Please help me, My cakes always pull away from the side of my pan and get very crispy. The middle of the cake has a big hump and the sides are very flat. I know I've read in the forum different ideas, but I can't remember them. Can you please help me.

Not sure what the problem might be, but do you use a convection oven? And what do you use to grease your pans?

The few times that happened to me, it was because I baked at 350 and it was too high, and I used butter instead of shortening to grease the pan. Just a thought.

Hopefully someone else can shed some light.
Angie

My oven is a convection oven, and I use spray with the flour in it. I have used butter and then put flour over that, but the same thing happens.

Also, my oven is built in to the wall and it's smaller than normal. It cooks faster and hotter than a normal oven (my husband thinks I'm nuts) but it does. I have to adjust my temp and time. I usually bake at 325 for 30 mins.

Bake Even strips have solved that problem for me. That and I back all my cakes at 325. The first time I used the strips, I was amazed that I had no crusty sides.

You're not nuts...you're absolutely right. Convection ovens cook differently, and as a result, you'll find that you need to lower the temperature. That is my guess with your cakes. My oven is a duel convection/regular and lets me switch it between the 2 options...when I bake on convection I need to lower the temperature about 15 degrees. Good luck!!! It could be something else, though!! Not an expert here!

Angie

I have a convection oven also & I bake all my cakes on 300. The temperatures are different than regular ovens so you just have to play with it a little.

Thank you all sooo much. I'll have to try the baking strips.

Please don't laugh... but what are these baking strips you all are talking about and where do I get them?

Wilton makes them. You soak them in water and wrap them around the pan. I've heard of some people using dishtowels, but I haven't tried it.

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules/store/bake-even-strips-p-485.html

They're my new favorite cake gadget!

Also--the commercial sprays with flour (Pam, etc.) have propellents in them that cause browning. While I have been known to use them, I don't use them on the sides of the pan. I always get crispy sides if I do.

I generally just stick a cut out piece of parchment in the bottom of the pan and nothing on the sides--hence, no crispy sides.

Lisa

I used to get the crusty sides like you are talking about, and i used the spray with flour. I read on here somewhere(sorry don't remember who or where, but thanks its great stuff) that it was the canned spray doing it and to use this recipe and it would not happen. The recipe is equal amounts of crisco shortning, liquid shortning and flour mix together well. I used all crisco and mixed it and just paint it on the pan with a brush. I have not had the crusting problem since, and my cakes just fall out of the pan.
Jeanne

Soooo deijha, inquiring minds want to know?? What was the recipe??
Gail

Whoops! I just re-read your post! Sorry...TOTAL brain fart!!

I have a convection oven also, I bake cakes at 300. Convection ovens brown things faster than a normal oven.
I lower the temp for everything by 25-50 degrees depending on what it is. For cakes 300.
they get a slight hump, but I just take a paper towel and press it down as soon as it comes out of the oven.

Hey hlcsp31,
I have heard about you hump pressers and you scare me a little. LOL.

Hi, oopps,, just reliazed I kinda said that wrong,, I use all crisco the shortning and the liquid, and add the flour to that. gailsgoodies thats ok, lol
Jeanne

I have to say I was having the same problems of crusty sides and the hump on top...I used the strips and when I pulled my cake to cool the middle sank. I did some more research and found some information that said I was using too much spray. So I toned down the flour/crisco spray and turned down the oven to 325 and now the cakes are coming out beautiful. Can't say that I had a good experience with the strips...I threw them out!