Someone please, please, please help me.

I've not been making cakes for very long, but I do make a fair few.

I'm on my first attempt at a wedding cake.
It's 3 tiered, 12 inch, 10 inch and 8 inch.
The cakes are bottom - fruit
middle vanilla sponge, and top chocolate.

The wedding is Saturday.
I've done the fruit and chocolate but I'm in dire need of urgent help with my sponge.

It's 10 inch and I've thrown 2 away because they have flopped and are runny in the centre. Someone said I needed a heat core. I have no idea what this is or what I do with it. And I don't have one. I can't go to the shops as I'm disabled.
Someone tell me please what do I do? or how I can correct it.
I'm sitting on the forum waiting and hoping someone will help. I can't do anything else until I know what to do, and my time is running out..
I'm sorry, I'm just so desperate.

Amelia

i posted some sponge cake recipes here if you need them, so did janh.
also...for a heating core you could use a metal flower nail(the ones you use to make roses, etc. do you have that???

Thank you for replying, I don't have a flower nail. Is there anything else I can use? Do I just put it on top of the cake before it goes in, in the centre?

God, I am so unexperienced at huge cakes. It's for my sister in law, she couldn't afford a proffesional cake and because there are so many guests she asked me to do a basic cake, and she bought the cake pans and said, these are the size I want. I never imagined I would struggle so much cooking a sponge. I feel dumb!

You can bake them without a heating core, a 10" is not so big. If it is not working out allright you could bake two of them from the same amount of batter and afterwards put the two layers together.
If you want a 2 layer filling, just divide the batter in 1/3 en 2/3 in the two pans and adapt the time and always check with a stick in centre if they are ready.

Good luck, I am convinced you will make a great cake!!

Lara

here's what they look like.

hi amelial!

you put the flower nail flat side down in the middle of the pan down in the cake batter (nail head touching bottom of cake pan).

I don't know what you could use as a substitute...good luck!

Hi Amelia, posting a link for you. This site will give you all you need to know to bake your Genoise (sponge) cake.
http://www.baking911.com/asksarahbb/index.php?showtopic=3908
Good luck.

You can get the metal flower nail or heating core in the local AC Moores', Michael's - anywhere there are baking supplies AND don't forget to grease the flower nail all over-top, bottom & "stem". I used them all the time but have a bad habit of putting them in the dishwasher & then they seem to rust. I would imagine you have to grease the heating core too. Good luck!

Are you leaving them in long enough ? Just because the directions say 30 minutes, or whatever, it still may not be long enough..... it could be 40 or 45 minutes.......this is a new pan for you and you may have to get used to it.... give it more time, watch it closely, and see what happens.... Good luck, and let us know what happens..... ((( HUGS )))

Oops! I just read that you can't get out to the stores. Anyone know if baking it longer at a 25 degrees less would help Amelia?

Please don't feel dumb......you're wise enough to ask for help so that's what counts. Think I read on one of the forums that you could use aluminum foil scrunched into a shape like a flower nail or heating core. As long as it can sit flat on the bottom of the pan & not "float" around in the batter, it could well work. I'm not positive on this but it just might be worth a try. Best of luck & think positive as you've overcome before & can do it again!

The deeper pans, 4" or deeper, I would use either the baking strips or long strips of brown paper bag that have been folded then soaked to wrap around the outside of the pan.

Hmmmm, at a pinch you could try making a heating core of your own fashioned from aluminium foil. Get a fairly long bit, roll it up tight and fashion about 1/3 into a coiled circle - now stand the rest straight up so it kind of resembles the picture of the flower nail above. Grease well and put it in the centre of the pan and pour your batter around it. If you are filling your cake, I would just cook it in 2 batches and torte the 2 layers and then fill. Hope that helps!

Amelia, I agree, lower the temp. to 325 and bake it longer. I bake every cake at that temp. Good luck to you. Let us know how you are doing.

Yeap, I second that Yokiemum, I bake all of my cakes at the same temp 325F
(160C). I put the cake on the middle self, as I think this helps the heat to distribute evenly around the cake.

This is probably much too late to help with your cake but you could use an aluminum can that has to top and bottom cut out of it and well greased and floured as a heating core. Just stick it down into the center of your cake pan after you have poured your batter in. Once the cake is baked, turned out and cooled you just have one large round and one small round just fit them together like a puzzle and ice as usual. Good luck!

Thank you so much everyone, all your replies have been a really great help.

I guess third time was lucky for me. My oven temp was far too high for the size, I would never have realised that without the help from here, and I really do thank you for that.

I baked the cake on a much lower temp and for much longer. I made 2 at the same time, and left one in longer than the other it. The first did sink just a very, tiny amount, but after leveling it, I realised that this would not affect how the cake looked. I was bothered about it being cooked through. But, all my family, and my neighbour(who is as honest as can be) said it was delicous. The second, also sunk about 5mm. and after leveling this one, it was definately the better one.

I didn't use anything in the end, I was scared of ruining more as I only had enough ingrediants left for 2.
I did panic myself, and I'm never going to get myself in a position like that again. You can be sure I'll be adding a heat core or flower nail to my next shopping list.

I am icing, and putting beading on them tomorrow. I'm just glad that she has asked for a plain one as fresh flowers are going on all the tiers.

I'm actually in the UK, but I've always read the forums here as I have found them the best. I only took up cake making after a friend suggested it as therapy after I had a stroke. But, I'm hooked, I get stuck a lot, and always find the answer here. I was hoping to take lessons, but my health doesn't seem to be right yet.

I REALLY thank all of you, and not just for today, for everything you write and all the brilliant tips and help you all give. Maybe one day, I'll be able to help someone as well.

Love Amelia x x x

I'm glad it's working out okay for you

Good luck with the beading!!

That's wonderful news Amelia, glad that it worked out fine.......I knew it would.

I am also in England if you need any help on where to look for equiptment, just let me know. Also just to let you know the next Cake Show in England will be at the NEC in Birmingham. If you can get a chance to go it is a fantastic place to take in the sites & sounds of the cake world. Watch demonstrations, take part in the workshops and buy lots of equiptment at discount prices.

Go to - www.ichf.co.uk - and click on link for the Sugarcraft & Cake Decoration Show.

Welcome to the wonderful world of cake baking & decorating. Looking forward to seeing your finished cake.