Problems With The Cooks Illustrated White Cake Recipe

Baking By kgorhan Updated 1 Feb 2015 , 9:25pm by Delynn

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kgorhan Posted 3 Jul 2013 , 5:36pm
post #1 of 19

So I scrapped the white cake recipe I was using and now I'm having trouble with the new white cake recipe that was recommended to me. I am using the Cooks Illustrated white cake recipe and on the smaller size cakes it sinks in the middle. I made a 10" cake last night and it rose just fine. Today I have made 4 6" cakes and they all are sinking. I thought it might be cooking to slowly so I turned the temperature up to 350 and I'm still having the same problem. I know it's not the baking powder because I do enough baking to open a fresh container every 3-4 weeks. Really hope some of you can help. TIA!

18 replies
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DeliciousDesserts Posted 3 Jul 2013 , 6:36pm
post #2 of 19

AWhich one?

I really like many of the ones from them including the yellow.

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kgorhan Posted 3 Jul 2013 , 6:48pm
post #3 of 19
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bananabread Posted 3 Jul 2013 , 7:31pm
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Hello.  This is the recipe I am using lately.  Is excellent and moist   It has some smaller changes in the récipe but it really Works.

 

White cupcakes Betty Crocker book.

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup chortening or butter  without salt

1 2/3 cups sugar

5 egg whites

2 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cups milk

 

1.  heat oven to 350°F.  This récipe is to make cupcakes, but I made cakes

2.  Pans prepared as usual.  2 pans 8 or 9"

3.  In medium bow, mix flour, baking poder and salt. set aside

4. In large bow, beat shortening or butter with electric mixer on médium speed 30 seconds.Gradually add sugar, about 1/3 cup at a time., beating well after each addition and scrapping bow ocassionaly.  Beat 2l min longer.  Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  BEat in vanilla.  On low speed, alternately add flour mixture, about 1/3 of mixture at a time, add milk, about 1/2 at a time. beating just until blended.

5.  Divide batter among pans or muffing cups,

6.  Bake 25 min or more until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean  Cool in plan 15 min, remove from pans, place con cooling racks to cool.

 

DO NOT OVERMIX

If you have any questios, write me.  Regards  Grace

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kgorhan Posted 3 Jul 2013 , 7:54pm
post #5 of 19

Thank you. I will try that.

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yortma Posted 4 Jul 2013 , 1:39am
post #7 of 19

I made the Cook's Illustrated white cake, and the first time it turned out great.  After that, I could NEVER get it to turn out well.  It sunk in the middle, and had a rubbery layer along the bottom over and over.  I have since tried many white cakes and the best is from a CC moderator FromScratchSF and is called "a better white cake"   ( See link below).  I have made it many times, also halved, doubled and it is wonderful.  Seriously, give it a try.  HTH

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://fromscratchsf.wordpress.com/2011/07/26/white-cake-part-3-with-recipe/

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kgorhan Posted 4 Jul 2013 , 4:23am
post #8 of 19

I tried that one and I couldn't get it to work right. It always come out gummy.

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kgorhan Posted 12 Jul 2013 , 3:46pm
post #9 of 19
Quote:
Originally Posted by bananabread 

Hello.  This is the recipe I am using lately.  Is excellent and moist   It has some smaller changes in the récipe but it really Works.

 

White cupcakes Betty Crocker book.

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup chortening or butter  without salt

1 2/3 cups sugar

5 egg whites

2 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cups milk

 

1.  heat oven to 350°F.  This récipe is to make cupcakes, but I made cakes

2.  Pans prepared as usual.  2 pans 8 or 9"

3.  In medium bow, mix flour, baking poder and salt. set aside

4. In large bow, beat shortening or butter with electric mixer on médium speed 30 seconds.Gradually add sugar, about 1/3 cup at a time., beating well after each addition and scrapping bow ocassionaly.  Beat 2l min longer.  Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  BEat in vanilla.  On low speed, alternately add flour mixture, about 1/3 of mixture at a time, add milk, about 1/2 at a time. beating just until blended.

5.  Divide batter among pans or muffing cups,

6.  Bake 25 min or more until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean  Cool in plan 15 min, remove from pans, place con cooling racks to cool.

 

DO NOT OVERMIX

If you have any questios, write me.  Regards  Grace

This recipe was really good, even after I slightly over baked it. Thanks Grace!

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bananabread Posted 12 Jul 2013 , 6:01pm
post #10 of 19

You are welcome. Grace

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Kathy107 Posted 16 Jul 2013 , 4:36pm
post #11 of 19

Also try Rose Levy's White Velvet Butter Cake.  It is excellent!  It is very similar to the Cooks Illustrated one that you had problems with.  I think the only changes are in the flour and sugar measurements and maybe the eggs.  Also when baking a recipe in different size pans you sometimes need to adjust the baking powder levels.  In the back of Rose's book she give you the recipe measurements for different size pans with this recipe and a few others. 

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CassidysCakesAn Posted 17 Oct 2013 , 6:48pm
post #12 of 19

I too tried the Cook's Illustrated Cake.  The first time I made it I loved it, but then the second time I made it I couldn't get it to come out.  The edges kept getting really crusty and it came out kind of dry.  Now I use the one Grace gave and it has turned out perfect every time!  I do sub 1-1.25 t. of the vanilla with almond though.  Ever since I tried almond in my Cook's cake I seem to miss it when I don't use it.  :)

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CassidysCakesAn Posted 20 Oct 2013 , 1:46am
post #13 of 19

AOh, and if anyone wants to know, it makes right about 7 cups of thick batter.

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waggs Posted 20 Oct 2013 , 2:54am
post #14 of 19

AFrom scratchsf. If you follow the measurements exactly it's perfect every time.

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kgorhan Posted 29 Oct 2013 , 1:54am
post #15 of 19

I have been using Grace's recipe since she gave it to me and it seems to get better each time I make a cake or cupcakes with it. Just awesome!

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luckylibra Posted 29 Oct 2013 , 1:27pm
post #16 of 19

I would like to try Grace's recipe listed above but I have a few questions.

 

On step 4 it says

"4. In large bow, beat shortening or butter with electric mixer on médium speed 30 seconds.Gradually add sugar, about 1/3 cup at a time., beating well after each addition and scrapping bow ocassionaly.  Beat 2l min longer.  Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  BEat in vanilla.  On low speed, alternately add flour mixture, about 1/3 of mixture at a time, add milk, about 1/2 at a time. beating just until blended."

 

is it "beat 2 min longer" 21 seems extreme but one never knows, which is why I am asking :)

 

Is this a fluffy light cake or more dense?

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CassidysCakesAn Posted 2 Nov 2013 , 3:03am
post #17 of 19

Does anyone know how many cupcakes Grace's recipe makes? 

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CassidysCakesAn Posted 2 Nov 2013 , 3:08am
post #18 of 19

You mix the sugar and butter together for 2 minutes to get them mixed well and to incorporate air into it.  (Or at least that's what I think)  I do it with pretty all of my recipes that call for creaming.

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Delynn Posted 1 Feb 2015 , 9:25pm
post #19 of 19

AI'm going to have to try this one too :)

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