Made a mistake, but everyone loved it. How to repeat without the mess?

I made this cake

http://food52.com/recipes/1846-faulknerian-family-spice-cake-with-caramel-icing

and mindlessly decided to substitute self-rising flour for the AP.  (I have a 5lb bag of self-rising that is just past expiration and I want to use it up).  I have substituted self-rising flour for AP before without a problem, but clearly I didn't pay much attention to the amount of baking powder called for in the recipe.  SOOOOO....within a few minutes in the oven, the tube pan looked like an active volcano.   I grabbed a shallow pan and placed it under the cake pan, to catch the overflow, and I just let it bake.  I don't think it really lost that much batter...maybe a large cupcake's worth...that's about it.  And I had to add about 20 minutes or so to the total bake time to get it done.  It bubbled and gurgled for most of the first hour, and then settled back into the pan, and left a thick coating of batter all over the pan, and the top was covered with crusty parts that sort of fell back onto themselves.  Anyway, it had a nice brown top, very crusty/crunchy looking, when I took it out of the oven.  I broke off a piece, and it tasted amazing.  So I went ahead and transferred the cake to my cake carrier, and it broke apart since it was really stuck all over to the pan...and I was in a hurry - didn't wait for it to properly cool), but I didn't think it mattered since the top was already so screwed up.  :-)  I frosted it, and took it to work.  Well, that crusty.crunchy top was insanely yummy, with the caramel frosting.  The cake was denser that it should have been, but everyone was wowed by it...rave reviews. 

So now I'm wondering...how do I do that again...without it overflowing all over the place and making a mess?  I think the high amount of baking soda (from the flour) was also responsible for the nice crust.  Opinions?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ptanyer 

I have had this happen with pound cake as well. Usually if you substitute self-rising flour for AP flour, you leave out the baking powder and/or baking soda (that's what my Mama always said). I actually love, love pound cake made with SR flour...the crumb, the crusty part...yum.

What I've done in the past when I wanted cake like that is to divide the batter into 2 bundt pans and bake them one at a time with a cookie sheet under them on the rack below, just for insurance in case that rises to much and spills over, but it doesn't overflow very often. I also start it baking while eating lunch or supper and then it comes out when ready for desert and we can eat it hot...yum!

Oh no no no...I should have clarified. I did not add the baking powder from the recipe...I substituted the self-rising...so I SKIPPED the baking powder and salt that the recipe called for.  The only leavening that was added, was what came from the self-rising flower.  Gosh...I'm not THAT hairbrained!   

Quote:

Originally Posted by khaynes2266 

I agree with with ptanyer.....don't use baking powder/soda with SR flour, only AP.

You do know that the "ugly" cakes taste the best!! That's according to my #1 tester, my son.

I've never tried making a pound cake with SR but always wondered how it would taste.... Thanks for sharing. You helped me.

Happy Baking.

 Correct...yes, I know. And I didn't.  So that is why I posted the question.  I have to assume that the amount of leavening in the SR flour was much greater than the amount that the recipe called for (which was 1/2 tsp). 

Cute story!  I've never heard of anyone trying to make a "fallen cake" before, but now I know why one would do so!  I am getting ready to do the same thing...tonight. :-)