I don't usually have any problems with the baking of my cakes, but today everything went wrong. I not exactly sure where the problem began, whether it was the new cake pans I got for Christmas or whether it was the fact that I was trying to make a half chocolate and half white cake.

For some reason the cake was sticking slightly to the pan, and the cake itself was slightly more crumbly. I greased and floured the same as I always do, and I baked the same way I always do. The only differences were the pans and combining both chocolate and white cake together. Which I have cooked seperately with no problems.

Any suggestions! Do you think it was the pans, or has anyone else had problems baking both chocolate and white cakes together. It came out just OK, there is a picture in my photos. It is the Tinkerbell cake. Would appreciate any input.

I'm not sure I know what you mean by baking them "together". Do you mean a marble cake or one layer white cake and one layer chocolate cake or...? If you don't already do so you may consider using parchment to line the bottom of your pans to help with sticking. I also use springform pans which seems to help me as well.

I mean I actually baked the two (white and chocolate in the same pan. I separated the pan into 2 with a plastic strip. Poured white in one side and chocolate in the other at the same time. When I had the pans about 2/3 full I slowly removed the plastic strip. This keeps the two sides separate, but it makes one cake. I have done it before with yellow and chocolate with no problems, but with the white and chocolate I always seem to have a problem. I did use a springform pan, but I didn't use parchment to line my pans. I don't know, it seems as though the white just doesn't rise to the same heighths as the chocolate or something. Like the chocolate may be more desense. I have been experimenting with this procedure, because so many people want a half chocolate/half white cake. It has worked so well with the yellow and chocolate, I guess I just thought it would work the same for the white/chocolate. I guess I am just going to the to cut and stack or just quit offering half white/half chocolate.

I also have problems when I try to bake half white cake and half chocolate cake. They bake so differently, it's always a mess. Yellow cake is structurally more closely related to chocolate, so that works.

When I have a request for half white and half chocolate I give these choices:
1) one chocolate layer and one white layer so everyone gets both flavors,
2) if the cake is big enough, one white tier and one chocolate tier,
3) If it's going to be a 2 layer cake, bake one layer of each flavor, cut each layer in half and stack, push the two stacked halves together,
4) If it's going to be a one layer cake, I'll bake one whole cake of each flavor and freeze the leftovers. I always like to have extra cake.

yes, chocolate always seems to rise higher than chocolate. I bake half-n-half cakes all the time. reduce your temp, using baking strips. I grease-only-no-flour my pans. No sticking, no problems.

Indydebi, I have a question about 'only grease, no flour'... is that ok on something like a WASC too? I don't usually have white cakes, but I've been experimenting. The last two WASC I made cooked fine, but when they release the shortening and flour almost looks like wet cake left on the bottom. Does white cake not like the flour or something? Can you grease only a WASC?

No trying to hijack the thread, it just brought up a question since it deals with white cake.

Thank you

Indydebi's right. I do that all the time too - everyone wants the half & half! Baking strips are key, 325 oven, and even an extra flower nail or two in the white half will help. Keep in mind that a white cake appears more "done" when it begins to brown than a yellow cake does, so a couple of extra minutes may not hurt. Keep trying and you'll find your stride. I grease and flour still too - just ensure that you're not using too much of either.

I'd try another cake in the pans to see if the pans are the issue or part of the issue or not involved?

White cakes are usually made with eggwhites only, no yolks. Chocolate cakes are made with yolks. That may be why there is a problem with white cakes but not yellow cakes since yellow cake is made with the whole egg as well. It's a chemistry project<G>

Bah Dah Bump n CHING! LOL!

This just hasn't been my week. I just don't know what I am doing wrong. I'm not a professional baker, so I don't usually make from scratch. I just usually use DH for my cakes. I've never had a problem...until this week from hell. I have made five cakes this week. Two half chocolate and half white, 2 white, and 1 chocolate. The only cake I didn't have a problem with was the chocolate. I would think that it was the DH white cake, but one of the white cakes I made from scratch. Breaking issues all around. First my Tinkerbell cake and now my Dora the Explorer cake. If you look on the Dora cake, there is a crack running clear across the cake under the icing. I didn't see it until I went to put it in the box. It was to late to fix it, I had to give it to her like that. How embarrassing. I just keep telling myself that I'll figure it out if I keep thinking about it, but it's been a very long week.