?? Scratch Chocolate Cake Sinking In Middle
Decorating By cakemomne Updated 20 Sep 2006 , 2:36am by Edibleart
Hi all,
I have FINALLY found a scratch chocolate cake the even my "stop messing with what works" (ie cake mix) DH LOVES!! YEAH!!
Anyway, my cake is sinking slightly(~1.4 to 1/2 inch) in the middle as the cake cools, the cakes are completely cooked and so far, I have reduced one of the liquid amounts in the batter from 1 1/2 c to 1 1/3 c.
Should I reduce the liquid to 1 1/4 c?? Leave the liquid at 1 1/3 c and increase the flour? Ignore it and add more frosting?!?! 
Any suggestions would be much appreciated
TIA!!
What size pan are you using? I cannot recommend Rose Levy Beranbaum's Cake Bible highly enough... her whole section on base cake recipes (p. 490-493, I believe) were total lightbulb moments for me. I had to read it about 8 times (mathematically challenged here), but once it dawned on me it all made sense! The larger the pan, the less baking powder needed as it breaks down the structure of the cake, and the larger surface area will fall in the middle.
Not sure about your recipe... but I'd say read this section if you have the book or check it out of the library if need be... it will turn you into a hardcore scratch baker.
Lori
PS... also, invest in some strips to go around your pans, the kind you soak in water first... magi-cake or something?
If it's fully cooked it's not that you're using too much liquid.
my scratch chocolate sinks if i open the oven door too soon to check on it.
Thank you all so much!!
I admit, I am a compulsive peeker near the end of the bake time 
Chef_Lori I'm going to try and find that book at our library! I would have thought the opposite about the baking powder!
I cannot wait to try all these suggestions this tinkering totally appeals to the "science nerd" in me I thought I had to leave at work when I quit to stay home.
There goes my weight loss countdown 
My library does not carry the Cake Bible. Is there any way to summarize the baking powder ratio? The yellow cake recipe I use has a tendency to do the same thing in the bigger pans. I would love to remedy this problem! Thanks!
It's really three or four solid pages of charts with explanations... none of which I could really convey here. She has all the formulas worked out by pan size, you just have to do some simple calculator math to figure it out (if I can figure it out, anyone can!!).
My library will find a book if it's in the state system and have it transfered to my branch (it's called an interlibrary loan), you might want to ask your library if it's an option. If not, I found it for $6 on half.com. Believe me, it'll be the best $$ you ever spent! I struggled with scratch cakes and mixing methods for YEARS before I found that book... it's worth it's weight in gold to me.
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