To stop your cake from doming, line the outsides of your cake tin with a double layer of foil. Simply take long strips of foil, fold them to the height of your cake pan and wrap around the outside.
Lower the oven temperature.
Most cake recipes call for setting the oven at 350°F. Instead, drop the temperature to 325°F. Lowering the oven temperature slows the rise in the leavening agent, so instead of the dreaded dome, you'll get cake with a beautiful flat top.
In order to bake cake evenly, you have to insulate its edges. Preventing the temperature of batter at the edge from increasing quickly allows the cake to rise longer before it sets. A cake whose edges rise at nearly the same rate as its center will remain flat across the top — no dome, perfect for stacking and icing.
Air is a poor heat conductor so it takes longer for the top and middle to bake. This means that the leavening agents, baking soda and/or baking powder, have more time to react before the top sets. The cake rises in the middle, but the edges can't rise as much because they heated up so quickly that the crust has set.
Adding too much baking powder or baking soda can make a cake sink. When too much amount of leavening agents are added, there can be too many air bubbles develop in the batter and the cake may rise too much without enough support, then it sinks.
The most common reasons a cake sinks in the middle include the following: The pan is too small. There's too much liquid. Opening the oven or moving pans during baking.
When a cake comes out uneven, the batter might not have been mixed properly. Make sure dry ingredients are sifted or whisked well to evenly distribute ingredients. Mix the batter thoroughly on low speed to ensure all ingredients are fully mixed. Uneven heating may be due to the oven itself.
It provides moisture.
The steam from the water bath creates a moist environment inside the oven. This is important for delicate bakes like cheesecakes, souffles, terrines, and chiffon cakes. Without added moisture, the surface tends to dry out while the inside is still expanding, which leads to unsightly cracks.
Here's a super-simple tip to keep your cake stabilized—plus it helps make cutting the cake easier. Making a layer cake? Insert a straw into the center, then trim it. The layers won't slip around when you frost, and the straw gives you a point in the center to slice to.
If you're not using a filling, go ahead and dollop enough frosting to generously cover the entire cake. For most cake layers about 1″ thick, I like about 1/4″ thickness of buttercream on top.
Top/Bottom heating is the most effective setting to use when you are baking or roasting on a single level. The heat is emitted evenly from above and below, making it ideal for baking cakes.
Milk: Add MILK, not water, when your box mix calls for liquid. The milk adds density, fat and, most importantly, extra flavor to your mix. Egg WHITES: Not adding the yolks to the cake makes the cake fluffy and whiter!
The average cake mix calls for the most boring of liquids: water. Instead of using water, use a dairy product. Replacing the water with milk will make your cake instantly taste homemade, while using buttermilk will make it taste rich and creamy.
Lukewarm water always for activating.
Yeast is a living thing and is killed off at high temperatures, around 140 degrees F. This is especially important to remember when you're rehydrating active dry yeast. The water should be lukewarm, 105 degrees F to 115 degrees F, something you can comfortably wash your hands in.
If your cake does overflow, simply cut around the edges; if they looked ragged or uneven, pipe frosting or stiff whipped cream around the outsides. Burned Pie Crust: If your crust looks like it's getting too brown and the pie still has a long way to go, cover the crust with a pie crust shield or some aluminum foil.
When you overmix cake batter, the gluten in the flour can form elastic gluten strands – resulting in a more dense, chewy texture. The white batter looks airier, while the red looks thick and dense. You Can Taste The Difference: The overmixed cupcakes were gummy.
Most cakes bake at 350°F.
Cakes typically bake between 325 to 450 degrees F (see chart with Tip #9). Most convection ovens require lowering the temperature by 25 to 50 degrees F, as well as turning off the fan.
Should You Refrigerate Cake? You should avoid refrigeration in most cases. Unless your cake features perishable materials that could spoil—like cream frosting, fresh fruit, ice cream, mascarpone, or whipped cream—it's actually better off at room temperature.