So I am trying something new-- Luscious Lemon Raspeberry cake. First it seems to be taking forever to cook. Finally I just decide to take them out cuz they are going to burn if I don't! (tooth pick still not clean) Then I set them to cool on my stovetop and when I come back from CC to see how they are doing I see something similar to a volcanic crater!!
I followed the recipe exactly-at least I think I did!! Should I try the recipe again or just try something else! I know it was me but ......

what temp did u bake at? the pans may have been to full and oven could have been too high causing them to cook faster on the outside

I usually fill my pans really full but before it has just overflowed a bit on my liner...no biggie to me and I get really tall layers (CC advice-I think). I baked it at 315 but my oven runs a little hot. (I need to get an oven thermometer) Usually I set it at 325 but I wanted to get this right...so many ingredients, $$$- and for a free cake too!. This is my first time using sour cream.

I only fill my pans about 1/2 to 3/4 fulls to avoid the over flow and not baking correctly. I would also check the temp of your oven. I was having problems with my cakes falling and not cooking and figured out that my oven temp is WAY off.

Like how off?

The problem that I see is that the cakes did not bake evenly. Try using a rose nail in the center when baking a 3 inch pan 8 inches or bigger. It will help with the even baking that you need. Also I know you like to have a tall cake never fill more than 2/3 full on any pan. And baking at the temp you have is ok just bake it longer. Some times it takes 25 min more to bake. Sorry about the cake. Sour cream is not the problem I use is all the time.

Some suggestions:
Bake at 325. (Check the oven temp with an oven thermometer.)
For those thick layers, I'd use two flower nails in the center.
Make sure the pans are not closer than 3 inches from each other nor 3 inches from the oven wall.
Do not open the door!
Use baking strips. If you don't have those, wet some towels and wrap those around the pans. Or, wet paper towls, wrap them in foil, then wrap around the pan.
The center temp of the cake should be 195-200F when you take them out of the oven. (Don't put the probe near the flower nail.)
Do you have high altitude issues?
You might have too much oil/fat in the recipe.

Good luck!

Oh yeah- I even did some cupcakes with leftover batter and the sunk as the cooled too!

They are 6 inch pans.

I don't have altitude issues...(maybe attitude tonight htough! )

I guess I am frustrated because I used these same pans two weeks ago with a slightly less doctored recipe and even a little more full and they came out perfect! I guess I am going to try a simpler recipe. I am seriously close to tears because I am so frustrated! I just don't have the extra money to throw away on the extra ingredients!

it just might be because of the ratio of sourcream. I've baked cupcakes that called for sourcream and they sunk in...I reduced the amount of cream and they turned out much better.
Good luck!

OK. if the cupcakes sunk too, then either your oven is off or the recipe is a stinker. If you have never had difficulties before, and you don't have problems with the next cake you bake- one you know works. I would vote for the recipe being a stinker.

It looks like they are still high enough to level off and use....

They would be except the cake is doughy sort of- more like sticky....

I just realized I used the pillsbury mix with pudding in mix...the recipe called for pudding too...think that could be it?

as far as the recipe goes it had 2 5 star ratings so i figured it was good. the part I really liked was the lemon and raspberry fill.I guess I could use that with any white cake huh?

htis might seem stupid but what are these flower nails i keep hearing about?

They are the silver "nails" you use to build royal flat base flowers on (roses, primroses, daffodills, etc.)

http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=3E30DA27-475A-BAC0-5B9517D6CAF8BB75

What would I do with the nails. Do you put them in the pan first tip up? I guess you'd have to huh? (Picturing myself trying to balance it standing flat side up in liquid batter!)

I grease my flower nails and place in the pan before I put in the parchment paper. With the nail poked thru the paper it comes right out without losing any of the cake.

I'd try leveling those cakes to see if the gooey top will just trim off. Looks like they were plenty dark on the utside but also looks like the middle didn't finish baking. I have to really watch my choc cakes. They take so much longer to bake and I don't like the sides to come away from the pan. Sorry your cakes sort of flopped. I hope you can slavage them.

Could it be the Pilsbury mix? I don't use that brand, in part because so many people here have a lot of bad things to say about it. I usually use BC or DH brands. I've added pudding to mixes that already have pudding in them, and did not have a problem. I agree with another post here--it may be too much sour cream (fat) in the recipe.

Nah, I bet it was too much wet stuff in your batter. I made something new last year and it took FOREVER to bake clear thru and the cupcakes all fell in the middle while they cooled.

{{{{{hug}}}}

Sorry this has happened.

I would try and salvage them as long as when you level them you can taste the cake and see if it's good. If it's not too mushy just say it's a really moist cake!