Disaster! Cake Due Tomorrow! Help!!!
Decorating By yummymummy Updated 24 May 2008 , 11:43am by springlakecake
I can't believe how my day is going. I baked a 14" round cake last week and froze it. It was a chocolate version WASC. Took it out of the freezer, let it thaw, unwrapped it and started to torte it. Well, your local village idiot (me) decided to buy the large Wilton cake leveler...it destroyed my cake to the point that I couldn't save it! I don't know why I thought that I could get something descent from Wilton! So, I bake a new cake, using less eggs because the first cake sank a little and I didn't want that happening again. Well, it didn't help, still sank and now I'm stuck with a cake that has absolutly no structure! It's crumbly and I'm afraid that if I try to torte it (by hand of course) that it'll just fall apart.
I sent dh to the store for more sour cream...any suggestions? This is the first time I've tried baking a cake in such a large pan. My oven temp is spot on. The first time I used a flower nail, second time I didn't...no difference in cook time. I used 3 whole eggs in place of the 8 egg whites. Should I use four this time?
Sorry about the long rant and all the questions. This baby shower cake is due tomorrow and Im so exhausted! I want to cry!
When I'm making the chocolate version, I substitute the eggs for egg whites one to one and don't have any trouble with it sinking. One thing that has helped my chocolate version of this cake is to switch to milk or creamer instead of the water called for. For some reason it makes the crumb better and it is a really dense stable cake. I also find that I have to cook this chocolate version much longer than the white version. Perhaps it's falling apart because it isn't all the way done in spots. I usually use the tooth pick test and then I lightly press in the cake top in various places. If my finger dent doesn't spring back quickly, then it's not done, no matter what the tooth pick says.
Thank you so much! A friend of mine also suggested to exchange the water for milk. I just put it in the oven and I'll let you know how it turns out. It's gonna be an all nighter!
Actually when you make the chocolate version you should use coffee instead of water... and whole eggs instead of egg whites...
The first time I made the choc version was for the communion cake I did and it turned out fabulous! I followed the recipe exactly as written except used choc cake mix. This time I had to make a double batch, so I went w/ whole eggs (8 of them) and the cake sank...otherwise was fine and fixable. But, when that darn leveler demolished my cake, I had to rebake. I only needed a single recipe this time, so I replaced the egg whites with 3 whole eggs. The cake still sank and ended up crumbly.
This time I followed the recipe using the whites and milk...hoping it'll work out like it did w/ the communion cake.
Many possiblities for the cake sinking.. it's not the eggs I don't think..
temp too low... sometimes 325 is to low for the type of cake..
Don't open oven door..
temp of oven is fluctuating (sp) tooooo much.. or seal of oven door is broken causing temp to drop ..
It'a a new oven...seal is fine. I was thinking maybe 325 is to low...but then I hear people say they always bake at 325. I'm not touching the door! It's wierd, half way through baking, the cake is level and fine (we have a light in our oven to see) and then it starts to sink. Should I turn up my oven temp a bit?
Try bumping up to 340.... Also even though a new oven.. it might need to be calibrated again.. mine did .. just a thought... get yourself a therm. for the oven just to check.. even 2 cheap ones..
Shwee ... sub choc. cake mix for white... instead of egg whites do 6 whole eggs... sub 2/3 of the flour for cocoa powder and sub all of the water for coffee HTH's
Well, supposedly you just substitute chocolate cake mix for the white, but now I'm hearing of all of these other versions and am a bit confused as to which one is actually the best. It sounds like there's a # of ways that work for different people.
sub for the coffee .. it makes a BIG difference.. enhances the chocolate flavor .. and make sure you sub for some of the flour the cocoa
Ok....it sank again! I'm totally ticked! Dh went back to the store to get more cake mix. I'm gonna level this one and use it for the bottom layer and make yet another cake and use it for the top layer (assuming this one sinks too).
I've never had this happen except w/ this size pan...what's the deal? It's perfectly level until the last 10 minutes or so and then total sinkage!
How deep are you baking your cakes? Seems to me the cake isnt done in the center. As for the wilton leveler I used it for years and never had a problem make sure you use it as a saw. Though its not the best product in the world its usually operator error. If you have the money get an agbay but if you dont use it right you will have the same problems no matter how much you spend.
