Tips & Tricks
COMMON BAKING QUESTIONS & TIPS
How many layers does one box of cake mix and one box of frosting make?
One box of cake mix and one box of frosting will make and frost a 2 layer 8-inch round cake. If you are baking for a smaller crowd, make a three layer cake with a single mix in a 6x3" round!
Why did my cake sink in the middle?
There are a lot of scientific reactions happening when your cake is baking, and creating structure is a big one. If your cakes or cupcakes fall in the middle, it could be due to one of these three common missteps:
- Leaving your oven door open too long when checking for doneness or when rotating your pans. We don’t even check on our cakes until at least half of the suggested baking time has elapsed.
- Slamming the oven door during baking or lacking tenderness when taking pans out of the oven. Why? While your cake is cooling, the structure is solidifying, so slamming the oven door or dropping your cake on the counter too forcefully can cause the air in the crumbs to deflate, leaving you with a wonky middle. Luckily, these are issues frosting is happy to fix!
- Not mixing your batter enough! While you don’t want to overmix your cake batter, you also want to ensure that everything is properly mixed together. Before pouring the batter into pans, make sure it looks smooth and even in texture.
What are your recommendations for baking at high altitudes?
Baking at high altitudes can be intimidating. You may find your cakes rise early or dip in the middle even after being fully baked. One of our favorite ways to mitigate the risk of deflated cakes is to add two tablespoons of additional flour to the batter while mixing. Gluten free? Two tablespoons of your favorite gluten-free flour will also do the trick. Also, cakes tend to bake quicker in high altitudes. We don’t recommend reducing the temperature, but we do recommend possibly adjusting the length of time you allow your cakes to bake. Check on your cake babies 10 minutes sooner than recommended on the box.
How do I prevent my cake from sticking to the pan?
Cake batter can sometimes be finicky and sticky. To ensure you get a quick release every single time, line the bottoms of your cake pans with parchment paper. The steps are simple:
- Cut parchment paper to fit the bottom of your cake pan.
- Grease pan liberally with nonstick cooking spray or softened butter.
- Place parchment in the bottom of the pan.
- Proceed with filling and baking your sweet cake.
*Wax paper will not work as a substitute. If you don’t have parchment, you can dust the pan with a light coating of flour after you have greased it.