| PROBLEM |
PROBABLE CAUSE |
| Lack of Volume |
• Batter too stiff
• Batter too slack
• Poor egg quality
• Batter too warm
• Not enough batter in pans
• Oven too hot
• Eggs too cold – should be at 60ºF
• Batter mixed improperly |
| Falls During Baking |
• Over creamed
• Oven temperature too low
• Bumping cakes during baking |
| Cracking on top |
• Oven temperature too high
• Batter too stiff
• Overmixed
• Too much bottom heat
• Too much top heat |
| Lack of crust color |
• Oven temperature too low
• Underbaked
• Not enough batter in pans |
| Crust too thick |
• Baked too long at a low temperature
• Oven temperature too high
• Overbaked
• Pan is extra deep |
| Too tender |
• Batter mixed improperly
• Not enough eggs
Tough cakes • Excessive egg content
• Overmixed |
| Coarse grain |
• Cold oven
• Batter mixed improperly
• Use of warm ingredients
• Batter too stiff
• Creaming at high speed
• Old batter |
| Uneven holes or tunneling |
• Overmixed
• Batter too stiff
• Excessive egg content
• Mixed at high speed
• Batter mixed improperly |
| Grain too tight |
• Excessive liquids
• Batter too stiff
• Batter too warm |
| Poor keeping qualities |
• Overbaked
• Lack of moisture
• Oven temperature too low
• Improperly cooled before wrapping |
| Excessive shrinkage |
• Oven temperature too high
• Not enough batter in pans
• Overbaked
• Pans greased too heavily
• Too much moisture
• Overmixed
• Oven temperature too low |
| Molds readily |
• Used tools contaminated with mold
• Wrappers/boxes contaminated
• Wrapped cakes too warm
• Stored cakes in a warm, moist place
• Exposed to dust
• Cakes underbaked
• Handled carelessly |
| Off flavor |
• Pans are dirty
• Off flavored eggs
• Improper storage conditions
• Box or wrapper with off odor
• Pan grease with off odor or flavor
• Batter mixed improperly |
| Hollow spots on cake bottom |
• Batter too stiff
• Excessive pan grease
• Excessive egg content
• Air under paper liner
• Too much bottom heat
• Moisture in pan |
| Center peak on cake |
• Overmixed
• Batter too stiff
• Oven temperature too high
• Excessive egg content
• Not enough batter in pan |
| Unevenly baked |
• Uneven heat in oven
• Hot spots in oven
• Batter mixed improperly
• Too much bottom heat
• Too much top heat
• Uneven pans
• Batter spread unevenly
• Crooked oven shelf
• Cakes too large and thick |
| Poor texture |
• Batter too stiff
• Cold oven
• Batter mixed improperly
• Eggs not thawed
• Old batter
• Overbaked |
| Spots on crust |
• Batter mixed improperly |
| Crust peels off |
• Cooled improperly |
