Got a wedding cake to do for Saturday. I am baking my layers today, and using the same vanilla cake recipe I've always used. It makes a dense cake, and has always done well, until today. My two 12" layers have just fallen apart. Luckily this is for a friend, and she doesn't care what kind of cake she gets. Otherwise I'd be in big trouble. But I still want to find out what went wrong.

I did two things differently today that I don't normally do. I greased the pans with shortening rather than butter, and I used some good quality Mexican vanilla rather than my usual vanilla I buy here.

Can either one of those things explain why my cakes crumbled? I just can't think of anything else that might have caused it..

I don't think that either of those things would have caused what happened. Are you sure that you put enough eggs in it? That's the only thing I can think of. I've been known to forget eggs every now and then

My first thought went to eggs, as well. I don't think the vanilla would change the density. I sometimes try new vanillas and have not noticed a change in texture, etc. (Your avatar cake is lovely, by the way!)

I made sure on the eggs. And it's the same eggs from the same grocery store I always use. I'm just stumped