ASo I keep randomly having an issue where I'll bake a cake and when I take them out of the pan I notice the sides are all bowed in. And I can't figure out a pattern of why this is happening. It has happened on different types of cake and different size plans completely randomly. It happened today..I baked a 14" round with no problems, then I baked a 9" round that the sides bowed in on. Anyone know what causes this, and perhaps what I can do to make it stop happening? These are some old pics I took a while back when it first started happening...

[IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3018247/width/200/height/400[/IMG] [IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3018250/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

I had that happen a couple times when I let the cake cool too long in the pan.

So if you are cooling the cakes in their pans, try cooling them on a rack out of the pan.

I figured it was moisture build up from sitting in the pans to cool. So now I always turn them out immediately onto a rack.  Hasn't happened since.

Good luck figuring it out.

AAre you using an enhanced cake mix recipe. I noticed tht the amount of cake mix in the box has been reduced again. We had this happen on a red velvet cake. Used mixes only to have this happen..noticed there was 3 less ounces in the box than there used to be. Less mix less gluten, less structure support for cake.

AHas happened on straight box, enhanced, and scratch recipes. I thought it might be oven temp being off, but it's not. Has happened with and without baking strips. I do usually cool my cakes in the pans for 10 minutes max...I thought that was fairly necessary to help the cake set up a bit?

AUggghhh! I'm never going I get this wedding cake baked if stuff like this disaster keeps happening... Here is my latest disaster. Looked beautiful while baking, but within seconds of taking out of the oven it did this. I have gone over and over in my mind and there was nothing off. I don't understand. :(

I don't know what to do...

[IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3020328/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

[IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3020331/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

What brand of pan are you using?  How are you preparing your pans (cake release, shortening & flour, collaring with wax paper, etc.)?  What temp are you baking at?  Are you overbaking?  Why is your cake so much shorter than the pan?

Good questions ^.

The only time I have had a problem similar to this is neglecting to remove a cake as soon as possible from the oven.

Other issues it can be: amount of fat/liquid in balance with your dry ingredients, the way you've prepped your pans and the gluten in your cake flour/overmixing your batters.

AI used to have this happen occasionally and it just irked me to no end! I have started to just grease the bottom of the pan, and NOT THE SIDES, and then you have to slide a knife around it to release, but it hasn't happened since.

AAlso, I should mention that it is super easy to skin the side of your cake, or cut a hunk out of it, and never, NEVER, ever ask your husband to do it for you, or you will have a much smaller cake than you intended!!!

AWilton decorator preferred 10 x 3. Was only using enough batter to make a 2", but cake is so much shorter because it just deflated. It has happened with other brands and sizes of pans though... Using Wilton cake release, but used that on every cake I make and most I them come out fine. Was cooking at 350. Cake did not cook in the 35-40 minutes it was supposed to...went well over, and I pulled it when a toothpick finally came out clean, but when I cut it open it was actually well underdone.

Everything ingredients amount wise and prep wise was right on the mark. I used the same ingredients to make cakes yesterday and the day before that were perfect. I even have my husband standing behind me checking me to make sure I'm not doing something wrong. I'm just so confused and irritated. Trying another one now with everything the same but at 325, and also doing a 6" just to test... I'm looking at them both right now and they look absolutely perfect. We'll see...

I just wish I could figure out the random variable that keeps making stuff like this happen like every 6th cake...

A6" came out the same. Sigh. So not the pan...probably not the oven. More likely the batter, but this was even a different batch of batter from the first. And same ingredients yesterday made a cake just fine. So frustrated.

Are you using the same recipe in all the cakes? Are these new recipes or have you made them dozens of times?

Do you have an oven temperature gauge?

I don't know what the answer is..but as you know baking is a science so there is an explanation to it. 

ASame recipe, made this cake dozens of times in the past. Have a temp gauge.

Trying again this morning...slightly different things...different oil...slightly different recipe. Already is about 15 minutes over the time it should have been done, but still wet on the stick. Sigh.

ATook a full hour, but looks far better. Haha...and the baking is supposed to be the easy part isn't it! :). Here's hoping the three I have to make tonight go well. Fingers crossed.

This happens to me occasionally too, and it's usually when I had a suspicion that something was off in my measuring. I don't grease the sides of the pans so it isn't that, I bake only from scratch so it isn't a cake mix issue.I cool everything in the pans until they're cool enough to pick up without an oven mitt, so it isn't that.  I seem to remember that it happens more often when I use a certain type of pan or a certain recipe, but I can't remember the specifics. I think it's an ingredient balance issue.

