What Causes The Oil To Separate In Cake Mix

What's incorrect with my cake? When cakes don't go to plan, this is the question every bakery from amateur to adept asks themselves.

Merely while some problems are obvious, like cakes that are sunken in the middle or burnt, others aren't identifiable until you take the get-go bite. Simply then do you realise that your block is too dry, is too hard, crumbly or otherwise nigh inedible. By which time, it's probably too belatedly to do anything well-nigh the problem.

Whether you're making Mary Berry'southward famous lemon drizzle (opens in new tab) or a Black Forest cake (opens in new tab), we're here to get your blistering dorsum on rail with xiv common blistering problems and how to solve them.

What's wrong with my cake?

My cake didn't rise

What's incorrect with my block? My cake didn't rising and is equally flat as a pancake.

Can I set it? It's not e'er possible to set up a cake which hasn't risen, as the virtually common cause of a flat block is missing ingredients or over-mixing in the grooming process. Raising agents, like baking powder or self-raising flour, are essential in cake blistering, as they react with moisture to release gas bubbles which cause the block to rise in the oven. If these ingredients are missing, the cake will remain flat and airless, like a brownie or a cookie.

However, if you take forgotten to add your raising agent, you can yet save your bake and brand it into something edible. As long as it's still reasonably soft, spongy and non overcooked, you tin can cut information technology into chunks and top with bootleg buttercream (opens in new tab) or icing to make mini cupcakes (opens in new tab).

If you lot're sure y'all take remembered all of your ingredients, it'south possible that your cake hasn't risen because you haven't given information technology long enough in the oven. Double-cheque your recipe and leave your cake to bake until information technology rises. Make sure your oven is definitely set to a high enough temperature, and try not to open the oven door too much during the cooking process, otherwise your sponge may sink.

Some catchy cake batters can plummet when they take been over-mixed, for instance, genoese sponge (opens in new tab), meringue batter (opens in new tab), and angel cake mix (opens in new tab). Make certain not to over-mix when treatment fragile sponge, and avoid sudden movements that may knock the air out of the mixture.

What to exercise side by side time?

Remember to add your baking pulverisation adjacent time.
If you've chosen a complicated recipe, swap it for something simpler like a classic chocolate sponge (opens in new tab).
Make sure your baking tin can is the right size - if it'due south besides big the mixture won't rise enough to fill up it.
And concluding but not least, don't over whisk your mix. In one case your ingredients are combined, that's information technology - stop whisking and become blistering!

My cake is greasy

What'southward wrong with my cake? My block is really shiny and greasy and I have no thought why.

Can I gear up it? Greasy cakes are ordinarily just the production of too much butter or fat being used to coat the cake tin. When the mixture is in the lined tin in the oven, the fatty fries the sponge so cakes can oft come out crispy around the edges or a fiddling greasy on elevation.

If your cake is just a fiddling greasy on the outside, information technology'south totally safe to eat. Leave as it is or plough your basic cake into a drizzle cake, such as a Jaffa drizzle cake (opens in new tab) or Rosewater drizzle cake (opens in new tab), with icing to hide the smooth.

If your cake is greasy all the way through, this is also probable to be because of the butter - simply the butter actually used in the cake. If butter is too soft when you're creating the cake mixture, the additional heat created from beating the mixture will turn the butter oily which, in turn will give you an oily cake. Over-chirapsia the batter too quickly and vigorously tin also crusade the same issue.

These cakes are also fine to eat but if information technology's soggy all the way through, at that place's not a lot you can do to relieve it. When y'all come round to make the cake once more, be certain to measure out your butter and all other ingredients carefully, to avoid adding too much. Brand certain yous whisk the mixture enough to combine the ingredients but not also much and so that y'all create additional oestrus in the mixture.

What to do next time?

Be sure to measure out your butter advisedly.
Brand certain you whisk the mixture properly.
Don't exit your butter out on the side at room temperature for too long - it will start to sweat and get greasy, which could exist a big contributor to the problem.
Go along your butter at a good temperature and follow the recipe.

My cake is stuck in the can

What'south wrong with my cake? My cake is stuck and doesn't want to motion from the tin.

Can I fix it? This is an easy trouble to fix. Just run a abrupt pocketknife around the edge of the cake, betwixt the cake and the blistering tin. Give it a little pat around the edges and on the lesser too. Get out it to stand for a little while - don't try to get information technology out of the tin when it'due south scorching hot. Let it sit for 15 minutes or more.

To tip your cake out, popular on your oven gloves. Hold the tin with 1 oven glove, cradle the top of the cake with your other mitt and tip it upside downwards. Tap around the edges until information technology falls onto your manus, then flip it the right mode up and pop onto a cooling rack.

If it'due south a major disaster and your cake has not kept its shape, don't worry. You lot can let the crumbled up pieces of cake cool and add them to ice cream to brand a sundae, or turn then into the layer at the bottom of a trifle, or mash them upwards and make cake pops (opens in new tab).

