I am a newbie and I have a great cake recipe that tastes great and everyone loves it, but Im having problems with it rising. My cakes come out less that an inch. Please help!!

Hi and Welcome to CC, bbardon.

It's impossible to provide assistance with no information.

What recipe are you using (please provide recipe name and link).

How much batter are you using per pan & what size pan/s.

Has this happened before.

HTH

Im sorry.

Its just a plain white cake. (birthday cake)

I got the recipe out of my cook book, but here is a link to a recipe just like the one in my book

http://www.recipe.com/white-cake/

It happens every time I bake this or a yellow cake.

Okay got the recipe, now please answer the other questions.

9x1-1/2-inch pans and I split the batter evenly like it says.

I'm surmising that the recipe didn't make enough batter to have cake layers that rise more than 1" in a 1-1/2" pan when divided into the two pans.

If your goal is have a 4" high layer cake, just make the recipe and bake again with the pans you have.

Or if you wish to bake cake layers that rise higher, you will need to get taller 2" pans and fill the pans 2/3 full or measure the batter.

Here's a link that shows how much batter is required for each 2" pan:

http://www.wilton.com/cakes/making-cakes/baking-party-cake-2-inch-pans.cfm

HTH

P.S. Hobby Lobby/Michaels have 40% off coupons every other week. Buy a set of 8" round pans with straight sides (which won't nest to stack) and you should be good to go!

when I pull the pans out of the oven, the batter hasnt even risen to the middle of the pans. It has done this in my round and square pans.

Are you saying the 9" pans above aren't round? The batter requirements differ by the size and shape of the pan/s used.

Are all you pans 1-1/2" deep.

the recipe you provided is for 12-15 servings - as a point of reference, standard cake mix makes 24 servings and is usually baked in 2 8x2 inch rounds.

Baking your recipe in 2 9x1-1/2 inch pans will make two very short layers.

Double the recipe and use the 2 pans, it'll still be a bit short.

if you don't think that is the problem, check the date on your baking soda/baking powder, they aren't effective for baking after 6 months.

But I agree with Jan - not enough batter in the pans, they should be filled 2/3 full with batter to get a full layer

The problem happens if I use a round or if I use a square pan. they are the same depth and everything.


I agree also that theres not enough batter, but with me being new and following the recipe to the T, I thought everything would come out fine.

My cakes end up about 3/4 yes.

remember there is a difference between making a cake, a little snack for the afternoon tea, and making a cake, a layered work of art. so yes, bake more layers or fill your pans more.

so following the recipe the cake cake out fine - its not supposed to be heading towards 3 or 4 inches.

i also want you to put the round pan on top of the square. then you will see the difference in pan sizes. they might be the same diameter, but the square needs more batter to make the same height as the round.
xx

Im making a two tier birthday cake. bottom is square and top is round. both are suppose to be two layered.

if you have already baked 2 rounds and 2 square and they are 3/4" each; I suggest that you bake 2 more of each and do a 4 layered cake for each tier, 3 layers of filling.

why are they supposed to be two layered? part of being a baker/ caker is learning to wing it considerably.
if you must do two layers, then you must start over with much fuller pans.
xx

Square cake pans require more batter than round cake pans: 2" high 9" diameter round cake pans require 5-1/3 cups batter, while a 2" high 9" square cake pan requires 8 cups batter.