I need help. I am new to baking and I really want to bake great cakes, but all of my cakes from scratch turn out really dense. Several times the cakes have risen nicely while baking and then sink (evenly) to about half when they come out of the oven. I am using the bake even strips. The cakes are fairly flat after they deflate. What am I doing wrong?
Hi and Welcome to CC, Taralsiler. 
Decoding CC acronyms:
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-2926-.html
In scratch baking, learning the "basic" techniques will greatly enhance the quality of your finished cakes.
When measuring, do you use the "scoop and drag" method and then shake to level.... You should be aerating the flour prior to gently spooning it into the measuring cup and using a straight edge to level.
Also when it comes to mixing, MORE (as in more speed or longer mixing time) is not BETTER. Overmixing will develop the gluten and result in a tough cake.
Also, cake and AP flour are not 1:1 substitutions.
If your cake recipe calls for AP flour, use bleached unless the recipe specifies otherwise.
Cake troubleshooting charts:
http://tinyurl.com/2p5bdu
http://tinyurl.com/32goqe
http://tinyurl.com/6lpjww
http://tinyurl.com/6c745g
Great website for learning how to bake:
www.joyofbaking.com
Everything you ever wanted to know to bake, assemble and decorate your first tiered/stacked/layer cake:
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-605188-.html
Has all the info needed, including b/c and fondant recipes, as well as doctored cake mix recipes.
HTH
Hmm, I think I was definitely over-beating the batter. I was under the impression that the more you beat it the lighter it would become. I may have also used too much flour. The recipe had:
1 C + 2 tbsp butter softened
2 1/4 C sugar
6 eggs separated
3 1/4 C all purpose flour ( I can't remember if I used cake flour, though which may have been the problem)
1 C + 2 tbsp milk
3/4 tsp lemon rind
1 3/4 tsp lemon juice.
The recipe had you beat the yolks in the batter and then beat the white separately and then fold in.
I will try your suggestions on the measuring and not over beating and see if it helps. I am just afraid I am going to get fat trying to figure this out b/c I eat the failures and then turn around and make another cake b/c I am determined to get this right.
Was there no baking powder or soda in the recipe? Despite the 6 eggs you still would need the b.powder. When testing scratch recipes, I usually make lots of different 4" cakes, not cc's becuase they rise and behave different. That way I dont need to waste an entire recipe if it goes wrong, and I can change one variable at a time in each cake until I get it right! Good luck!
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