What's wrong with my cake?

Next fourth dimension yous're making a cake remember to grease your baking can before calculation the mix.
Use butter, oil or non-stick and cover your tin in greaseproof paper, parchment or tin foil instead - any of these methods will save the twenty-four hours!

My cake is burnt

What's wrong with my block? My block is burnt.

Can I ready it? If information technology's ridiculously burnt, and past ridiculous we mean black beyond saving then bin it – you lot don't want to get an upset stomach eating burnt block. Only if it's just a little crispy around the edges merely is soft on the within then cut off the edges, using a rigged bread knife. Cover your cake in buttercream or icing and decorate like normal - yous won't be able to tell the difference.

What to practice side by side time?

Make certain you lot bake your cake at the right temperature and pre-oestrus the oven properly. If it's likewise hot the block will cook too chop-chop and burn on height.
If your cake is non cooked, just is starting to dark-brown on top, encompass it in tin foil or baking parchment. This will make sure the heart continues to cook but the outside doesn't.
Keep an eye on it and bank check it every 5-vii mins until washed.

My cake is raw

What's wrong with my cake? I've merely baked my cake for the correct time merely it'due south not cooked at all and it's raw.

Can I set up it? If your block hasn't even begun to cook, popular it back in the oven. Brand sure the oven is on and on the right temperature too.

If your cake is not cooking in the eye, then put it back into the oven and cover tightly in tin foil. The tin can foil will trap the heat and help to cook the within of your cake. Bake for another x-xv minutes and check after 5-7 mins to make sure it's working.

Your cake might non expect very appetising when information technology comes out of the oven, so go out information technology to cool. Then encompass the cake in the buttercream to hide the lumps and bumps, if at that place are whatsoever.

What to do next time?

Checking oven temperature is key - if it'south too low information technology won't cook and if it's too high it will burn.

My cake mix has split

What'south incorrect with my cake? I've started to foam my butter and carbohydrate together, forth with the egg, and my mixture has started to dissever.

Can I fix it? Before information technology splits whatsoever more than, add in your flour. Fold it with a wooden spoon or mix with an electrical hand whisk until combined. The quicker you deed the more likely yous'll be able to save your mix and stop it from curdling.

What to practise next time?

You don't take to cream your butter and saccharide together, yous can apply an all in 1 method instead. For this method, accept a expect at the recipe for Mary Berry'south Victoria sandwich block (opens in new tab).

My cake is likewise dry

What'southward wrong with my block? I've simply taken my cake out of the oven and information technology'due south extremely dry.

Can I fix it? If your cake is dry to the point of crumbling when you lot remove information technology from the tin so plow your cake into cake pops (opens in new tab) instead. To exercise this, add some bootleg buttercream (opens in new tab) or candy melts to the mix and mould your cake into balls. If it'due south a lilliputian bit dry but still edible, cover it in a thick layer of buttercream or icing and decorate with moist ingredients like butter, chocolate etc.

What to practise next time?

Double bank check how much flour you lot add to the mix. If you put too much flour in, the wet ingredients volition absorb the flour leaving your cake dry out and crumbly.
Your cake tin can as well cease up dry out if you don't add together enough butter or eggs. Make certain you follow the recipe correctly next time and always double cheque your oven temperature.

My block has sunk in the middle

What's wrong with my cake? My cake has sunk in the eye and I don't know why.

Can I fix it?Information technology's not really possible to fix a block that has sunk in the middle, as the most mutual reason for this is too much leavening agent - like baking powder. Too much baking powder causes the block to rise likewise chop-chop, as the gas from the baking powder escapes the cake before the mixture has had a adventure to cook in the centre. When this happens, the middle of the cake collapses. If your cake has sunk in the middle simply is cooked the whole through, and so there's not much you can do nearly it. But cover the tiptop of your cake with buttercream to disguise the concave in the centre.

If you cake isn't completely cooked, embrace it in tin foil and bake for a further five-10 minutes. Check it again after 10 minutes or then and if it needs longer, broil again. This is unlikely to set up the whole trouble only it volition make your cake edible, so cover any imperfections with buttercream and icing. To avert this when you broil again, double check your recipe and make sure to leave your block to cook in the oven. Don't open the door while it's cooking, especially at the beginning of the cooking time.

What to do next fourth dimension?

Brand sure you don't open up the oven door whilst your block is cooking - particularly at the beginning.
Double check the temperature on your oven and if all else fails, use two blistering tins instead of 1 next time.
Cooking two split up sponges and then sandwiching them together will avoid any unwanted caving.

My cake has risen unevenly

What'south wrong with my block? My cake risen on one side but not the other.

Can I fix it? Once your cake has been cooked, cut off the pinnacle and level the surface with a large staff of life knife. You can then cover your block in fondant or buttercream to hide the cut marks.

What to exercise next time?

