I'm in the middle of making 300 cupcakes. I can do 48 at a time - boy now do I wish I knew how to use my confection oven! Anyway ... I used two mixers at first making one batch at a time. Those look lovely. Next batch, I thought I was stupid - my 7qt can do two mixes at once! So I did. Those cupcakes fell, flopped, look sunken.

Is this because I did two at once? I mixed very well. ?????

Please, please! Someone respond. I'm making the 300 for the 2nd Annual Picnic in the Park, sponsored by the Junior League, for the homeless. My first big - though freeby - job. Help?

I've not ever had a problem with doing 2 mixes at once. I'm not sure why the cake would have fallen.
But now that I've said that, the wedding cake I am making this weekend will fall....
Maybe someone else can give you a reason. I wish I could help more.

I used the WASC recipe for cupcakes before, but I used my hand mixer. I made two batches in one bowl. I did not have a problem. I thought I would get over-mixed with my stand mixer.

I always thought it was just me but I have never been able to have luck with making two cake mixes or two scratch recipes at a time as well. I use the 7 qt cusinart (is that what you have?). I haven't had luck with the confection oven that came with the house either. Sorry can't help more than that.

Double-check your measurements. It's entirely possibly that you added the wrong amount or left something off. I double my recipes too and I find it easier to write thedoubled amts down before I start the recipe (instead of doing it in my head as I go along)

I do a double batch in my mixer all the time. I have the kitchen aid artisan one so I think it's 4.5 qt, 5 qt? Maybe you overmixed it?

I mix 2 batches all the time using WASC and have never had a problem. Make sure you don't over mix it though.

With my KA, I can actually do 3 cake mixes at one time.. and I never have a problem.

Sorry for your trouble.

I'm not tryin' to be a smarty pants here, but I do 8-12 batches (aka box mixes) of batter at once in my 20 quart Hobart and have never had a problem.

Is there a chance that when you were putting the ingredients in, you didn't double something? Or added more than you should have? Were the dates still current on everything you were using?

Oh, and SERIOUSLY...it may take some getting used/experimenting to get comfortable with your convection, but BY ALL MEANS...force yourself to use it....you won't regret it once you get the swing of things...it changes your life dramatically!!!! (Not to mention everything bakes up so nicely and more evenly I believe!)

Good luck with all the cupcakes!

-Michelle

Also, the recipe you're using may not be able to be doubled; according to my mom, some recipes just won't double well. I've even seen some recipes marked not to double them. (Just an afterthought)

It's done. Next time I will try convection. And yes, I think I did put too much water in that batch. But still, when I did the rest I really checked all the measurments, they still fell too but not as badly.

Here's a picture of the cupcakes. There were still 6 dozen that were not in the pic. Ran out of boxes. Could fit 70 in while undecorated - 52-54 with the icing. ?? Any-hoo - they are delivered. I didn't decorate a one of them. I had friends come over and never touched a pastry bag. I was busy helping the kids do the sprinkles, etc. 3 eight-year olds did all those! Thanks for the responses!

So does anyone know why you can't multiple certain recipes? I've never tried it because I'm scared! LOL!

Are you scratch baking or mix baking?

Like msauer, I mix up to 15 mixes in my 20qt at once with no problems.

I'm wondering about scratch baking.

I'm with Michelle in wondering why - or how to recognize - a formula that can't be doubled without adjustments. Changes usually seems to involve lessening the leavening ingredient(s) when doubling or tripling, but I have no idea why or how to formulate ......It really is science. Mixes are formulated for success and stability, so they can be fearlessly combined with great results .

Twinsmake5 - Forgot to add - great job and admirable project with the cupcakes

Although I've seen formulas that state 'cannot be doubled'--in my experience I've never had any trouble multiplying out to fit from a 5 quart up to a 60 quart mixer. I doubt that I ever specifically multiplied a recipe that said not to, but that would not have necessarily prevented me either. Kind of a challenge huh.

Rose Levy B. goes into contortions in her Cake Bible about how you can and cannot multiply double acting baking powder when increasing a recipe. She says you reduce the baking powder when you increase the volume or something or other. I know she believes that and it must work for her but many bakers just multiply all the ingredients out and it works fine that way too.

I've even tripled with no problem. I use the WASC basic recipe for most of my cakes, changing the extracts and such, and I've done it with 3 mixes on several occasions (one and a half recipe).

OK - I"m going to throw my 2 cents in here and be a smart a$$

What is the difference if you take two mixes and mix them together according to the directions in the same bowl or if you mix them separately and then pour them into the same bowl? You have the same end product

Thanks, K8memphis, for your experiences. RLB and Toba Garrett have both mentioned the adjustments, so there must be some basis. I'll just be more brazen with my experiments if you've had good results without stressing over the math

The WASC cake, that's an extended mix cake, right? Please specify whether you are referring to box or scratch, just so we can determine if there is a difference. I can't remember....do you add baking powder to mixes? Maybe that has something to do with it.

When I said that some Recipes couldn't be doubled, I meant scratch recipes. Mixes would be easy to double since all ur usually adding are eggs and liquid. WASC is an embeleshed mix (even if it is yummy!) Scratch baking is different since you have to calculate and weigh/measure everything from flour to levening to milk (which leaves much more room for error)

Thanks loves2bake. I guess I have some research to do to find out what's going on with scratch cakes that prevents them from being doubled. Science, hate it!

Here's some threads on the doubling issue:
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-388683-bible.html+baking+powder

http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-576910-surface.html

Thanks indydebi! Links are great, but they all refer to the Cake Bible which is for box mixes, right?

No idea .. I don't own that book.

I am a scratch baker and I quadruple a few of my recipes. I do adjust (decrease) the leavening when I scale up the recipes. I generally go by the ideas in the Cake Bible, but it may take a little trial and error with yur own recipes. I figure I have a 20 quart mixing bowl, might as well fill 'er up!

I am a scratch baker and I quadruple a few of my recipes. I do adjust (decrease) the leavening when I scale up the recipes. I generally go by the ideas in the Cake Bible, but it may take a little trial and error with your own recipes. I figure I have a 20 quart mixing bowl, might as well fill 'er up!