I just baked a two layer 6" cake... I baked each layer separately because I only have one 6 " pan, BUT I did gently remix the batter before baking the second layer. I used those bake-even strips (resoaked it and everything) The first layer was fine...

BUT the second layer looked 9 months pregnant and when I leveled it, IT WAS UNCOOKED IN THE CENTER!

PLEASE tell me what I did wrong because I have no clue? Did the physics of my kitchen somehow change in those few minutes???? I really would love to know what happened. My baking element is only a few months old, so I know it's not the oven....

I guess I just expected this cake to be PERFECT because of those strips-

thanks, and sorry for the melt-down.

Here are two cake trouble-shooting charts:

http://tinyurl.com/2p5bdu
(Short list from joyofbaking.com.)

http://tinyurl.com/3dmp96
(Long list from Sarah Phillips of baking911.com.)

HTH

If you let the batter sit at room temp while the first layer baked, the leavening agents in the batter were "working" all that time. Those agents create gases that get trapped in the batter and then when it gets cooked, you get those big bubbles.

If you have to leave batter waiting for a pan, I find that putting it in the refrigerator decreases the size of the "hump" and other bubbles.

HTH
Rae

wow,that is a great tip! thanks!!!

thanks

Now, I know why I have two of all of the smaller size pans (they are a pain to store). I never knew what would happen if you let batter sit. My mother must have drilled that one into me. Preheat oven, prepare pans, make batter, bake immediately.

thanks again everyone. I re-made the second layer this morning with a half batch of the white cake- and it came out great. I filled and stacked it and will ice it tonight. What a difference.

JanH.... your troubleshooting sheet really came in handy.

take care.

i baked two 10 inch cakes friday, 1 cooked perfect and the other, well it didnt. I had no idea that leaving the batter on the counter for almost 2 hrs would change the way it would bake. Awesome tip, Thank You!!