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How do I not get a big mountian in the middle of my cakes!

post #1 of 21
3/24/06 at 10:43am
Thread Starter 
When I pull my cakes out of the oven.. more often than not there is a mountian of cake in the middle... how can i avoid this!
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post #2 of 21
3/24/06 at 10:44am
What temp do you bake at??? If the oven is too hot and the cake bakes too quickly it can cause a hump. I bake at 325 and my cakes come out pretty level. If I do have a small humb I just use a paper towel to push it down.
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post #3 of 21
3/24/06 at 10:49am
Are you using the strips around your cake? Some people put a rose nail in the middle of the cake before it goes into the oven. You have to experiment a lot to find what works for you. As soon as my cakes come out of the oven I place a clean linen towel over them and squish down slightly. A towel that won't get fuzz all over the cake. Also, if you don't use convection you need to turn your cakes halfway through baking. If you have more than one cake pan in you have to be sure the heat circulates around them. You should have at least 3 inches between cakes and all sides. Hope this helps.
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post #4 of 21
3/24/06 at 10:49am
Thread Starter 
I'm baking it at 350 as per the directions.. maybe i'll turn the oven down a bit for the next cake (have 2 to make this weekend)
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post #5 of 21
3/24/06 at 10:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by CanCakeMom

I'm baking it at 350 as per the directions.. maybe i'll turn the oven down a bit for the next cake (have 2 to make this weekend)



Try turning your oven down and buy an oven thermometer to make sure your oven doesn't run hot. You could try the bake-even strips... I was using those, but found that when I turned my oven down I wasn't getting humps in my cakes. If you still get a small hump, just use a paper towel to push it down. If your cake isn't overbaked it should flatten with no problems.
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post #6 of 21
3/24/06 at 10:55am
I use the strips around the pans and it works perfect! completely level cake every time. If you have a large pan, just use multiple strips if you can't find larger ones.
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post #7 of 21
3/24/06 at 10:56am
yes definitely turn it down to 325...invest in a thermometer to make sure that IS what the temp. really is and extend the baking time a little because of the reduced temp.
God's Word will either keep you from sin;
or sin will keep you from God's Word.
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God's Word will either keep you from sin;
or sin will keep you from God's Word.
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post #8 of 21
3/24/06 at 10:57am
Is it just me....but when I cook my cakes at a lower temperature, they seem to be dryer. Does anyone else notice this? I use the bake-even strips to keep my cakes level and love them!!!!
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post #9 of 21
3/24/06 at 11:04am
Honestly, I would use the flower nail trick. It works wonders and if you don't like that idea, have you ever just taken a piece of cardboard and pushed the middle down? That works well too, just make sure to do it when it's hot. Or you can level it. But the flower nail thing is awesome. I keep the temp at 350 degrees, I don't like it at 325 as it take way too long!! icon_mad.gif
Another thing, (I just found this out as well) Have you ever tried the Cake extender recipe??? I tried this for the first time last night w/out a flower nail and it baked so PERFECTLY even I was dumbfounded!!!!! icon_surprised.gif AND your cake comes out soooo moist. It's a little dense but sooooo good. Hope this helps! icon_biggrin.gif
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post #10 of 21
3/24/06 at 11:26am
Do you have something heavy? Like a pizza stone? My cakes rise up above the top of the pan. When they come out, I put a fuzz free towel on it and the pizza stone on top of that. When the cake cools, I flip in on the cake board. I know have a nice flat cake with no mountain. icon_biggrin.gif
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post #11 of 21
3/24/06 at 3:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by CanCakeMom

When I pull my cakes out of the oven.. more often than not there is a mountian of cake in the middle... how can i avoid this!



I used to use the strips, but I've found that when I fill a cookie sheet or large pan with an inch or two of water and put it on the rack below the cake(s), they bake with a minimum hump if any. And, they are very moist! If there is a bit of a hump (if I put too much batter in the pan), I simply trim the top off while it's still in the pan before turning it out. Then I turn it out onto wax paper over a cooling rack. Nice a flat. icon_smile.gif
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yep, me.
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post #12 of 21
3/24/06 at 3:18pm
There was a post on this in here very recently...

paper towel on top of your cake right after taking out of the oven and set another pan that's a bit smaller on top and set a can of corn or such on top for a few minutes...result...flat topped cake.
I love the art of buttercream...
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I love the art of buttercream...
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post #13 of 21
3/24/06 at 3:20pm
I put the pan of waater in the oven also. It worked like a charm. I didn't want to say that again since some people wrote and said that they didn't have luck. No matter which method you use, if the cakes don't get enough heat circulating around them nothing will work. They can't be touching.
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post #14 of 21
3/24/06 at 3:25pm
Try mixing your batter for a minute or two less. Often times a cake will form a "mountain" because it is being mixed for too long. icon_wink.gif Try this, and it should help prevent "mountain" issues, for the most part!! Happy Baking! thumbs_up.gif
snowflakes are some of the smallest things in nature, but look what happens when they stick together...
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snowflakes are some of the smallest things in nature, but look what happens when they stick together...
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post #15 of 21
3/24/06 at 3:28pm
I have a chocolate cake recipe that always has a hump on the top of the cake (no matter what temp. you bake it at.) but the cake is awesome.. I usually pull it out of the oven, and flip it upside down on a cooling rack.. that usually pushes it down. if there is still a bit of a hump, I just slice the top off..
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