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Cakes sinking

 
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theramirezs
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 7:45 pm    Post subject: Cakes sinking Reply with quote

My cupcakes make a crater in the center of the cupcakes right before the time to take them out. I checked them at 3 1/2 minutes left and they were standing nice and cute and then all of a sudden 2 1/2 minutes left and they have sunk in the middle. What is the cause of this and what can I do to change it?
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kgb1001001



Joined: 21 Dec 2005
Posts: 108

PostPosted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 4:30 am    Post subject: Quoting from "On Food and Cooking" Reply with quote

According to Harold McGee's On Food and Cooking, it may be that your oven is too cool. He says "Below this range (350 to 375 F) the batter sets slowly, expanding gas cells can coalesce to produce a coarse, heavy texture, and the upper surface sinks".

Any chance that the oven thermostat turned off the gas or turned off the heating coil between the times you looked at the cupcakes? It might be worthwhile for you to get an oven thermometer for a second opinion on the temperature of your oven (never a bad idea).
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GaryProtein



Joined: 26 Oct 2005
Posts: 535

PostPosted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 8:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Someone asked about the same problem a while ago in a different thread. I agree that the oven is probably too cool or is not being held at a constant temperature. Use a calibrated/certified oven thermometer.
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YoKitty



Joined: 18 Nov 2007
Posts: 14

PostPosted: Sat Dec 22, 2007 7:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's also possible that you are using too much baking powder, causing the cake to over inflate and then collapse.
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Watt
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 5:56 pm    Post subject: Re: Cakes sinking Reply with quote

theramirezs wrote:
My cupcakes make a crater in the center of the cupcakes right before the time to take them out. I checked them at 3 1/2 minutes left and they were standing nice and cute and then all of a sudden 2 1/2 minutes left and they have sunk in the middle. What is the cause of this and what can I do to change it?


It could be you have too much gas in your cake. Like bread, you have to 'knock it back'. To do this, place your mix in the cooking tin, then place it a few inches above the floor of the kitchen, and let it fall to give it a sharp tap, so that the trapped gas can escape. Three or four drops should do it. Works with all sorts of mixes, thick and thin.
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