How do you prevent cakes from sinking?

kiwi_jen, Feb 9, 10:11pm
Just made a cake which I was going to cut up to make a train and it has sunk a lot in the middle and is quite useless to make the train out of now!

Not very happy cos it used 5 eggs and 300g butter so need to go and get more to make the cake again and don't want the next one to sink too :(

cgvl, Feb 9, 10:25pm
when I take cakes from the oven I drop them on the floor or bench.
Tin and cake hot so just drop the tin so it lands evenly on the base, this allows any air to escape and helps prevent the cake from sinking in the middle.

elliehen, Feb 9, 10:41pm
From a web cake-baking site:

"Some Reasons Why Cakes Sink or Fall In The Middle:

Cakes will sink or fall because:

1). Overbeating – too much air is incorporated into batter.

2). Underbaking - Oven temperature too low and/or too short a baking time.

3). Over or under measurement of liquid or under measurement of flour.

4). Using too small or large a baking pan.

5). Moving or jarring cake before sufficiently baked or opening the oven door before cake sets.

Note: Only open oven door if absolutely needed, one-half to three-quarters way through baking.

6). The most common error has to do with the oven temperature. Make sure you have an oven thermometer to test your oven for accuracy.

7). Depending on the recipe if you fold in egg whites, if not beaten fully or folded in too harshly, the cake could fall.

8). Even creaming the butter and sugar too much or too little can cause problems."

dbab, Feb 9, 10:57pm
So in other words, "it just happens!!"

muddler, Feb 10, 12:03am
undercooking...if in doubt cook it for 5 more minutes

buzzy110, Feb 10, 12:18am
100% agree with this statement.

korbo, Feb 10, 8:11am
My nana always told me i a cake had milk in it. to warm it slightly first.
especially a banana cake. I do this and havent had a sunk cake for a while

jaci1, Feb 10, 8:32am
I tend to turn the oven down and not use fan bake - just normal bake...

aof11w, Feb 10, 7:20pm
I would use an electric knife, or cut the cake to size or cover in a bit more buttercream icing to cover the dip.Kids wont notice the difference and most adults dont either.

marcs, Feb 11, 4:44pm
My mother told me not open the oven for the first 20 mins of baking or the cake will sink in the middle. I open the oven 10 minutes before cooking time finished just to check it is done..