Good luck!
Oh I feel so bad for you. I can sense your frustration and stress level. BIG HUGS
Ok, i use cake mixes but i find the chocolate cake takes much longer than the white to bake. I bake at 325degrees. The couple times my cake sunk was when i didn't bake it long enough. I always do a toothpick test to make sure it's not too moist in the middle. Sometimes the extra baking makes the edges appear overbaked but once iced you can't tell. I have a terrible time with my chocolate cakes splitting on the tops. Thankfully, the cracks aren't so deep and are often trimmed away with leveling. HTH
Best of luck to you. Take a deep breathe..i know you can do this.
suzanne
Are you beating the mix very long? I have the sinking problem when I over beat the mix. I started mixing for about a minute on 2. Also, are you using bake even strips? Beating the batter less, using a bake even strips, and a flower nail have been giving me nice fluffy cakes. HTH
I used a flower nail. When I take the ckae out, it's done in the middle. I'll die if it comes out perfect the fourth time! I'm using 3" pans by the way.
Thanks so much everyone for all of your help and suggestions! You've all been a huge sanity saver for me! On the plus side, this last cake had better structure, just sank again. I'm starting to have a sense of humor about the whole thing now...it's rediculously funny!
I WILL CONQUER THIS CAKE!!! Everyone can watch for pix in the wee hours of the mourning...cause that's when I'll be done!
I will put my 2 cents in here. I use the 14 inch pan quite often. I use regular cake mix, but add 1 package of instant pudding (flavor you are doing) to each cake mix being used. I always use 3 for that size pan. I only also bake on 320 never any higher..takes a while but never have had a problem. I also turn mine at least once sometimes twice during baking. Maybe I have been just lucky who knows. I feel sorry for you and feel your frustration. I had a communion cake last weekend, that just didn't want to cooperate. Thank goodness for icing and flowers they can always hide the imperfections. I also use a serrated kitchen knife to torte mine, just put the cake on turntable, and start cutting and turning. I really hope it works out for you. Good Luck!
All of a sudden I started having problems with this weird rippling in my cakes and major sinking, though it looked done. I started baking all cakes at 300 degrees until it bounces back in the middle, inserted toothpick came out clean, and the cake pulled away from the sides a little.
When I make the chocolate version of the WASC cake, I use 6 eggs instead of 8 egg whites. Did you say you'd only used 3 eggs? That might be the problem.
Yeah, the second time I only used 3 eggs...that was definitly the problem that time. Maybe it was the Raspberry Smirnoff I was drinking at the time? LOL....I had a couple of sips and thought, "maybe I should save the drinking for after the cake is done?!" I just made the 4th cake w/ 6 eggs. I'm not touching that door for 1 hour and 5 min!
My dh is the baker in our little cake business. He uses a small mushroom can in the middle of the big cakes. The he uses cold wet towel strips around the outside of the pans. Never fails!
HTH
Lu
I thought about the towel strips...I think I'll try that the next time I make a cake this size....right about now I'de stand on my head if that would do it!
I can say one thing...these baby showere guests are getting really fresh cake! The profit's out the door on this one!
On cakes larger than 10", I use a heating core and baking strips around the pan. It's worth the investment! Good luck!
I'm willing to invest! I just bought my first small set of Magic Line square pans for a wedding I have in July...my first wedding! I wanted to invest in a good set of pans. I hear they're the best! I'm excited to give them a whirl!
For that size cake I would use 2-3 flower nails in different places towards the middle ! Thats what works for me no mater what recipe I use ! I bake at 325. and thats a pretty deep cake your baking to ,it takes a bit longer ! I wish you luck on this one !
I use the round 3" deep wilton pans, and I bake at 325 for the time that came with the pans, and havent had any problems. yet! I'm waiting for something to happen though.
Mini Update:
The 4th (and final) cake came out a bit better. It still sunk a little in the middle, but not as bad. I'm determined to make this cake again....much later in the future , and have it come out level! I'll post a pic when I'm completely done!
Thanks again to all for the kind, uplifting words and help! I love my CC family! HUGS to you all!
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