Adjacent time you get baking, make sure y'all whisk your flour properly when yous add together it to your wet ingredients. If the flour doesn't blend evenly it will brand the cake bake uneven.
Double check your oven temperature too. If your oven is too hot, this can have an impact or if your oven is non working properly, this tin be a tell-tale sign equally the oestrus is not spreading evenly effectually your machine.

My cake has shrunk

What'southward wrong with my block? My cake started off at a good size and now it's shrunk.

Can I fix information technology? If your cake has shrunk simply it cooked the whole way through and looks edible, then swallow it. Information technology might not wait pretty merely we're certain it volition still sense of taste skilful. You lot could also cut your broil up into cubes and make mini cakes instead.

What to do next fourth dimension?

Always make sure your cake mix is not too common cold when it goes in the oven. If yous're using lots of ingredients that have been stored in the fridge, it'southward best to allow them to reach room temperature before combining or before baking.
Over-mixing your block mix can take an impact besides, so continue your electric mitt whisk on a steady speed and cease whisking when combined.

My cake is too dense

What's wrong with my cake? My cake is too dumbo and heavy.

Can I fix it? If your block is just too dumbo one time baked, there'due south zip much you can exercise at present. Crumble the cake sponge into 'breadcrumbs' using a blender, combine with icing in a bowl and brand block pops instead. The density helps cake pops stay together so it'southward perfect, whereas it's non and so welcome in traditional cakes. Alternatively, encompass information technology in buttercream icing to give it a scrap of moisture, or serve with cream or water ice foam to get in sense of taste lighter.

What to do next time?

Don't over-beat or whisk when calculation your ingredients. If you over-mix, you can loose air and air bubbling which help to create a low-cal, soft sponge.
Use the right flour. If the recipe suggests self-raising flour, use cocky-raising flour and then on. Opting for the right flour and the right amount will help with the density of your cake.

My cake is crumbly

What's wrong with my cake? My cake is then crumbly, I can't even concur a slice in my hand without it falling apart.

Can I fix information technology? If your cake is as well crumbly to savor, you could cover your block in icing drizzle and disguise the crumbliness with cake decorations instead. Calculation wet similar a light buttercream layer or icing will help to concur some of the cake together. Just make sure everyone has a fork or spoon for eating it.

Turning crumbly cake into block pops is also an like shooting fish in a barrel pick, with plenty of recipes out there to teach yous the method - from bones cupcake cake pops (opens in new tab) to toffee apple cake pops (opens in new tab).

What to do adjacent time?

Make certain your moist ingredients are measured properly. If the recipe says to use eggs, but doesn't say whether large or medium, opt for big adjacent time as medium just might not have been big enough to bring the mixture together and hold information technology in one grade.
Make sure you are using the right ingredients besides. If it's a specific flour the recipe uses, then opt for that next fourth dimension. It just might make a difference to your cake.

My cake is hard

What's wrong with my cake? My cake is so hard but it's supposed to be nice and soft.

Can I set up it?If your block is hard yous may take only overcooked it or over-mixed the mixture when combining ingredients. When flour is combined with liquid afterward mixing, the gluten in the flour stars to develop. It creates an elastic-like material and traps the air created by leavening agents, such as baking powder, which helps the cake to rise. Over-mixing the block produces also much gluten and turns your soft cake into a bake more than like to staff of life.

To keep your cake tender, don't work your mixture too much. Simply mix with a paw or electrical whisk until the ingredients accept combined. Well-nigh recipes come up with mixing times so if yours specifies how long you should mix your batter for, exist sure to stick to information technology.

What to do next time?

Brand certain you don't over-melt your cake next time. If your cake is cooking on the outside and is browning, but it is nevertheless moist on the within, you lot should embrace in tinfoil and carry on cooking for 5 minutes at a time. Check every bit you lot go so y'all don't overcook information technology.
If yous hand mixed your cake ingredients, then you may want to opt for an electric whisk instead.

My cake is too moist

What's incorrect with my cake? My cake is so moist, I don't feel like it'south cooked properly.

Can I fix it? If your block is super moist, you may want to pop it back into the oven and give information technology a bit more than time to cook. Embrace in tin can foil and cook at the aforementioned heat as before, but keep checking every 5 minutes until the block is looking a little less moist.

What to practise adjacent time?

Some cakes are supposed to be moist and then brand certain y'all check the description of the cake before making it, especially if y'all're non a fan of moist cakes. Opt for more solid cakes like loaf cakes or tray bakes.
Bank check the ingredients. Likewise much butter or as well many eggs can make your cake super moist. If you've not got enough flour to remainder this out then your cake can be super moist.

Jessica Dady is Senior Content Editor at Goodto.com and has over 10 years of experience as a digital journalist, specialising in all things food, recipes, and SEO. From the best food hampers to cookbooks, from the all-time cake stands to baking sets, Jessica has a wealth of cognition when it comes to must-accept food products. A passionate bakery, she spends much of her time creating celebration cakes for friends and family - particularly for her two lucky children.