I made a wonderful chocolate cake from scratch this morning, the only issue was it dipped in the middle & I had to level it a bit more harshly - waste of cake.. well ok, not a total waste in hubby's opinion It was just a sample cake for us, so no big deal, however, I do seem to have this issue occasionally with packet mixes too. I usually bake at about 160 c (325 f) or 170 c and I use wet towel strips as baking strips. I wonder if it could be the strips? Any suggestions?

Thanks

Was the cake totally done in the middle? It might need to be in the oven just a little longer. Also, if your baking powder has been sitting around for a while, you might want to replace it - it can lose its fizz. I almost always use baking strips and I've never had them do this. Bake at the temperature your recipe calls for - some need a fairly hot oven and some need a cooler one. I have a recipe that needs to be baked at 180, which seems high to me, but it doesn't come out otherwise (ask me how I know!). Hope things look up!

The last two times I have made a cake this has happened to me. Didn't change anything but my cakes are dipping in the center. I use the wasc recipe with DH. And I don't open the oven until the timer beeps so I know its not that.

I made one today and had the same thing happen.. I used the strips as well.. I tried again and it came out fine.. I used less cake mix in the pan.. maybe that is it.. IDK but thought I would throw that out there.. wishing you luck with yours..

If you turn it out onto the cooling rack and there is any kind of bump it will crater in the middle. I always turn it on the cooling rack and then turn it onto another one.
I really don't think that 325 degrees is hot enough.

I'm not no expert pastry person, but most of my cakes I bake at 350, and if it's the pan size bigger of 10" or more, I put a flower nail in the middle of the pan with the cake mix in it.

I then only fill the pans half way up. I don't get too too big of a dome and or it hasn't dipped yet. (knocking on wood for luck)......

Good luck, HTH..........

I find this happens when I bake a mudcake if I keep opening the oven door to check on the progress. Since I stopped checking it too early, the problem has stopped. I use Pam's Choc mudcake recipe and I stick to her cooking times. Same with the Planet Cake recipe - I don't open the oven until the time is up.

My first thought was under-baking. However, I decided to look it up. My thought is one of the possibilities; there several others.

Some Reasons Why Cakes Sink or Fall In The Middle:
Cakes will sink or fall because:

1). Overbeating too much air is incorporated into batter.

2). Underbaking - Oven temperature too low and/or too short a baking time.

3). Over or under measurement of liquid or under measurement of flour.

4). Using too small or large of a baking pan.

5). Moving or jarring cake before sufficiently baked or opening the oven door before cake sets.

Note: Only open oven door if absolutely needed, one-half to three-quarter's way through baking.

6). The most common error has to do with the oven temperature. Make sure you have an oven thermometer to test your oven for accuracy.

7). Depending on the recipe if you fold in egg whites, if not beaten fully or folded in too harshly, the cake could fall.

. Even creaming the butter and sugar too much or too little can cause problems.

I had a chocolate scratch mix that would do that to me if I did not let the flour mix in quite long enough to get the gluten going, or whatever....

With box mixes sometimes that happens if not fully done, but with scratch the only time its happened is if I undermixed it.

I have been baking long enough to know that even my very expensive ovens can change temps from one batch to the next. Even when you think you know your oven, it will change again. Put a thermometer in every oven and get used to checking it every time you use your oven. When people say, "this just started...", I always recommend to look at the temp.

If you are sure that your oven temp is correct and that you absolutely baked it until done (I bake everything at 325, it takes longer but it works out better for me) then my 1st guess would be overbeating your batter. Second guess would be a problem in your chemistry. I.e. baking powder/soda ratio is off OR your powder is old (6months is about the oldest I'd let it get after opening it.

Thank you all for your advice I made a white choc version of the recipe and turned the oven up a bit.. whadda ya know?! perfect!!.. I'm guessing my oven temp is out somewhat, however, I will double check with an oven thermometer with the next choc cake though. Thanks again!