When not using a stratch, I use the extended recipe (don't know its original name). I have never had it fail. When I do bake in a 3" pan or even make a 10" or any form pan (doll, car, in a bowl, lg ball pan) I use the baking core and have no problems. Cake bakes to 2"

1 cup water, 1 cup sour cream, 3 whole eggs - beat. Add 1 stick melted butter - beat. Add 1 Phillsbury Moist Supreme (classic vanilla or any other flavor - NOT FUDGE), 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar - beat until smooth.

Bake at 330.

If the knife comes out clean, it's done.

I fill the pans about 3/4" high.
2 inch pans
2-8", 2-9" 9x9, 9x13 about 40 min. (1 recipe)
10" round - 3" pan with core, 12 inch round about 50-60 min (1 recipe)
11x15 with baking stripes bakes 60 min (1 3/4 recipe)
12x12, 16 x 16 usually bake only to make cake 1" (use 1/2" of batter) so we don't have to slice in half for a wedding - bakes about 50 - 60 min. 12x12 -1 recipe / 16 x 16 - 1 1/2 recipe
If making a 2" cake in larger pans use the baking core bake about 70 min. (2 recipe)

All the special pans take 60 min or more and I use the core with no problems. When I didn't use the core it would come out not cooked and dense in the middle.

When I have a little left over I usually just make a few 6" and freeze to have on hand.

I have had some misshapes with cakes - less now that I put a thermometer in my oven (the darn thing is 15 deg off and is still 50 deg low when the pre-heat beep goes off )

I love the WASC recipe from here (with the oil) I use it for my white cake and I do some subsitutions for my chocolate-mocha cake - YUM!

I haven't used the 3" pans - I torte and layer for hieght.

a great baker in my old cake club told me that he bakes all his cakes 1" high and stacks - instead of torting. same effect, but he claims that they bake-up flat - so no leveling.
I haven't done this yet, but I thought I'd put it out there.

as for your customer, did you refund her?
if you did, maybe offer her a good discount on her next cake. I guess I would approach it with a 'how can I make you happy' additude (with in reason, of course) so that you get repeat business

good luck!

I too baked a wasc, but the chocolate version this past weekend. I didnt use the same recipe but similar. I had the same problem with my 10 in pan. I baked it forever at 325. Center tested done. Seemed done when I leveled the top, but when I torted it I could tell it wasnt. And after it had cooled, I put it in the fridge before taking it out of the pan and it stuck to the bottom and a good part came off! The recipe didnt say to not use the almond if you used chocolate, but I didnt care for it. My kids liked it though. I will try this again with the white cake, but will definitly use a core/nail!!

I agree that you should contact the client and offer them something. It will say a lot for you and future business. Have a good day!!

Jamie85364--You grease the flower nail and turn it upside down on the pan and then fill the pan with the cake batter. The cakes I make are very dense so I use a flower nail in 8 inch and higher. If using a larger pan I use a few flower nails.



Can you give a coupon for a % off their next order?

Thanks! I've been wondering about that!

If you watch the baking shows on TV (Ace of Cakes, Amazing Wedding Cakes, etc.) it seems they exclusively use the 1" layers and stack them to get the desired height.

I only use 3" deep pans and have had great luck with WASC. I just bake it at a lower temp for a longer period of time. I've used the flower nail and I've skipped it and have never had my cake not be done. It *does* take a good long while to get done all the way through, though!

You guys are all so great. I will not give up. I will offer the client something as an apology. I feel so bad. As far as if I tasted the cake, the odd thing is I don't normally eat cake. About as much as I will eat is a bit of the piece that is cut off when i level the cake. My husband is a cake lover and that is how I got into this baking thing. I do love to bake though. The funny thing is she said it was not done on the bottom. Not the middle or the top like you would expect, but the bottom. I looked done.

Thanks for everything everyone!!

I don't usually make WASC, but I've had the same trouble with the Epicurious double chocolate cake. The only way that it works for me, like others have already said, is to bake three one inch layers. They usually end up over 1" tall each, and bake up flat. It makes for a very tall cake, but I like tall cakes.

I have only used the version that calls for 8 egg whites but I add whole eggs. It was submitted by denise2434. It calls for 2 boxes of cake mix instead of 1. I love it and everyone raves about it. It makes a lot of batter too so it is less work. It is excellent for carving and is very moist and dense. I used the same recipe and substitute chocolate and other flavors for the white cake mix and people love them.

