I have to make a pillow cake - 3 tiers for a friend's weddign next week. I just moved to the UK and I can't seem to bake anymore I made a pound cake last night using the Elvis Presley's favorite pound cake recipe and the cake was heavy, uncooked in the middle and didn't rise. Total disaster

I don't have much time to experiment. Can anyone help me with a foolproof recipe for a solid cake that can be shaped/ stacked without it falling apart.

PLEASE HELP!!

Thanks in advance!

FYI, the batter amount info that came with the pans is wrong.

Here's a link to Wilton's corrected pillow cake pan instructions:

http://www.wilton.com/downloads/paninstructions/2105-0575.pdf

HTH

Thanks Jan!

That is still not quite right. The cake just doesn't seem to bake properly in the largest pan. I tried 2 different recipes and its soggy in the middle even though I used the core and the toothpick came out clean.

Total nightmare this cake is becoming. Think it may even be my oven isn't big enough

Hi It's Sam I bake my cakes at a really low heat of 140 for longer. I'm sorry your struggling.

Did you put a flower nail or heating core in the largest pan?

Cheatize: I have had this problem myself a few times recently and used the heating core. I used a long skewer to check a deep cake(in which I had used the heating core in. The skewer came out clean, the cake was looking quite brown and when I took it out of the pan it fell apart. It was doughy and undone. I am just curious as to why this happens. if you don't know the answer I am sure some of the other do. Thank you in advance.

US recipe ?
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter = 8 oz butter
3 cups sifted cake flour = 10 oz sponge flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups sugar = 20 oz
7 large eggs = 7 medium eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup heavy cream = 1 cup whipping cream

UK recipe translation
8 oz butter
10 oz sponge flour [mcdougalls, sainsbury]
3/4 teaspoon salt
20 oz sugar
7 medium eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup whipping cream

since you just moved to the UK did you think about:
-humidity
-sea level changes in the recipe
-Try baking at 300F and add about 30 minutes to the cake.
- I also STRONGLY suggest that you buy a thermometer for the oven and make sure that it is baking at the correct temp, since it is a different oven. (for example my oven heats 25 degrees hotter than its setting)

hope this helps.