Well, I'm baking today and look at what happened to my cakes... does any one knows what happened to them?
I used DH's and doctored them up, this is the recipe I always use... so weird! I don't like them! They are 10" and Witon Pans.
Any ideas? Thanks so much!

Ghee, thats crazy! I only see where it does that when its overcooked but from what I can see it doesnt appear to be. Maybe check the date on the package. Maybe it was a box that was sitting there a while and the ingredients went bad.

My guess is too much liquid, oven too hot, and/or baked too long.

It could have also been a bad batch of cake mix.

Michele

That is the wierdest thing I have seen in a long time. I wish I could help but all I can do is give you a bump!

also would like to know as had same thing happen last time I used doctored DH

My cakes do this sometimes, but they are homemade german chocolate. I don't know why they do this, but the shrinkage is weird. And it only happens as they cool. When they first come out of the oven they are even with the top of the pan, and only slightly pulling away from the sides. hope someone can give troubleshooting info.

I've had that happen as well. Baking is a science, and I wonder if the mixes don't take well to all the doctoring we put them through. I know the companies test and retest all the mixes put out there and have developed the "perfect" ratio of fats and liquid to make the best product from their mix.

Doctoring by adding the extra egg adds more protein and more fat. Increasing the oil, more fat, reducing the water, adding pudding.. they all mess with the science.

I have switched to using the cake mix extender recipe until I've used the mixes on the shelf, then I'm really considering going 100% homemade if I can get the moistness and stability I want. I'm having excellent results with the extender recipe, by the way.

Just my thoughts..

For me the oven was cold at frist, an then baked for a long time...

I like Dougs thought! I wish my waist, legs, thighs. butt, etc. would shrink like that too!!

Wow, thanks for all the reponse! Well, I baked at 350 for 25-30 min, I only put half a cake mix + doctored stuff to each pan, I like my layers thin since I hate torting... anyway, they are horrible!
I did check the dates and they are fine, I got them yesterday at my local Target. I really don't know what else could've happen... Next time I'll try 325. I do the 325 with 12" or more pans, but now will start with the 10" as well.
Thanks everybody, hope to find the answer soon!
I really love DH and would HATE to switch to any other brand. Thanks again!

Thanks, I will start doing the 325 temp thing!

I thought about doing that, it is a new oven... but I've been baking cakes with it for the last month and a half with out this ever happening. Thanks again!

I have had this happen several times when I was using a butter recipe mix. When I switched to a recipe with oil in the mix I did not have a problem. Hope that helps....I know it is very frustrating!!

Sometimes over mixing can cause they cake to be dense and pull away.

Kcat, now that I think about it, it is sooo true! I've never had this happen to my chocolate cake (whice is oil, not butter) mmm... maybe it is something to do with that as well!

And Moy, you know, that could've been the case too, I had the batter in the mixer when my son called me, he was stock between toys (boys, ha!) and I went to help and my batter mixed for longer than usual, buy maybe for about 3-4 mins more, med-high speed. Do you think that those extra mins could have been the problem?

Thanks again!

Over mixing can cause trouble. I was at Borders and they had this great book. I will have to go back and get it. It showed everything that can wrong with just about every baking instance. I find that over mixing can cause shrinkage and heavy cake.

looks like it was overdone to me too.

okay, just read where you said you got called away from the mixer to free a stuck son and it mixed for 3-4 minutes longer----there is your problem. It could be a number of things but I'm willing to bet it's overmixing. The more you mix, the more the protien in eggs will mess with your product. Eggs are very sensitive to overbeating. (that's why a lot of Chefs will test cooks before hiring them by having them cook eggs since it's actually a very hard thing to do properly. A simple egg is considered one of the hardest foods to cook. Sounds odd I know but once we learned eggs in class I learned I've been doing everything wrong almost) When mixing in eggs once the eggs are incorperated and you don't see streaks in the batter stop mixing. If eggs are beaten for too long it will often make the food a different texture too, usually heavier.

I know you probably don't overmix usually but just this once because you got pulled away. As a side note whenever I bake I always do 325 no matter what size pan.

Kids can be funny can't they! Getting stuck in all sorts of places.

Well, Thank You all!!!
Now, I've learned a couple things, gotta love CC!
1. YES, 3 min more of mixing CAN and WILL kill a cake.
2. Bake at 325 no matter what size pan, and
3. Boys CAN get stuck behind 2 tonka trucks and a toy chest (he was drowning in toys in his room!) What a mess...

And Thank You Laura for sharing your extender recipe, can't wait to try it!

OK ladies, wish me luck, I'm baking my son's birthday cake next week. Thanks again, really, I don't know what I would do without you all!