If you’re wondering how to prevent cake from sinking after baking, there are a few things you can do. First, make sure you use the right type of flour. Second, don’t overmix the batter. Third, use a cake strip. And fourth, don’t open the oven door too often while the cake is baking. Follow these tips and your cake should turn out perfect every time!
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Cake Baking Basics
Sinking is often the result of overcooking, so start checking your cake for doneness about 10 minutes before the recipe suggests. Another possibility is that you didn’t use enough leavening, resulting in a dense cake that didn’t rise enough as it baked.
Preheat oven to the proper temperature
One of the most important things you can do to prevent your cake from sinking in the middle is to make sure your oven is properly calibrated. Before you even start mixing your ingredients, take the time to preheat your oven to the temperature specified in your recipe. An oven that’s too cold will cause your cake to sink, so it’s important to make sure it’s hot enough before you put your cake in the oven.
Cake flour vs. all-purpose flour
Cake flour is a finely milled white flour made from soft wheat. It has a lower protein content than all purpose flour, making it ideal for tender baked goods. Cake flour is available in most supermarkets, often located near the other specialty flours. If you can’t find cake flour, you can make your own by measuring out 1 level cup of all-purpose flour, removing 2 tablespoons, and then replacing it with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Whisk together until well combined.
When baking cakes, it’s important to use the right type of flour. Cake flour will produce a finer, more tender crumb than all-purpose flour. If you don’t have cake flour on hand, you can use all-purpose flour, but your cake will be slightly less tender.
Room temperature ingredients
One of the biggest cake-baking tips is to ensure all ingredients are at room temperature before beginning to bake. Room temperature ingredients mix together more easily and produce a more consistent cake. In general, you want to take ingredients out of the fridge about 30 minutes before using them. If you’re short on time, you can cut eggs into small pieces and place them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.
When it comes to cake baking, using room temperature ingredients will help prevent your cake from sinking in the middle. This is because room temperature ingredients mix together more easily, resulting in a more consistent cake batter. Room temperature eggs, in particular, are key to preventing your cake from sinking. So, be sure to take your eggs out of the fridge about 30 minutes before using them. If you’re short on time, you can cut eggs into small pieces and place them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.
How to Prevent Cake from Sinking
Sinking is one of the most common problems people have when baking cakes. There are a few reasons why this can happen, but thankfully there are a few things you can do to prevent it. One of the most important things you can do is to make sure you follow the recipe to the letter.
Don’t open the oven door while cake is baking
Opening the door while the cake is baking lets all that heat out, and can cause your cake to sink in the middle. Once you’ve placed your cake in the oven, resist the urge to peek!
Avoid over-mixing the batter
One of the main reasons cakes sink is because the batter is over-mixed. When you mix the batter too much, the gluten gets activated and forms long strands that make the cake tough. When the cake is tough, it can’t hold onto the gas bubbles that form during baking, and so it deflates and sinks.
To prevent this, mix the batter just until everything is combined — no more. If you’re using a stand mixer, this will take less than a minute on low speed. If you’re mixing by hand, it will take about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Use the proper baking pan size
One of the most common reasons for a cake sinking is using the wrong size baking pan. Make sure you use a cake pan that is the same size as the one called for in the recipe. If you use a pan that is too small, your cake will be too thick and will sink in the middle. If you use a pan that is too large, your cake will be too thin and will also sink.
What to Do if Your Cake Sinks
As anyone who has attempted to bake a cake knows, there is always the potential for disaster. Sinks, cracks, and other blemishes can occur during the baking process, leaving you with an unsightly and often inedible cake. One of the most frustrating blemishes is when the cake sinks in the middle after baking. This can be caused by a number of things, but there are some preventative measures you can take to ensure your cake comes out perfect every time.
Use a cake leveler to even out the top
If your cake has already cooled and sunk in the middle, there is a way to salvage it. Use a cake leveler (a serrated knife will also work) to even out the top of the cake. If your cake is very sunken, you may need to trim off the top layer so that you have a level surface to work with.
Once you have a level surface, use a large knife or offset spatula to spread frosting or ganache over the top of the cake. Be sure to cover the entire surface, including the sides. You can then use a decorating bag fitted with a star tip to pipe frosting around the edge of the cake.
If you don’t want to bother with leveling or piping, you can simply spread frosting over the top of the cake and decorate it with sprinkles or other toppings.
Fill in the sunken areas with frosting
If your cake has sunken in slightly in the center, don’t worry — it can still be salvaged! Just fill in the sunken areas with frosting, and no one will be any the wiser. If the sinkage is more severe, you can cut off the sunken portion and build up the center with layers of cake or filling.
Use a cake dome to cover up any imperfections
If your cake sinks in the middle, don’t panic! There are a few things you can do to salvage it. Start by using a cake dome to cover up any imperfections. If the sunken area is large, you may need to trim off the excess cake before frosting. You can also fill in the sunken area with frosting or filling, or cut the cake into slices and serve it as trifle.
Most importantly, don’t let a sinking cake ruin your day! Salvage what you can and enjoy it anyway.
