DH said - well why don't you ask your CC peeps what they think the problem is......

I am a little disappointed with a cake that I baked this past weekend. I used the ORIGINAL WASC recipe (by kakeladi) - the one where you use the whole egg. Baked up great. Took out of pan while still very warm and immediately wrapped in commerical plastic wrap (double wrapped) and placed in a box and put in my chest type freezer.

Took cake layers out of freezer Sunday night before I went to bed. Left the layers wrapped, put on baking racks to thaw. Monday afternoon I get home from work, upwrap and could tell just by lifting them that they are going to be dry. Torte - sure enough - cake is firm more like a pound cake and not as moist as my other cakes have been. Reminded me of the cakes that you see Duff use where you can lift them and throw them around and they don't fall apart!!!

But I did not have any other options I needed to use what I had. So I torted, filled, crumb coated and they are setting on my counter waiting for me to get home at noon to ice, lay fondant and decorate. (Took the afternoon off of work to do this.) I think I have used this recipe one other time but I don't remember if it was dry. I have now started putting a post-it note on the recipe page and am going to make notes on the outcome of my cakes. I am a hobby baker so my cake volume is not that large and when I do bake I usually bake all day and make enough for 3 or 4 cakes and then freeze.

I wish I had known about the simple syrup technique that I just read on another post as I would have used it last night. I am very upset as I now will have a dry cake!!!

I have usually used the other WASC recipe and have have varied results - sometimes being too moist to sinking in the middle but I guess I will have to go back to that recipe.

Opinons and suggestions would be appreciated from those who have used the Original WASC Kakeladi recipe or can share what recipe they use and have repeated success.

I would just like to have one white cake and one chocolate cake receipe to use and that's it. Sorry - but I am a boxed cake person.

Thanks

I haven't used that recipe, but the cake I make is dense and dry (not quite pound cake). So I always use the simple syrup.That makes a world of difference to me.

Sorry I can't help with the WASC recipe. But there are lots of people here who can.

I always use the whole eggs in the cake unless I need a pure white cake. I just don't like wasting the yolks. For me, the only time the WASC comes out dry is if it's overbaked. If you're baking at 325 and using flower nails, it should be fine...you have to leave it in a long time too long to really overbake it.

This is what I use. It's a half recipe, just double if you need more

1 box white cake mix
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/3 cup milk
1 cup sour cream
4 whole eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon creme bouquet
2 tablespoons oil

Sometimes I will replace 1/3 cup of milk with liqueur or flavored coffee creamer...but milk is cheaper than coffee creamer and it helps keep the cake from doming too much, just like the coffee creamer does.

Thanks Texas Rose.

I did not get very much feedback on this. I did bake at 325 with a flower nail and baking strips too yet. I do like your recipe and will be trying that the next time.

Thanks for your help.

I use the WASC recipe that calls for oil, and I actually add 1/4 c. for a single batch and a 1/2 cup for a double batch.

I use WASC for almost every cake. My recipe is very much like the one listed but I don't use milk or creme bouquet or oil. I only use 3 eggs. Never had a dry cake unless I over baked.

I too use the kakeladi's recipe and it never comes out dry. It is always very very moist. I've replaced some of the water with amaretto and it was to die for . I did have a chocolate version come out on the dry side, but I overcooked it by 10 mins or more.

I've never used a simple syrup to pour over a cake in my life so I can't tell you anything about that.

I always use the kakeladi recipe, and it is firm and dense but never dry...you dont say how it tasted???Just that it looked dry. Did you taste the scraps? I always bake mine until it tests done with a toothpick and people always rave, never used syrup on it.

Thanks for all of the comments.

I did taste the cake scraps the night I put it together and I thought that it was dry and so did my husband. Not as moist as the other WASC with the eggs whites.

The person whom I gave the cake to as a gift cut the cake and shared it with us at work. I still felt that it was not "quite right". The crumb was coarse and it still seemed on the drier side to me. I did ask one of my close friends what she thought as she has tasted most of my cakes and she said the same thing. I did get a lot of people emailing me and telling me that the cake tasted great. But in my opinion it was not my best.

I do think that the cake had pulled away from the sides of the pan when I baked it because after one hour at 325 the toothpick test showed it was still very wet in the middle. So I added more time - maybe too much time. I liked the recipe because I wasn't wasting eggs!!

I will have to try it again.

JanH

Thank you for all of the interesting information. I have read it ALL! I still am not sure what I did wrong. I did do what you do with the dry ingredients and yes I did sift everything and usually do. I did mix the wet ingredients first and then added the dry. Maybe I over beat - I know that I was mixing at about 3 on my KA and it was for a few minutes - probably more than two. Can this also give a ciarse crumb? Cause that is also what I had with this cake. And maybe it was because I wrapped the cake when it was too warm but I have been doing that for quite some time - ever since I read about it on CC and have had no problems.

A question - so I can use all of the eggs in the recipe where it calls for just egg whites. Do I still use the same number of eggs? Can you clarify what you meant by the addition of 2 tablespoons of oil per cake mix? I hope I don't sound stupid.

Once again JanH thanks for responding to my post. You are always so helpful.

Hey Peridot.

If you're making either of the WASC cake recipes (kakeladi's or Rebecca's) - the cause of the coarse grain could be a too low oven temp.
(Which reminds me that I have to pick up an oven therm. for the new oven.)

Also, I find that it does make a difference (much more so when making pound or butter cakes) if not using bleached AP flour. As the unbleached flour doesn't hold the butter in suspension. (Who knew.)

The only significant difference in the ingredients between kakeladi's and Rebecca's recipes is that kakeladi's doesn't use any fat/oil (other than the sour cream). Rebecca's recipe uses all kakeladi's ingredients plus 2 Tbs. oil per cake mix used. Mixing directions are different, though.

Also, if not using only egg whites for Rebecca's WASC cake, in order to achieve a white/white cake, three (3) whole eggs per cake mix can be used for a (French vanilla type) white cake or any other flavor cake mix.

For chocolate cake, substituting coffee for a portion of the water and cocoa for a portion of the flour makes for a more chocolatey cake. (There are chocolate WASC cake recipes/tips in this thread.) http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopic-605188-.html

Glad the hot wrap method works for you. But if you want to try making another WASC cake, I'd suggest you use Rebecca's recipe this time as it does have a bit of oil. Also, only mix for 2 minutes and don't hot wrap - just to see if it makes a difference.

Good Luck.

BTW, I always use DH cake mixes.

The original WASC recipe I use says to use the 3 whole eggs...and to bake the cake @ 300 degrees the first 20 minutes and turn the oven up to 325 degrees for another 20 minutes. Sometimes I have to keep the larger ones in for a few more minutes, but not much more...also, using the flower nail trick in the middle makes sure it is not wet in the middle. My cakes are always moist, and I have been successful most every time (can never say, "never")... Never beat the cake more than 2 minutes AFTER you have mixed the dry and wet ingredients together for 30 seconds... Then, I also slam the pan on the counter several times to get the air bubbles to come up to the top and burst...the cake seems to stay moist that way.

Also, I let the cake sit out overnight (I cover it with a clean tea towel)...this allows the cake to set up properly. After leveling, I put the sugar syrup on all sides, fill, and crumb coat... my cakes are then iced and served. I have never had to advertise because my referrals keep me so busy that I do not have time to find other clients...they love my cakes...so maybe try checking to see if your oven temperature is a true temperature, and then start out at 300 degrees... use the simple syrup on your cakes...makes them taste so much better!