I don't know if it's my pans or something I'm doing in my cake mix that causes my cakes to bulge. They look perfect when I take them out of the oven, then when they start cooling they shrink (ALOT) and bulge at the sides! I can't figure this out! They've not always done this but I can't think of anything I'm doing different. Could it be the way they cool?? I put them on a cooling rack for a bit before turning them onto a board. ?? Please HELP!

oh, I haven't heard of that happening before. I thought you meant the bulge from the icing.

It might be the recipe you are using, maybe it's just not strong enough to support the weight of itself. I really don't know, hopefully someone else will come by with more help then I can offer.

Are you using the same recipe? same pans? What kind of pans do you use? How long are you letting them cool in the pan before turning them onto a cooling rack?

i dont let mine cool...their is a discussion on the forums about wrapping them right out of the oven and putting them in the freezer for the more moisture in your cakes. maybe you could try that? What recipe are you using?

I am at a total loss, I have never had a cake itself bulge. I have had icing bulge...but not cake.

Can you post a picture or link to an example of this? I am interested in seeing it.

Can you show a picture? Could they not be cooked all of the way through?

Thanks for all the suggestions/questions to help. I'm using a mix plus pudding and basically just a recipe I came up with. I've used it all along and had no issues with it. The only thing I can think of different that I done, is that I baked the layers and cooled them aproximately 10 min before turning them out of the pan. I use the wilton pans. I don't have a photo of the bulging layers, however, I will take one and post it if it happens again. I have put a splash of buttermilk in my recipe (just the last few times) and don't remember if that's how long I've had the bulging issue or not. There are getting done, I'm just confused. Can't really think of anything I've done different other than the buttermilk. I had to rebake the whole wedding cake the day of the wedding! Talk about STRESS!! I posted a pic in my photos. I'ts the last one posted. 3 tier with pale yellow polka dots. The wedding was at 3 and I got it delivered to the church at 2! Everyone was well pleased and said it was worth the wait. The new layers I baked still bulged a little. You can see it through the icing, I think. Nobody else really noticed. Idk..........any more advice is appreciated!

cooling rack for a bit before turning them onto a board..... how long in the cooling rack? what kind of board? I have a feeling that's where your problem is...

I usually cool them 10 to 15 minutes in the pan (or until they are cool enough to release without sticking) and put them on a card board that I'm gonna use to put the cake on and leave on the cooling rack til completely cool. The bulging usually starts in the pan though. I can see the sides of the cake sticking out (like midways of the layer) before I ever turn in out of the pan. ?? So it must be the recipe. Right?

I would leave it for a little longer in the oven (lower temp and an extra 15 minutes?) then I would wait a longer time for it to cool down in the tin before turning out. (about half an hour or more). I think it bulges because of all that moisture in the cake. If you leave it time to settle in the tin, its less likely to bulge as much. Let me know how it turns out next time

I had this problem when I first started baking. Sometimes my denser cakes, like chocolate fudge, still shrink a bit and bulge despite my best efforts. Those have to be trimmed. For everything else, though, here is what helped:

1. Oven no hotter than 325; increase baking time
2. Use thermal strips to distribute heat and humidity during baking
3. I use flower nails upside down in pans over 6" to pevent bulging and cracking at the top. Works like a charm.

Hope this helps!

Wilton pans do NOT have straight sides. This might be your problem. When you bake in a Wilton pan you have to trim off the top and then after stacking I go around the cake with a sharp knife to make sure the sides are straight up and down. This will help immensely with the bulge.

I would also look at what your using to grease your pans. Are your sides nice and done and firm or airy and flaky, crumbly and light colored? and also other suggestions. If the cake is nice when you cut it and it cooks well otherwise, i wouldnt think it was the recipe.
I always change on thing at a time, though.

How strange! I put my 9" Wilton in a garage sale I had! The other rounds are just fine. The squares on the other hand are not straight and square. Magic Line all the way!!!

do keep in mind that whatever you add to a recipe has to be balanced. If you add liquid, you have to add more dry or structural ingredients too to make up for it...