If it was too wet on the bottom, is it possible you turned it out onto your platter while it was still too hot and condensation formed?

Sometimes I get a "Mushy" top when I make this cake-probably from too much sour cream, I've gathered--anyway, I scrape it off before turning it over onto the platter. I would bet that is what the problem was.

It may be shocking but.....We ALWAYS use box cakes and follow the directions on the back. My husband and I have been doing cakes for over 15 years and have tried every single recipe that we could get our hands on. About 2 years ago we calcualted that our most popular tasting cakes were the ones that we used a Duncan Hines box mix. We only use the Duncan Hines Devils food and French Vanillia. Every other cake we do make from scratch. We carve them everyday and never have a problem. Our customers have no idea and our employees sign a confidentiality agreement!

Am I the only one that doesn't like the wasc??? I've tried it twice, once as a cake, and then yesterday as cupcakes and still wasn't a fan It just seemed to heavy and dense and I know I'm following the recipe right. Is it b/c I'm a fan of cake mixes and NOT scratch cakes?

Well, the first thing I noticed is your receipe is different from mine and I got mine directly from a post that Kakeladie posted. So here it is....Note that there is no additional SALT added and the water is only 1 cup. Look at the directions also...they differ as well.

1 (18 ounce) package betty crocker white cake mix
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3 whole eggs (even for white cakes)
1 cup water
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon almond emulsion (stronger than flavoring)

Directions

1 In a bowl, mix 1st 3 ingredients. (see notes below) Set aside.
2 Place remaining ingredients in mixer bowl then add the dry.
3 Mix on low (I use a KA mixer) speed for 30 seconds, until dry ingredients are incorporated; mix at medium 2 minutes.
4 This makes 1 & 1/2 times the usual batter than a 'straight' cake mix. It will fill one of the following pans: 8" sq; 12" round; 9x13x2; OR one 10" and 6" round.
5 Pour into pan(s) and bake as you usually do. I prefere to bake at 300 degrees F. for 20 minutes, then turn oven up to 325 degrees F. for an equal time OR until you can smell cake If it has pulled away from the edges of the pan it is *over done*. You should have a flat cake that won't (usually) need leveling & is not sticky on the top when it cools.
6 Special NOTES:
7 That's right -- there is NO oil, butter or margarine in this recipe.
8 Use large eggs.
9 If almond extract (not emulsion) is used, add 2 teaspoons or to taste.
10 Can use ANY cake flavor
11 Flavorings can change depending on cake flavor you use. Try a combination of 1 part vanilla, 1/2 part butter flavoring and 1/4 part almond.
12 It is important to mix the dry ingredients well especially if using a chocolate mix or you will have white spots in the finished cake. I use a wire wisk.

I use the baking strips and get a really nice high cake, usually at least 2.5" tall. Never had any complaints. And I notice when I use the baking strips on my cakes, I have to cook them at least 20 minutes longer. I bake at 350. For this cake it generally takes about 50 minutes in my oven. For the rest of my scratch cakes...generally longer. BTW, I only use 2 inch pans and I measure my batter into the pans according to the Wilton Chart. Works GREAT and my cake heights are consistent.

i bought two metal cake testers from my cake supply store. they have a small circular green handle, about the size of a nickel, and a thin metal post about 4 or more inches tall. they're so small that i'm constantly losing one in the clutter, so i just grab the second...they really work great though.

I just had this happen to me. I made a WASC in a 3" pan and it didn't turn out. First time this has ever happened to me and I freaked out as I was on a deadline that day. I usually make my WASC in smaller cakes or cupcakes. My cake didn't seem 100% done in the middle and I even baked it for 2 hours at 325. It came out like a pound cake which was fine for my family but in my heart I didn't feel right about serving it to customers. I did have some of the batter left over so I did make cupcakes with it. The cake was to be for a big dinner held by the Humane Society and I was doing the dessert. I had a small melt down about the cake and knew I didn't have time to do another one so I ended up making and decorating (and delivering) 120 cupcakes in 5 flavors all in 3.5 hours and only using 2 muffin tins. I found out the next day that the cupcakes were a hit!!