Cake disaster

Shelley84

Hi,

I made a cake today and its been in the oven about 30 mins. It is still completely uncooked in the middle.

The recipe said to use an electric mixer but I used a processor as i don't have a mixer. It came out more liquid than i was expecting and is still like that now!

Is it because i used a processor? this is for OH bday today and i'll be devasted if it goes wrong!

sallyrsm

Mixer should not make a difference... what ws the recipe maybe there was a typo... it does happen!

tinkerbell84

Shelley84 wrote: »

Hi,

I made a cake today and its been in the oven about 30 mins. It is still completely uncooked in the middle.

The recipe said to use an electric mixer but I used a processor as i don't have a mixer. It came out more liquid than i was expecting and is still like that now!

Is it because i used a processor? this is for OH bday today and i'll be devasted if it goes wrong!

It sounds like it, yes. A mixer puts air into the mixture which is what makes it fluffy. If you process it there will be no air and it will be more like biscuit I think.

Could you make another lot of batter and use a hand whisk? As long as your butter is very soft it shouldn't be too difficult.

Alternatively, turn the heat on the oven down and cook it till cooked. Then use it to make a trifle instead?

absfabs

30 min is not long, keep it in there, check it again every 5-10 min...

did you pre-heat the oven? what temperature? what kind of a cake?

sometimes ovens vary a little and it's trial and error if you need to set them a bit higher or lower or bake a bit longer...

have you done any baking previously?

sallyrsm

If you use the whisk attachment on a processor it should be ok, mine can whip cream which definitely puts air into it!!

Shelley84

I preheated the oven at gas 4. was a recipe from BBC site, just a basic chocolate cake. I haven't baked for years, used to with Nan when I was little.

I just checked it and it does seem its cooking a bit more now, maybe i was being hasty!

Just want it to go right, I have no time today to do it again, or buy one!

I'll check it again in 5.

Thanks for the help

donny-gal

How old is your oven. I had a new one with a faulty thermostat. I would have thought that mixing could not stop it cooking but a too low temp. could.
DG

absfabs

Good luck!

if it doesn't come out perfect, decorate with whipped cream, top with chocolate buttons or smarties or a crumbled chocolate flake, whatever you can get from cupboard or corner shop, and then present with confidence!
(=exotic foreign recipe, meant to be like this... IYKWIM )

Your OH is lucky to get a cake, right?

squeaky

Yes - just keep checking.

You know the routine, I hope, but I'll post it for those who don't know...

Use a metal kinitting needle, or skewer, or a sharp thin bladed knife and stick it into the middle of your cake. IF it comes out "clean" your cake is done - and if it comes out with "mixture" on it ... it isn't

AND...

If the top / outside of your cake looks done enough but the inside isn't - just cover the top of the cake with greaseproof or brown paper.* That will help protect the top but won't slow down the cooking process.


*Newspaper works, in a pinch, but tends to scorch and get smelly.

Seakay

My Mum (by and large a brilliant cook) was also adept at re-presenting the odd disaster - the walnut cake which sank became extra rich gooey walnut pudding, the ginger cake which had an enormouse dip in it - she filled it with ginger flavoured whipped cream and called it a pudding, the cherry jam which was massively over-cooked became cherry toffee, dolloped out in chewy spoonfuls.
Whatever you cook is going to be perfectly edible - just look at the lovely ingredients - so if it isn't what you were expecting from the recipe thn you have invented something new and can call it what you like!

Shelley84

Yay it worked!!

It's not thick enough to cut in half and fill with butter cream but I've got galaxy chocolate to melt on top of it, silver balls and jelly diamonds to go on top too.

OH is lucky i guess, but this is his bday pressie as I'm saving and a bit skint! Also he's notoriously hard to buy for. I bought him a £5 horror film from asda (he loves horror!) so he had something to open.

Me and DS will decorate the cake before he gets home!