I have waisted a 25lb of flour and 25lb bag of sugar ... I cant take it.  My homemade pound cakes and my vanilla cakes are coming out rubbery and hard at the bottom.  I cant figure out why. I did a little researched and changed my method several times.... and they are still coming out the same way...Research say something about too much gluten.  Please help!  i am NOT over mixing. i mix just long enough for the flour to blend.  I am at my witts end with this.  this is not happening with any of my other cakes.  

Do you use real butter or margarine?

Have you checked your oven temperature with a thermometer?  I ended up having to buy a new oven as my vanilla sponge cakes all had dense, rubbery patches - all other cakes were fine.  It appears that the oven had 'cold spots' as the same recipe and method turns out perfectly in my new oven.
 

@Relznik... I use Blue Bonnet. It works in all my other cakes.

@Suzannem5 and remnant3333... I am going to purchase a therm...for my oven.

A

http://www.bluebonnet.com/

Blue Bonnet seems to be some sort of margarine spread with lower calories.

Total Fat contents in the following version of BB per 14g serving (see their 'nutrition information')

Regular 8g

Light sticks 5g

Soft Spread 6g

Light Soft Spread 4.5g

8/14 x 100 = 57.1% fat

5/14 x 100 = 35.7% fat

6/14 x 100 = 42.8% fat

4.5/14 x 100 = 32.1% fat

This is your problem. None of these spreads contain enough fat content to make your cake.

What is in the spread to make up the extra weight of it? Mostly water I suspect. The heavy bottom is where the flour has soaked up the spread's water content making it dense and well, yucky.

Go for a spread with at least 70% fat - that is at least 10 grams per 14 gram serving.

Use natural butter for pound cake, or a high quality sunflower oil spread if you're concerned by the calories. The higher the fat content, the better chance your cake succeeds, especially with the amounts of sugar and flour you're using.

AButter is your only way to go here. Sorry but we tested a variety of butter substitutions in culinary school and the results were awful

thank you thank you than you.... i am going to try REAL butter and let you know if this works for me.  keep posted..... t.b.d.

I *think* the magic number is 72% fat (minimum).

I always use butter...  I don't think you can beat it for flavour!!
 

Hey!!! I am pleased to say that i tried it with real butter and it work!  No more rubber in my pound cakes....  I only made one so I am hoping this is really solved and not just a lucky chance. 

This is a prime reason why I LOVE this forum.  There"s always someone who knows more and can help me.   Now I am going to try my vanilla cake (i use the vanilla cake #1 by the crumb boss) to see if it comes out perfect, like my pound cake did.

real butter all the way ;-) glad it has worked for you