some reason the cake rises perfectly in the oven and without having been touched (or even the oven door opened) it'll collapse in the middle. I don't open the door or peek or anything, I just watch from the other side in dismay as the beautifully risen cake deflates to look more like a used tire

This is the second time I've made it in two days. I really want it to work, but I can't keep wasting ingredients on it. Any suggestions? Anyone have a different chocolate cake recipe that turns out nice and moist (and risen in the middle lol).?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

I have a similar problem with my scratch chocolate cake recipe. I use the hersheys Perfect chocolate cake recipe. A flower nail in the center helps some. I also have to bake it a little longer than my other cakes. HTH

It sounds like the outside is cooking faster than the inside. The sides are rising and trying to pull the uncooked middle up but the weight causes it to cave (just a guess). A flower nail is a good idea or maybe it's time for a new pan or change of temperature?

Thanks for the replies. I've used both flower nails and the heating core. I've also tried baking at 350,325, and 300 lol. The pans I've been baking them in are about 4 months old. I think I'm just going to have to abandon this recipe and go looking for another Any suggestion?

You might try bake-even strips around the outside of the pan to keep the edges from baking too fast in addition to a flower nail.

I have the same problem with my chocolate cakes. Instead of making a double batch to fill the whole pan, I now make a single batch, and make two. Or seperate into two seperate pans. They dont fall and come out perfectly even. I fill with some buttercream or another filling and stack.

Are you by any chance using a 3" high pan? I have been having the same exact problem with several recipes when I use my 3" high pans (which is almost all of them!) When I use the 2" pans it's not an issue.

I have also tried flower nail, heating core, change in oven temp. etc. - all with the same result.

Just curious if your pans in question are 2" or 3".

I am using the 3'' pans! Now that you guys mention it it does bake up a lot better when I fill it much lower. Wish I had known sooner, the two batches I've made could have been enough for my cakes I need. I'll just have to go at it again, and not fill as much.

Thank you so much, you guys are all great.

i've had trouble with my 3" pans on some recipes as well when i don't use a flower nail. I guess it's back to the 2" pans