# Cake Trouble



## dagger (Feb 4, 2005)

This is the second time it happened to me. I make a cake from scratch and this time the center didn't rise and when you cut into the cake it's done but compact and you can see it. Has like a uncooked color but it is just taste like gravity held the cake down. Was the problem.

1) Cold egg right from the fridge
2) Kitchenaid stand mixer
3) Splendor & sugar mix
4) Bad baking powder says it’s good until 2007 which I bought in 2005.

:look:


----------



## pastrytracy (Jan 5, 2006)

I'm thinking splenda and sugar mix?...I could be wrong, however...one of the real pros should be able to help you though...


----------



## dagger (Feb 4, 2005)

Gumi is the word best describes the texture. It’s 2 cups AP KA Flour(which i sifted but the recipe did not call for this), , 2-tsp. baking powder and 1-tsp. salt. 2 cups sugar (¼ cup sugar to 1 ¾ Splendor), 4 eggs. Then in a pot you heat 4 TBS butter in 1-cup milk until butter melts. I mixed eggs and sugar in mixer then added the flour, baking powder, and salt and mixed again. The added the heated milk/butter and mixed. Pour into a square 11 baking dish and cooked in a moderated oven, which I guess, is 350 degrees. It looked like no air pockets to make the cake rise. I also added 1 tsp of vanilla which wasn't in the recipe jsut figured it might tast better.


----------



## markv (May 16, 2003)

If the center didn't rise, one possibility is the oven temperature was too low.

What temp did you set it at and do you have an oven thermometer to make sure you hve the right temp?

Mark


----------



## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

I'm wondering if this recipe is any good to begin with. It's an unusual mixing technique, and I'm thinking that the melted butter is the culprit. I haven't used Splenda before, so I can't comment on that, but your recipe has a lot of liquid, so it's not surprising that it doesn't hold much air. It also doesn't help that you used cold eggs with the melted butter!!


----------



## dagger (Feb 4, 2005)

We have had this recipe for years and always turned out fine. The Mississippi Mud cake has some what this same texture since these are the only 2 cakes other than cheese cakes I made using splendor. The cake always comes out fine nice and light then you put a coconut Carmel topping in it. I tested the baking power, 1 tsp. into some hot water from the teakettle and it fizzed like crazy so i guess it isn’t that. The cake did come out with no real browning unlike it does so maybe it is the sugar. My guess Splender isn't ready for prime time baking. When the mixer mixed the eggs & sugar it did clump together like dough but the flour lessen it and the milk gave it the liquid state.


----------



## epicous (Aug 12, 2004)

Use 3 tsp. of baking powder and cover the baking dish with aluminium.


----------



## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

Dagger, I didn't realize you'd done this recipe before. I'm surprised that the texture is usually light, just judging by the amt. of liquid. 

Real sugar is responsible for browning, so you won't get the same results w/ Splenda. Do you plan to ty this recipe again? If you do, make sure your eggs are room temp, so it doesn't shock your melted butter.

I'd like to experiment with Splenda and see what its properties are. I did bake with it once, and remember the taste was so chemical, but my boss loved it! Go figure.


----------



## dagger (Feb 4, 2005)

I made the cake today with 2 changes. No splender and let the eggs sit for 30 minutes to warm up before used them. The cake tunrned out fine. The last time in had no brown top so i'm guessing it must be the splender, maybe need to cut it with 1/2 sugar but i guess i'll need to test it. Try the cake it's very good but don't forget the coconut carmel topping. You put 1 cup coconut, 10 Tbs Brown Sugar, 6 Tbs butter, 4 Tbs heavy cream into a sauce pan and heat until it all melts together. Then you pour it over the warm cake and spread it all over. Put in the broiler for 2 - 3 minutes unitl top browns and begins to bubble. Remove and cool then eat. I have a picture but don't see how to post it here for you to see. This recipe has been in our family since i was a kid, over 40 years and always a winner at every event it's been made for. :chef:


----------



## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

Dag
I'm curious why you were using the splenda? 
I assume this is a dense cake. 
Did I read you had made this with splenda before? Did it work?
Just a note. I'm not sure, because I don't use it, but I think the KA APF is pretty high up in protien. I'm thinking Almost 11-12%. That's is up around bread flour. Maybe the recipe needs a softer flour? Just a thought. 
I mention this because if the formula has been around for years and it was made with grocery APF it was probably closer to 9%.
I'm glad it worked today. Sounds like a good comfort treat.
pan


----------



## dagger (Feb 4, 2005)

no never used splenda before in this. Only tried in cheese cakes which worked out OK but when it comes to regular cakes i guess it fails. The Mississippi mud cake was the other i tried splenda in and that did not turn out as bad but did have a little gummie texture which i figured was cause of the coco. So if i should use cake flour then what is KAAP flour good for?


----------



## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

Let me check on the KA, I'm not sure. Having higher protien is a good thing and it also makes it more consistant product. If it came out good, then I would not change. Any KA products I've used have been high quality.
pan


----------



## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

Momoreg, you're right about Splenda and browning. They now sell a blend of 50-50 Splenda and sugar for baking.


----------



## dagger (Feb 4, 2005)

IS there such a thing a cake flour? I seen bread flour today in the store but nothing called Cake Flour


----------



## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

I'm told it's great for scones,bisquits,cookies.
I may be wrong though, I don't use it.


----------



## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

Dagger, look for Softasilk, in a red and pink 2 lb. box. That's cake flour.


----------



## cakerookie (Sep 10, 2005)

A word on Splenda. Its a high potency non nutritive sweetner it works great in coffee but I don't think I would use it in a cake recipe. I will avoid the chemistry lesson here. Just my two cents. What do you think Pan?


----------



## erik (Jan 23, 2006)

I made some cookies with Splenda for my diabetic grandmother and I think I may know what your problem was.

I noticed when I was creaming the butter that it never really went anywhere. The problem is, instead of sugar that stays granular for a while, the splenda dissolved almost immediately. In a recipe that is mixed like that (creaming sugar and butter) the little sugar granules catch air as it is mixing, incorporating them into the batter. Those little air pockets expand when you put the item into the oven due to gas produced by your baking powder, steam from the water in the butter being released, and the fact that hot air is bigger than cold. Eventually, the protiens in the eggs and flour set up enough to hold this inflated state, giving you your nice spongy cake texture.
No air incoporated, no rising.


----------



## shaloop (Aug 16, 2005)

Sounds like a hot milk sponge cake recipe I've used before, doubled. If I remember correctly, the eggs and sugar are supposed to be beaten till the ribbon stage, before adding the flour, then the warmed milk and butter. The splenda may not work right with the eggs to get to this stage. Does it reach a thick ribbon? Although adding the milk/butter deflates the batter and makes it quite thin, somehow this cake works. (There's also leavening in it, but it's usually pretty light and fluffy.) I'd try maybe beating the egg mixture longer and then just folding the other ingredients in.


----------