AI took the pics today to the man who taught me everything I know about cake making/decorating...the owner of my local cake shop...and he really had no clue, but his wife mentioned that one of their other customers had come in recently mentioning the same issue. So my only guess is that she and I must have both gotten the same bad lot of some dry ingredient that just messed it all up. But that still doesn't explain the other times in the past it has happened. Or why my cakes that should be taking 35-40 minutes to bake are taking upwards of an hour plus. Interesting thing to note - my cupcakes always cook up perfectly and bake for exactly the right amount of time. Even using the same batter I had issues with for a regular cake...which just furthers my bafflement.

A

Did you test the oven temperature? Maybe that's the answer if everything else is taking longer to bake.

Do you have the same problem with 2 inch pans?
 

AYou know, I have wondered about using the 3 inch pans and if that's part of my issue. It does seem to happen with those more than the 2 inch pans. But unfortunately it has happened with both. My oven temperature seems to be running fine. Two more cakes to bake tonight and then the baking stress is done! Yay! On a positive note, I made cupcakes with the batter I used to make the cakes that replaced these disasters, and I took them in to share with my office today. Two different people said they could not think of a better cupcake they had ever had. :) Hopefully the cakes are equally as good!

It's happened to me with the 2" pans, so that isn't it either :)

AIt's may sound strange, but have you thought of baking one of your cakes at a friend's house? If it is your oven then that might tell you. I tend to think it's your pan. I can't remember if you said you'd tried baking strips or not. If you haven't and don't want to spend the money to try them, just we soak some strips of an old towel and wrap it around your pan. Your pans may not be evenly conducting heat. I highly recommend Magic Line pans. I use Fat Daddio's too, but Magic Line is the best.

I was going to suggest that too, Carmijok.

When you say others have had the same issue, it does sound like its a dry ingredient issue. Some cake recipes are no good for cupcakes and vice versa, so maybe you need to tweak your recipe for the cakes? Perfhaps there's just not enough intrinsic strength to hold up your cake when your baking it, but its good enough for the cuppies. So you get the rise of the cake, but its not maintained as its cooling and settling.

AI'm wondering if the OP ever figured out what the problem was? I've had the same thing happening, but only since I got a new oven that has convection bake. Any chance you are also using a convection oven?

This is my first time posting, but I joined to ask this exact question.  This has been happening to me randomly over the last month or so.  I can't figure out what it is.  I think it may have started happening when our local grocery store stopped selling No Name box mixes (loved those, cheap, tasted great and slightly denser than Betty Crocker so they held up well for decorating) and I started buying Betty Crocker mixes.  That's the only thing I can think of, but it doesn't happen every time, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to it. 

Hi,

I think you can prevent your Cake from Bowing-In by following this methods.

Try it.

-Check that the Cake Pan is Deep enough for the Cake. A shallow pan Carries more risk of Browning that a Deep One.

-Line the Sides of the Cake Pan. Use two Layers of Brown Paper and Two Layers of Baking Paper. Allow this Paper to extend above pan about 5cm to 7cm. This Paper "WALL" will help to protect the cake top from Browning.

-Smooth the Cake before adding it to the Oven. A Flatter Surface made by a SPATULA or KNIFE can help to prevent uneven browning.

-Check the Alignment of the Oven Shelves. The Shelf used should not place the cook too high to the heat source. Bake the cake in the lower half of the oven.

-Keep an Eye on the Cake as it Bakes. If it appears to be Browning unevenly, turn it in Quarters Several times during Baking.

-Add a Layer of Kitchen Foil. Halfway through Baking, you can place a Layer of Kitchen Foil over the top of the Cake to prevent Browning, especially where it has a Fruit or Caramelized top.

Things You'll Need

I remember reading once that baking powder/soda can do crazy things if they are not fresh? Just an idea as I have no idea....Good luck

AOverbeaten eggs?

I think I figured it out.  I followed some advice on here and only parchment lined the bottom of the pan and didn't grease the sides.  Then, I think I was overbeating the batter, so I went back to following the exact timing directions.  Have turned out five cakes since with no bowing.  I think it was the overbeating that was doing my cakes in!

I should say "top to bottom"!