Hi All,
I'm new to CC & to decorating but have become quite addicted!!
My problem is that my cakes aren't rising & am hoping to get an answer to this! I usually bake 2 8" rounds & layer so never thought about it. A friend & I were "volunteered" to make cakes for our boss' 40th this past wk. I baked 4 9x13 layering 2 to make 2 tombstones (which thanks to many of you for your unknown inspiration ) I thought they were pretty thin & when my friend came over to help with the icing & decorating she commented on them "when I bake a 9x13 the cake comes to the top!" By the way these are Name brand box cake mixes. I just thought I was having an off night! but everyone at work loved them & thought they were great. Well today I went to bake my nephews birthday cake a simple 9x13x2 & the dumb thing was only about an 1" thick! at least with the work cakes they were layered with filling in the middle Any idea what is going on? Is it my oven? I asked my MIL & she didnt have a clue!
During Wiltons class the instructor recommended baking at 325 for a touch longer than the box inst. of 350

One box of mix doesn't make a very full 9x13....check the center of a Wilton yearbook, it provides a chart that tells you how many cups of batter make a full cake per each size pan.

I agree with kitagrl. One cake mix isnt going to make a very thick 13x9 cake.

For 9x13 to come out nice and high i use one box for 2 layer (some boxes only make one layer) and the extender recipe...comes right up to the top!

Ditto what cakefairy said!! lol To get a full 2 inch high 9x13, use one box of cake mix with the cake extender recipe...you can find it here at CC.

I have not tried the extender recipe mentioned. But, when I bake a 9x13" cake, I use 1 box DH mix & 1 box of Jiffy cake mix. The Jiffy mixes only make a 1 layer cake and my 9x13's always rise to the top of the pan!

Jiffy mixes only come in white & yellow in my area, so I usually use the white mix, no matter the flavor. I use the yellow mix only for the yellow cake & chocolate cakes. My DH actually likes the chocolate cakes better like this!

takes 7 cups of batter for a 9x13...one cake mix box only yields about 4.5-5cups.

I use Pillsbury and a little different recipe from the extender here and I get 4.5 cups of batter. It's important to measure your batter to get the right height for each layer and anything over a 10in pan and 9x13 and up I use 1-2 flower nails greased and flowered to act as a heater core. The Wilton site and yearbooks have information about the batter amounts you'll need for each size pan!

And welcome, welcome to the obsession!! Glad to have you with us!

I do not think you are filling your pan with enough batter. I always fill about 2/3 full. For a 9x13...I always mix up 2 cake mixes or I use an extender recipe.

I use only 1 mix for a 9 x 13 and add 2 tablespoons of meringue powder to the batter. Don't have any problems. Are you beating the cake mix per package directions?

I can't help you...I cannot make a boxed cake to save my life.

I tried cupcakes once..from a boxed mix....dang things never really rose...I had these mutant cupcakes so I covered them with a ton of frosting...my sons 4th grade class never noticed...but the teacher did..the kids were bouncing off the walls after all that sugar.

I agree with the rest who said that you aren't using enough batter. I also use a heater core in my 9x13's now.

HTH

Lisa

I think it could be the oven temp. Try 350. I have a hot oven and cakes have to be done at 325 or they rise too much

Hi, all! I just recently had the same problem with a Duncan Hines French Vanilla cake mix in a 9 x 13 pan. Several nice pros here told me to use a double batch next time & use the extra 1/2 of the 2nd batter for cupcakes or mini cakes, etc. Usually, though, if I use Duncan Hines Butter Recipe Yellow it rises just fine.

BTW, anyone know why when I make the box mixes as cupcakes they always rise TOO much? Last time I even made 30 instead of 24 & they were still too high and spread over the sides!



-bakersofcakes

Thanks for all the replies will try the extender & heat the oven higher! My poor little cupcakes cake out pretty small too. I guess I never noticed the 9x13 were small until I started taking them out to decorate!

I always use just under 2 box mixes to do a 9x13, and I use 3 full mixes to do a 12x18. I get a nice tall cake this way. Oh, and I also use the 325 temp instead of 350. The edges don't dry out when I bake at the lower temp. Good luck!

I use one box for a 9x13 pan and get great results..BUT when I use Pilsbury I do not get a good result 2 pilbury cake mixes are needed they are so flat.... Plus check the date on your box they are likely out dated this will also cause flat cakes

Sorry it took me a while to reply, had a cake to do after work last night. In my first Wilton class, my instructor told me about the meringue powder to make a cake rise higher. I have used it since then with good results. I haven't thought about using an extra egg white. For me it is easier to use the meringue powder rather than beating the egg white separately, then folding in to the cake batter.

what is the extender cake recipe, or where can i find it at on here? thanks in advance

Potatoecakes- I use 4 box cakes for a 12x18. I tried just 3 but it wasn't to the top when it baked. How did you get it to work right?