After testing a zillion recipes for the best chocolate cake, the best vanilla cake, the best sponge etc, I finally found my perfect recipe for a not-too-dense vanilla cake. It is DELICIOUS, moist and velvety and I'm thrilled to finally have found it. But my problem is - after it's out of the oven, it instantly shrinks at the sides and pulls away from the pan all the way around (and a bit on the height, too) - making the size considerably smaller than it's supposed to be. Is there any particular reason this would happen? I have very rarely had this happen to any other cake - and it is so frustrating to have this happen only to my "perfect" recipe. Anyone had this happen, and figured out why it happens?

It shrinks because it is cooling. Don't know if there is a fix for it.

You could try taking it out of the oven a couple of minutes sooner.

Which recipe are you using?

I don't have the recipe with me right now, but I would definitely not be taking the cake out any earlier - it' would not be done. And I realize that cake some times lets go of the pan when it cools, but on no other cake have I seen it to this extent - my 10" is a 9" after this.

I really hope someone has had this happen and figured out why! Thank you in advance for all tips and hints.

Some recipes just shrink more than others. If you like the recipe, just use a larger pan.

it may be because of the brand of pans are you using, that you are greasing the sides of the pan or a combination of the 2.

it may be because of the brand of pans are you using, that you are greasing the sides of the pan or a combination of the 2.

I suppose it could theoretically be the brand of pans, but I use Magic Line on this and all other cakes, and this one is the only one it happens to.

As for greasing, I do grease the sides - perhaps that's what I should stop doing? I will be sure to try it, thank you for the idea

It's cake, that's why? Mine always do too. I have just assumed it's the nature of cakes. Maybe we will find some answers here.

I know it's cake and that it can happen - my puzzle was just that it only happens with this one specific recipe. I mean, they all let go of the pans a little, but this is super-shrinkage. But I guess I'll just try and grease a little less and chalk it up to c'est la vie

I usually put a small bowl with a bit of hot water in the oven (electric) when baking 1 inch high cake layers as sometimes I find the sides start to become dry even on low temperature and retain from the pan more. It did not solve the problem completely, but helped a little bit.

It's just the nature of some recipes, their ingredients and the method. If you like the cake, just work around the shrinkage.