Help! Birthday Cake Disaster :(((

Decorating By ladida Updated 4 Jul 2010 , 1:38pm by aprilblack

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ladida Posted 3 Jul 2010 , 4:18pm
post #1 of 15

I had to make a birthday cake for this weekend - 1 cake for 3 birthdays. Here is what happened. Used Duncan Hines White Cake Mix with a pkg of white choc. pudding mix plus the extra ingredients called for (veg oil, water, egg whites). Placed in 10 x 2 in. round pan. While cooking, the cake looked great ! Had a high dome, looked fluffy ! Cooked at 350 for about 40 min. When I took cake out, it collapsed! I now have this really thin looking cake. I am so upseticon_smile.gif)I have edible images to place on it, but the sides are so flat that I don't think they will fit! Does anyone have any idea what I could have done wrong? It is for family and they love me, so it will be ok, but it looks DUMB! LOL. Is there something I should have done because I added pudding? The recipe called for extra water, too, because of the pudding mix. Thanks!

14 replies
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Iggy Posted 3 Jul 2010 , 4:33pm
post #2 of 15

Do you have time to rebake? Two things, the bakers who use the pudding mix recipe also add an extra egg but do not add any extra water. Your pan was too small and you batter too thin. It didn't bake long enough. Did you check it with a tester or toothpick?

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brincess_b Posted 3 Jul 2010 , 4:34pm
post #3 of 15

How did u check it was done? 40 mins for a 10 inch cake doesn't sound long enough to me, so it maybe just wasn't cooked all the way through?
xx

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Kiddiekakes Posted 3 Jul 2010 , 4:58pm
post #4 of 15

I agree with Iggy....The batter probably was too thin...however the pudding mix should have thickened it up...Use a longer wooden skewer or toothpick inserted in the middle to check for doneness.If the stick comes out clean and not battery or gooey it is done.You can also tell by the feel of the top of the cake.It feels firm.

You can salvage the other cake just cut it on half and fill the centre with icing...this will bring it up 1/2 and inch or so...

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Kimmers971 Posted 3 Jul 2010 , 5:06pm
post #5 of 15

Don't add extra water/liquid - that was your problem. Just add the pudding to the box mix and follow directions as usual. Also 40 min for a 10" sounds way off, should've taken almost 90 at 300 degrees.

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Karen421 Posted 3 Jul 2010 , 5:28pm
post #6 of 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kimmers971

Don't add extra water/liquid - that was your problem. Just add the pudding to the box mix and follow directions as usual. Also 40 min for a 10" sounds way off, should've taken almost 90 at 300 degrees.




Or just follow the directions for the Durable Cake recipe and not the box. Adding the extra liquid was the problem. Then reduce the temp at least to 325 and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.

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mamawrobin Posted 3 Jul 2010 , 5:34pm
post #7 of 15

I agree with the others extra liquid was your problem. Also use only HALF the oil that is called for.

To make a cake more dense you should add 1 box pudding mix, 1 EXTRA egg (4 eggs total) and only HALF the oil the recipe calls for and I add only 1 cup of liquid.

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GHOST_USER_NAME Posted 3 Jul 2010 , 6:20pm
post #8 of 15

I to agree, I think the extra liquid and maybe bake time was off..For a cake mix when I add pudding I always add a extra egg [ 4 total ] 1/3 cup oil and 1 cup liquid[water or whatever you want to use..and I bake at 325..hope this helps

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Sassy74 Posted 3 Jul 2010 , 6:38pm
post #9 of 15

Yep, less liquid. Also, I've overbeaten my batter a couple of times (left the KA running and got busy) and the cake baked up very thin.

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ladida Posted 3 Jul 2010 , 6:40pm
post #10 of 15

Thank you all so much! Yes, I was really off base! icon_smile.gif I tried to follow the box instructions along with partial instructions from a lady with her "favorite" recipe. My poor cake ! lol. I will take another whack at it! You are all so helpful! Thank you!

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KTB4 Posted 4 Jul 2010 , 1:55am
post #11 of 15

Did you use more than one mix? I know I wouldn't get enough batter out of one box for a 10" cake.

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ladida Posted 4 Jul 2010 , 2:15am
post #12 of 15

I used only 1 cake mix. Boy did I learn a hard lesson! lol. Too much oil, too much water, wrong temperature, not enough cooking time, etc. Next time, I will use all of your suggestions and hopefully, it will come out better. I was able to save the cake. It looks a little funny, but tastes great! lol. I covered it with a buttercream recipe from this site and that was successful. I could always tell my family I made a birthday "pancake". lol. It was really a bad day. I tried out my brand new Kitchenaid Artisan. The gear in the motor squeaked so bad I thought it might blow up! I am going to exchange it and hope the next one doesn't do that. Thanks again to all of you so much for helping me.

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bmoser24 Posted 4 Jul 2010 , 2:43am
post #13 of 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by kraziboutkakes

I to agree, I think the extra liquid and maybe bake time was off..For a cake mix when I add pudding I always add a extra egg [ 4 total ] 1/3 cup oil and 1 cup liquid[water or whatever you want to use..and I bake at 325..hope this helps



This is what I use plus- 1 C sour cream!.... 325 a must, for almost an hour or more. comes out perfect and no dome.

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Chris6703 Posted 4 Jul 2010 , 2:48am
post #14 of 15

on any pan that is greater than 8 inches I ALWAYS add a flower nail in the center to help induct the heat, and the teflon strips outside, never had a failure using these two items...

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aprilblack Posted 4 Jul 2010 , 1:38pm
post #15 of 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by brincess_b

How did u check it was done? 40 mins for a 10 inch cake doesn't sound long enough to me, so it maybe just wasn't cooked all the way through?
xx




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