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General Baking Guide
Trouble-shooting - Fruit Cakes
Trouble-shooting - Sponge Cakes
PROBLEM POSSIBLE CAUSE
Fruit sinking to the bottom Low oven temperature which may cause the cake to
take longer to set, allowing the fruit to sink. Or, too
much liquid, or raising agent. The fruit may not have
been properly washed and dried.
Cake sinking / dipping in the centre Too much raising agent in the mixture. Too hot, or too
cool an oven. Or, not enough liquid or insufficient
creaming.
Surface cracks Too small a tin, or too much mixture in the tin. Too
much raising agent in the mix, plus not enough liquid
or insufficient creaming. The oven may be too hot.
Hard outer crust with a damp patch inside Oven too hot, therefore the cake baked too quickly.
Too much sugar, or insufficient liquid.
Burnt outside Oven temperature too high. Oven too small for the
size of cake. Insufficient protection around the tin.
Cake baked on too high a shelf.
Texture with pronounced holes. Too much raising agent. Flour unevenly mixed.
Texture too close and cake insufficiently risen. Not enough raising agent. Not enough liquid. Too
cool an oven. Insufficient creaming.
Cake crumbles when cut Not enough liquid. Baked for too long. Not enough
sugar. Too much baking agent.
Too dry Over baking. Insufficient egg or liquid. Too much rais-
ing agent.
Domed top Insufficient creaming of mixture. Cake baked on too
high a shelf position, or at too high a temperature.
Paper liners can cause the outer edge not to rise and
the centre to peak.
Hollowed / sunken top Too much raising agent. Oven temperature too low, or
incorrect shelf position. Cake removed from oven
before it’s cooked. Use of soft tub margarine.
Very pale, but cooked Oven temperature too low. Baked too low in the oven
Overflowing tin Tin too small for the amount of mixture