Ok, first cake I've attempted to make since starting my Wilton classes (first class last night). I decided after work tonight that I wanted to go ahead and bake a cake and practice once -- apparently that was a bad idea. Best looking cake I ever made when I pulled it out of the oven. Any ideas what I might have done wrong to make it split like this? (the one on the right DH & I started snacking on right away to see how it tasted )[/img]

Sure hoping I attached the picture right

there are no pictures attached.

Was this cake made from scratch or a mix?

yeah, realized it helps to click the add attachement button (and make it the right size) ... should be there now

I have had cakes crack/split like that when I neglected to level the top by cutting off the hump.

Was the cake really dry, or just really fragile?

Good Luck!
Anna

Well there are quite a few things that can cause it. But probably need some more info first.

What type of cake did you make? Scratch or Box? Was the box modified at all?
How long did you let it cool?
How did you flip it out? Did you put a cooling rack over it or a plate and flip it over or try to flip over on hand?
Was it domed a lot in the middle?

So sorry this happened on your first cake. At least it was practice!

Oh, what type of pans are you use? Are you using wilton or other type of cake pans? If not wilton do you have pictures?

Hope I can help more

Leily

it does look tasty!!

There are a number of reasons why you cake will crack like that. My own experience has been from an oven that is too hot. Make sure you are using a theometer in the oven and that it has even heat.

Also, if you overbeat your cake batter, it can cause it to get too much air in it and crack. Other reasons can be baking too long, a crowded oven and overfiling the pan! (although this looked like it wasn't that deep of a cake)

Was it from scratch or a mix?

Oh and another thing...make sure when you measure wet ingredients that you use a measuring cup for liquoids, (like a pyrex one, etc) not one for dry...it actually measures different, especailly if you are making the cake from scratch!

I tell you, though, when this happens, make some pudding and cake sundaes and bake another cake!!! Good luck with your classes, you are going to love them!!!

This happened to me once, but it's because I forgot the eggs ..
This can also happen if you take it out of the pan too soon, and there is a mound in the middle that would push the cake up and the side down..

Sorry that happened.. we all have to eat our mishaps.

It was a box mix (just one box divided into 2), only about an inch deep (not counting the doom that there was). I didn't think to level that off some before flipping it out of the pan ... and I just flipped it from the pan onto the paper towels over the wire rack. If it's an oven issue, guess I won't worry about it (we're moving soon -- like next week, most likely) since we rent. Thanks for all the ideas so quickly of what I probably did wrong! Going tomorrow to buy some more mixes to try again.

Another question ... should 1 mix be enough to for 2 8" cake pans? (Not Wilton pans, think they're Bakers Secret or something like that).

Oh, and I didn't have enough egg whites, so instead I used meringue powder reconstituted for egg whites.