Semi-flopped Cake Question

Tagged: baking soda, buttermilk, failure to rise, yellow cake

This topic has 30 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 3 months ago by BakerAunt.

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July 20, 2016 at 11:44 am #3528
Italiancook
Participant
Something happened to my cake today that has never happened in all my years of baking cakes. I don't understand why it occurred. Anyone have any ideas?

I baked a yellow cake. Have used the recipe several times before today. Never a problem. It always has risen evenly. Today, it looked perfectly fine when removed from the oven. As it cooled, it fell a little from the center to near the edge of pan. I can't imagine why. No one jumped or jarred the house.

The oven wasn't fully preheated when I had poured the batter into the pan. I tapped the pan on the counter as usual, then let it sit while the oven finished preheating. Did this delay cause it to fall as it cooled, even though it looked perfectly risen when pulled from oven?

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July 20, 2016 at 4:26 pm #3529
Mike Nolan
Keymaster
Well, the obvious question is, are you sure it was fully baked? Could be an oven temp issue, for example.

Otherwise, there are multiple reasons for it to have a structure that won't hold, including having used too much leavening. How long was it sitting waiting for the oven to finish preheating?

If Cass was here, he'd want to know what recipe and mixing technique you used, of course. 🙂
July 20, 2016 at 4:51 pm #3534
KIDPIZZA
Participant
ITALIANCOOK:
Good evening to you. Sorry to learn of your recent baking disappointment. I believe I know why your cake collapsed. If your recipe contained "BAKING SODA" then while you & your cake were waiting for the oven to preheat the "SODA" was doing it's thing. In other words dissipated itself while waiting on the sideline, because it begins to react immediately when a liquid (MOISURE) is introduced into the concoction. Sooo hence there was reduced leavening.

It may have risen somewhat in baking, YES, but that was perhaps of the Baking Powder & "THE STEAM" that was created from the liquid ingredients when heating.

Anyway my dear friend if in the event your recipe does not include baking soda then I nust suggest post the recipe & mixing method, ete. You might add your first name as well so that I can address you properly.

I hope I was able to help you somewhat today.

Enjoy the day my friend.

~KIDPIZZA.
July 21, 2016 at 10:08 am #3548
Italiancook
Participant
KIDPIZZA, yes! you helped me with my baking mystery. The recipe has both baking soda and baking powder. I didn't realize the baking soda would do its thing while waiting for the oven. Thanks for educating me.

Italiancook (Gail)
July 21, 2016 at 10:26 am #3551
Italiancook
Participant
Mike, the cake was fully baked. Tasted delicious even in the fallen area. I'm convinced KIDPIZZA diagnosed the problem correctly. I don't know how long the cake sat before it went into the oven, but it was longer than normal. Usually, I start preheating the oven half-way through a recipe, but this batter was almost finished before I thought of the oven. Nevertheless, I'm posting the recipe here:

Yellow Cake
1 cup softened butter
2 cups sugar (I used half white Splenda & half sugar)
4 eggs
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Prepare 2 - 9" cake pans. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream butter & sugar. Add eggs & blend. Add and mix other ingredients. Bake 25 minutes.
- This reply was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by Italiancook.
- This reply was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by Italiancook.
- This reply was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by Italiancook.
July 21, 2016 at 10:54 am #3558
Mike Nolan
Keymaster
I've read that baking soda has a useful life of 15-30 minutes once it gets wet, which is why cake batters should go into the oven as soon as possible. The double-action part of baking powder is heat-activated, so it's less time-sensitive.

There are some recipes that recommend chilling the cake batter for a few minutes after it goes in the pan, but I've never tried that, and I'm dubious that a few minutes in the refrigerator would have much impact.

What size pan do you use? I may have to give your recipe a try, but probably not today, since it's supposed to hit 102 here.
- This reply was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by htfoot.
- This reply was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by htfoot.
- This reply was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by htfoot.
July 21, 2016 at 2:28 pm #3569
Italiancook
Participant
Mike, the recipe calls for 2 - 9 inch cake pans. I have edited original post to include that.

I don't bake this in round pans. I use and old-timey sheet pan that is 13-1/2" x 8" x 1-1/4".

I think that if you make this when your outside temperatures go down that you'll like it. What I enjoy is that it has enough flavor that I'm happy to eat it without any icing.

I used this recipe to make a German "Chocolate" Cake for someone who prefers that cake be yellow, not chocolate. Worked out great.
July 23, 2016 at 9:36 am #3603
Mike Nolan
Keymaster
I'm thinking of making a half-recipe in an 8x8 glass pan.
July 23, 2016 at 7:45 pm #3616
BakerAunt
Participant
Italian Cook: You might also check to see how old your baking soda is.
July 23, 2016 at 8:06 pm #3617
Italiancook
Participant
If you have time, Mike, please let me know how the half recipe works in the square pan. I've never tried that.

BakerAunt, a while back, ATK had a segment on baking powder. Their testing indicated baking powder needs to be replaced every 6 months regardless of the expiration date on the can. Ever since then, I replace my baking powder and baking soda every 6 months.

The powder will work after 6 months, but the test kitchen showed that biscuits won't rise as much after 6 months.

Does anyone know if baking soda needs to be replaced sooner than 6 months?
July 23, 2016 at 10:40 pm #3629
Mike Nolan
Keymaster
I unintentionally duplicated your oven issue by forgetting to turn the oven on until I had the batter in the pan. 🙂

Cake is out of the oven and it is delicious! The buttermilk definitely kicks it up
a notch from a standard yellow cake.

The batter came out thicker than I was expecting, and I don't think I got it even across the top, it's got an area that isn't quite as high, but it's not so much that it collapsed as that the batter probably wasn't as deep there. It didn't seem to collapse as it cooled.

My baking soda must be a couple of years old, we bought a big bag of it at Sams Club, I haven't had any problems with it.
- This reply was modified 8 years, 3 months ago by Mike Nolan.
- This reply was modified 8 years, 3 months ago by Mike Nolan.
- This reply was modified 8 years, 3 months ago by Mike Nolan.
- This reply was modified 8 years, 3 months ago by Mike Nolan.
- This reply was modified 8 years, 3 months ago by Mike Nolan.
- This reply was modified 8 years, 3 months ago by Mike Nolan.
- This reply was modified 8 years, 3 months ago by Mike Nolan.
July 24, 2016 at 7:50 am #3646
BakerAunt
Participant
I put my baking soda in Tupperware. I do label it with the expiration date. I've not had any problems.
July 24, 2016 at 8:20 am #3649
Italiancook
Participant
Mike, forgetting to turn on the oven must be contagious even via the Internet. Your cut cake looks exactly like it should. I'm glad you enjoy the flavor.
July 24, 2016 at 9:18 am #3650
Joan Simpson
Participant
I'm going to try this recipe,looks great.
July 24, 2016 at 9:30 am #3651
Mike Nolan
Keymaster
I may have to try this cake in a Boston Cream Pie, I think the flavors would go well. But it's pretty good plain, too, as I haven't bothered to frost it.

I made it with AP flour, I wonder if it would have a finer grain if made with cake flour?

I keep the baking soda in Tupperware containers, too. My wife was a Tupperware dealer years ago. One of her closest friends was also a Tupperware dealer before she passed away and another friend still is a Tupperware dealer, so we've kept up on the latest and greatest from Tupperware. Nearly all my flours are in Tupperware containers and we've got several cabinets in the kitchen devoted to Tupperware. I also use Tupperware and Ikea containers to freeze small portions of stock, so I've got a freezer full of Tupperware, too.
- This reply was modified 8 years, 3 months ago by Mike Nolan.
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