Help please!

Here's the recipe i use for my cake:

12 eggs separated

1 1/2 cups APF

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 C melted butter

1/4 C water

1 tsp cream of tartar

Method I used is to beat the egg yolks and sugar until it's lemon colored then i slowly add the melted butter+water, followed by the sifted dry ingredients.  I continue mixing it at med speed for another 3 minutes.  Once the egg whites reach the stiff peak stage, I start to fold it to the egg yolk mixture.  As soon as I do this, the egg yolk mixture starts to deflate.  What am I doing wrong?  I've been using this recipe for years without encountering this problem until just this year.  I did not make any changes on the recipe, except that the eggs that I use now are larger that the ones I've been using before.

I tried lessening the butter by 1 tablespoon but I still encounter the same problem.  Also tried using cake flour instead of APF.  But it does not solve the problem.  What am I doing wrong?

Would appreciate your help.

Winnie

Try to 'temper' your egg yolk mix with 1/5th of the egg whites first.  So, gently fold through 1/5th (more or less) to your egg yolk/flour mix - when it looks fully amalgamated, then gently fold through the remainging 4/5ths of the egg whites.  Doing so, helps the egg yolk mix 'ready' itself for the whites.

Also, try whipping your egg whites only to firm peak rather than stiff peak.  Sometimes over-whipped whites don't play nice.

Finally - is it just your mix that is deflating whilst being prepared, or is the cake deflating during/after the bake?

If it's the baking...then only use 'tin' baking pans - not aluminum and not non-stick.  Make sure you flour the sides of your tin as the sponge mix needs to grip onto the sides to climb up it.  It uses the flour like a plant uses a trellis.

Hope one of those 3 tips give you success.

How much sugar?  Have you tried beating a little of the sugar into the egg whites to create a very light meringue that will hold it's volume while you fold it into the batter.  And do not beat until stiff peaks, it will be difficult to fold in and will give your cake mix a grainy texture.

Hi.  The cake also deflates after baking.  And I use the tin pan for baking.  

I do put half of the required sugar into the egg whites.  And it's the egg yolk mixture that deflates as soon as I fold in the egg whites.

I have never seen a recipe that uses 12 eggs with only 1 1/2 cup of flour. That is a lot of eggs but then maybe others have seen recipes before similar. My pound cake does not use that many eggs. I remember reading in Cake boss book that if you ever make a chiffon cake to not use a teflon coated pan or else the cake will sink.  I am not sure if the cake you are making is chiffon or not. Just thought I would mention that just in case it is chiffon.

Hopefully, others here can give you information on what you might have done. I made a three layer tres leche cake this past weekend and for some reason mine sort of sunk a little in middle. Could be because of teflon coated pan I used but not sure. I just cut off the uneven parts and it was fine. Hope you can figure out what your issue is. I am sure it is very frustrating especially when you have made cake before with no problems. 

Good luck!

My other guess is that your oven has all of a sudden changed temperature - the thermostat may be dying.  Have you got a little oven thermometer that you can hang in the oven to double check?  

Otherwise - work out the liquid volume/weight of your previous eggs and then measure/weigh your new eggs to match.  Supermarket eggs weigh about 60g but my own chickens average 80g eggs.

It really is so frustrating.  Thanks a lot.  Will give it one more try using your suggestions:)

will give this a try.  thank you so much for the help:)

Hi winnie1103, if your cake can't hold itself up that's because there's not enough gluten (i.e. flour) to set it's shape and keep it risen. You said you're using bigger eggs now, well I have had days when I've accidentally put large eggs in instead of medium and it made a big difference - my cake batter was more stodgy and wet and when cooked it didn't even taste the same. So the first thing I would suggest is to use the right size eggs again. I don't know all the science about it but if there is too much protein to gluten then it will rise but struggle to stay risen. I'd also try folding more gently to see if that helps keep the air in better. Best of luck and let us know how it goes!

My two cents worth, I think its the eggs as well. The other thing is the freshness of the eggs. I keep my own hens and the difference between a refrigerated 3 day egg and a hen warm one is significant. Best of luck. I hate it when a trusted recipe starts playing silly.  

Thanks.  Will try to weigh the eggs.  Will let you know how it turned out:)

My old granny did that when making any sponge, it was 3, 3, and 3 (oz's) for eggs flour and sugar always of course at room temp. This ratio never varied and I use it for all fatless sponges. Cakes with butter/marg etc get the beejaisus beaten out of them till almost white before adding egg and spoonful of flour one at a time so's not to curdle. Good  luck with next one x