Where am I going wrong with cakes ?

lil_me

Made banana one and plain sponges, all burn on the top before the middle is cooked, not exactly big either don't even fill the cake tin

Any ideas where I am going wrong ? Or could it be the oven/where I put it in the oven

Any help appreciated, before my cooking confidence is battered even more

Oh sorry any ideas how to rescue one, got banana one in now which has done the same, it's really brown on top already but the middle isn't cooked

angchris

it sounds like the heat isnt being evenly distributed in your oven to me have you got a micro you could bake in?

dlb

I used to have this problem, i now cook all cakes on middle shelf in oven at a really low temperature, lower than stated in recipe, and cook for alot longer.
Ever so often i stick a sharpe knife in and if it doesnt come out clean the cake goes back in for 10 more mins then check again.

midlandsfairy

I had this problem with cooking cakes in particular but have found it is much better now when I turn the oven temp down by 10 or so degrees and cook for longer. You could give this a go?

Not sure about it not filling the tin properly or rescuing cakes though, sorry to be no help there!


Lucy

Fizog

You could place greaseproof paper on top of tin with a coin size hole in middle. I do this with Xmas cakes that have to cook for hours. Ensure greaseproof paper doesn't catch fire if too near back of gas oven !!!! Does sound like your oven is a bit hit and miss with a through temperature. All my cakes were a disaster till I got an electric fan oven.
Make sure all flour is not past sell by date and baking powder as this can make a difference.

stefejb

I can understand your frustration - for years my kids thought that cakes came with "custard" in the middle. I gave up and made muffins instead until i got a gas oven and found that a lot better

stef

dannahaz

Hi LM

What sized cake tin are you using, and how much flour/how many eggs? What temp are you cooking at? Is yours a fan oven?

H

lil_me

7 inch cake tin, self raising flour 150g sugar 165g 1 egg & 3 bananas, electric oven, 180c. Flours new as I only started baking recently but this is putting me off.

this time it's actually got a hard crust on the top but eventually after turning the heat down it's cooked in the middle (used middle shelf)

Think I'll try reduced temp and the grease proof idea, thanks

Saying that I am yet to open my BM, if I can bake in there, I'll not need to, but I would like to resolve it!

Oh and it happens to my fairy cakes sometimes too

dannahaz

I think you might have too much mixture for one cake tin.

As a starting point, try this, it's a recipe for an "all in one" sponge

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees (Gas Mark 3).
Grease and line two 7 inch sandwich tins - they need to be at least 1 inch deep.

4 oz (110g) Self raising flour (sifted)
1 level teaspoon baking powder
4 oz (110g) Caster sugar
4 oz (110g) Soft tub margarine (room temp)
2 size 1 eggs
2-3 drops vanilla essence

Put everything in a mixing bowl, and whisk with an electric whisk for about a minute.

Divide the mixture equally between the two tins, levelling off the top.

Bake in the centre of your oven for about 30 mins. When cooked, take them out of the oven and turn them out on to a cooling tray. Remove the base papers.

When cold, sandwich together with jam, lemon curd, cream or any other filling of your choice.

For a banana cake there is a fab recipe for doing this in the breadmaker. I'll go and find it and come back & edit my post.

Here it is http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=199668

It's an american recipe so it uses cups. The americans do things by volume not weight, and a cup is about 250ml. Just measure out 250ml water into a measuring jug, then pour it into one of your mugs and note roughly where it comes up to. I'm lucky, I have a cup which just happens to be 250ml to the top.

Good luck!

Lucy_Lastic

I agree with the lower temperature, longer cooking time advice, but if my cakes brown too quickly on top I cover them with a piece of tin foil - that's not as likely to catch fire as greaseproof paper.

Keep trying, practise makes perfect!

Good Luck.

Thriftylady

it might be worth investing in an oven thermometer. Sometimes the thermostat in your oven bears little resemblance to the 'actual' temperature, particularly in an older oven. My mum had this problem (after a lifetime of excellent baking!) and when she bought a thermometer she was able to get her oven to the right temperature. Its a bit of a hassle but a lot cheaper than a new oven!