Below is a list of the most common causes of cake failure. Measuring carefully, using the pan specified in the recipe and making sure your oven is correctly calibrated can prevent many of the issues.
| Coarse Texture |
Too much leavening
Too much shortening
Shortening too soft
Not enough liquid
Insufficient creaming of fat and sugar
Oven not hot enough
Sponge and angel food cakes-cream of tartar omitted |
| Heavy, Compact Texture |
Too much shortening
Too much liquid
Too many eggs
Too much sugar
Not enough leavening
Too much flour
Substituting honey for sugar
Oven was not hot enough
Extreme over beating
Sponge or angel food cake-under beaten yolks or over beaten egg whites |
| Tough |
Too much flour
Too many eggs
Not enough sugar
Not enough shortening
Batter over mixed
Sponge or angel food-too much sugar or
over beaten egg whites |
| A Dry Cake |
Too much flour
Not enough shortening or sugar
Too much leavening
Over beaten egg whites
Over baked
Too little fat |
| Thick, Heavy Crust |
Too much flour
Over baked
Too hot an oven
Not enough sugar or shortening |
| Crusty, Sugary Crust |
Too much sugar
Under creaming of butter and sugar
Over baked |
| Hump or Cracked Top |
Too much flour
Too little liquid
Too hot an oven
Over beaten
Batter not spread evenly
Not enough fat
Warped pans
Pan too near top of oven
Overfilled pans
Sponge cakes-too much sugar in the batter |
| A Soggy Layer or Streak on Bottom |
Under mixing of ingredients
Too much liquid
Eggs too big (most recipes are developed for large eggs)
Butter too soft
Too much sugar
Too much leavening
Not baked long enough
Sponge cakes-too many eggs or under beaten yolks |
| Moist, Sticky Crust |
Too much sugar
Too much liquid
Didn't bake long enough
Oven wasn't hot enough
Weather is humid |
| Cake Falls |
Too much leavening
Too much sugar
Too much liquid
Too much shortening
Not enough flour
Oven not hot enough
Insufficient baking
Pan too small - makes cake so thick that the center couldn't bake through
Sponge or angel food cakes-over beaten egg whites |
| Undersized Cake |
Too large a pan
Too hot an oven
Not enough leavening
Moving cake during baking |
| Tunnels |
Too many eggs
Batter under mixed
Air pockets in batter |
| Batter Running Over Pan |
Too small a pan (Fill pans only1/2 full)
Too slow an oven
Too much sugar or shortening
Too much leavening |
| Breaks, Crumbles |
Batter under mixed
Too much sugar
Not enough eggs
Eggs too small - use large eggs |
| Lopsided |
Batter not spread evenly
Uneven pan
Uneven oven heat
Under mixed
Pan placed too near one oven wall
Oven racks not level
Opened oven door during baking |
