I made the 2 cakes last night from a mix (Pillsbury extra moist mixes) 1 chocolate and one strawberry. Did super extender to both mixes with sourcream etc. Baking in 10" x 3" high pans at 325 degrees. Super extender said to bake for 65 min. I took out around 60 min.
What I got was hard outside and crater in middle I live in Denver at 5280 ft in altitude. Any suggestions for what might have happened. I also realized I had liner pan on rack below which may have caused heat to not be even.
Any thoughts on this. Am running to grocery to start over now. Am thinking I should not do extender, but buy 2 mixes and make as usual - use what I need to fill each pan and toss rest. Also read to add an extra egg and raise oven temp by 25 degrees?
Any thoughts are appreciated. Will check back before doing next attempt
THANKS!
Thalia
I used to live in Lakewood and had such a hard time baking there. I'm originally from Michigan (where I am now). I'm thinking that your batter was probably too wet. If I remember correctly, you have to add flour to your mixes at altitude anyway and with the extra liquid you used it may have caused your problem.
Also--don't you have to bake at a lower temp for a longer time at altitude anyway?
Finally--I never bake anything with a liner pan underneath. It makes the heat uneven in your oven and the heat has to go around the pan on the bottom to reach the pan on the top. That could also explain the crunchy sides and the molten middle. (although I've never had that problem when I have put my stone in the bottom--I haven't done it with a cake baking, though.)
I say try again with 2 mixes and just make the left over batter into cupcakes or a little 6" cake and freeze for later use.
Good Luck! I SO miss Colorado! I haven't been back since 2000.
Lisa
I'm on vacation at Lake Tahoe - 6,500 feet. I followed the high altitude directions (more flour, more liquid) and lowered oven to 325.
What a mess - all stuck and crumbled out in pieces. MAJOR disaster...... I'm going to try piecing together - wish me luck.
I brought my Cake Doctor book with me, intending to mix it up, but decided the altitude might cause other problems and I'd better not take the chance. So I am doubly disappointed!
I'm on vacation at Lake Tahoe - 6,500 feet.
I brought my Cake Doctor book with me, intending to mix it up, but decided the altitude might cause other problems and I'd better not take the chance. So I am doubly disappointed!
baking cakes while on vacation: now that's dedication!
I'm at 5, 200 ft in Denver area. Since I first posted, I've baked a few more cakes. The first time I used a box mix (forgot to follow high altitude directions..duh) and added cake extender. Pan was also 10"x 3". DISASTER! First cake...big learning experience. Think I also had liner in bottom of oven which made heat uneven. Cake did nto cook in middle and was big crater! LOTS of lessons Since then I have used box mixes, done the high altitlude changes per the box with no problems. Made sure I had no oven liner on lower rack too. Have even done 11x15x2 pan and used flower pin in middle at 325 and cakes turned out great! Since I am now over my fear of baking..lol..I am thinking of doing scratch cakes to try different things. It is a different experience though baking at altitude Good thing though is this area is not humid so forsting and mmf is easy to work with.
Best of luck everyone...
Thalia
Well I thought this was headed for the garbage but my husband encouraged me to try to stick this one back together. Amazing what you can do with frosting! I had no idea.... I was afraid to cut it because I thought it would show the damage and crumble to pieces - but it held!
Thanks to "ngerland" and to Martha Stewart for inspiration.
Your cake turned out great! I live in Utah at just under 5000 feet. I had the problem of either the mound in the middle of the cake that I had to cut off or a crater where the mound would collapse. I learned that my main problem was that the outside of the cake baked faster because it was closer to the hot pan and it pushed the middle upward as it baked. I hear this is mainly a high altitude problem but that it can happen anywhere. I started using the Wilton Bake Even strips to insulate the outside of the pan and all of my cakes have come out perfectly flat. I've read that you can also roll up strips of old towels and soak them in cold water and wrap them around the pans. I haven't tried it, but it would be a cheaper alternative or at least a way to try it before spending the money on the strips.
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