Okay, all you WASC "Doctors" ... I made this cake Saturday a.m. for my dad's birthday. I substituted Vanilla Caramel liquid creamer for the water. It was delicious ... I now have a new flavor: Caramel Cappucino! Yay!
Here is the problem: when I was baking the layers (two 6" layers, two 7" layers, + 8 cupcakes), they were rising beautifully, but then they sank in the middle. Yes, all of the cakes, and even 3 of the cupcakes! They had the appearance of a piece of fabric with a ball in the center ... not completely "deflated", but a sagging area in the very center. So what did I do wrong??? Did I over-mix? Should the wet ingredients have been gently blended together before mixing into the dry? I'm stumped.
In all my years of baking, I have never had this happen! So what did I do wrong?? Does anyone have any ideas?
Thanks much for your help,
Odessa
too funny, this happened to me too. i got a little too happy with the creamer and wanted an intense flavor so i substituted all the water with creamer. i guess you are only supposed to do half. someone on another thread mentioned that if u have too much "fat" content then the cake sinks in the middle. so yeah, apparently a few people run into this problem too. hey, at least your cake tasted good though huh? 
too funny, this happened to me too. i got a little too happy with the creamer and wanted an intense flavor so i substituted all the water with creamer. i guess you are only supposed to do half. someone on another thread mentioned that if u have too much "fat" content then the cake sinks in the middle. so yeah, apparently a few people run into this problem too. hey, at least your cake tasted good though huh?
Yes, it was really yummy. I think maybe this is what I did wrong ... I think I may have replaced ALL the water with the creamer, when I should have only replaced HALF of it. Whoops! 
The texture was nicely dense; it would have been good to carve (in fact, I made a topsy-turvy cake for dad & niece; the other is carved and wrapped in the freezer to use as a sample in a couple weeks! 
)
I know it wasn't my mixes, although I appreciate the thought. I quit using DH when they messed up the "formula", and I checked the exp. dates, which were fine. So I think it was the added fat.
That's what I love about this forum ... lots of help from many different sources. And what a quick return! Thanks to all of you who've responded!
Odessa
Odessa,
When I tried the creamer in my WASC, I only replaced 1/3 of the water with it. BUT . . . here is what I always do when I try any extender recipe - I add 1 tsp. of baking powder for extra leavening! To me it just makes sense because I am adding so many more ingredients that the extra baking powder would help keep my cakes from sinking. I have NEVER had a cake sink since doing this. Good-luck!
Too much sugar, and/or fat or leavening will cause a cake to sink.
Replacing all of the water with the liquid coffee creamers (which are loaded with both sugar and fat) caused your cakes to sink. 
(Although the sugar is more likely the culprit.)
It appears that replacing more than 1/3 cup of the water with liquid creamer (especially ID white chocolate raspberry) is not recommended.
For additional cake troubleshooting help:
http://www.joyofbaking.com/ButterCakeTroubleshooting.html
Here's a thread that has extensive info on baking and the science of baking, the purpose for each ingredient in a basic cake and so much more:
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-3493503.html
HTH
aobodessa,
I am glad you asked this question. I made the WASC cake last weekend and I didn't make any substitutions and it sank in the middle. I would appreciate it if anyone could give me any suggestions as to why it happened. My future son-in-law wants it for his grooms cake and I want to make sure it works before the wedding.
TIA,
Bradymom
Cake Sinks in Center:
batter over mixed, or oven temperature too low
(In addition to causes given above.)
Troubleshooting Common Cake Problems:
http://www.joyofbaking.com/ButterCakeTroubleshooting.html
HTH
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