Sinking Red Velvet Cupcakes

by Jessica
(Huntsville, Alabama)

Hi Lorelie,

I NEED YOUR HELP!!! My red velvet cupcakes keep falling. The recipe works fine when I'm baking a cake but it never works for the cupcakes. I'm looking for moist cupcakes that rises to a dome or even a flat top. All suggestions are welcomed. I am so thankful for you all.

Hi Jessica, That's a mystery. Usually the opposite is true.

It is possible that your oven temperature is either too high or too low. The next thing to consider is that you may be undermixing your batter or too much or old baking powder.

Try Robin Covey's recipe. It is fantastic. She has a filling and frosting recipe to go with it that is very unusual, it is not the typical cream cheese filling that you would expect to go with a Red Velvet cake. I used her frosting recipe to sample a bride and she went wild over it.

I will ask my Facebook Cake Decorators if they have any suggestions for you as well.

Pound cake keeps falling

Hi. I have a recipe for a cream cheese pound cake that has excellent flavor and texture. However, each time i make it, it sinks in the middle. I can't figure out what I am doing wrong. The recipe only uses 2 eggs and also both baking powder and soda. Help please.

It sounds like you may need to add a little more flour or the cake is being under baked. It is also possible that you need a little more leavening, or the baking powder could be old.
Sometimes if the oven is too hot this can happen as the cake rises too quickly before the support structure develops and then sinks in the center. Try using a lower temperature for baking your cakes. I generally use 335 versus 350 for good results with my particular oven.

Other factors to consider are the temperature of the ingredients when you mix them. The eggs and liquids should be at room temperature for best results.

Overmixing or undermixing can also play a part with falling cakes. The gluten in the flour needs to be developed enough to hold the structure together but not so much that your cake becomes tough.

If none of that helps try a different recipe.

Give this one a try on my butter cake recipes page.

It is made with sour cream instead of cream cheese, which has a tendency to be heavy.

If you do try it out let me know how it comes out ok?

Hope this helps.

Red Velvet Cake Falling

by Kathy
(Provo, Utah)

I am trying to make a red velvet wedding cake, but when baking my larger cake layers, they keep collapsing in the middle. What am I doing wrong? The recipe I'm using works great when making 3 8" layers but when I try to make 1 10"x 2" layer it collapses in the middle. Do I need to find another recipe?

Hi, I would try another recipe. My guess is that your recipe does not contain enough flour or the cakes are being under baked.

The formula you are using may be unbalanced.
Try this one that one of my readers shared with us. Robin's Original Red Velvet Cake Recipe.

Good luck. Please let us know how you made out, I hope this can resolve your cakes falling issue.

Comments

Try this
by: Anonymous

Try using a heating core in your larger pans. I've personally never made a huge layer but this seems an appropriate measure to take.

Cupcake Fall When I Take Out of Oven

by Shari Manis
(Pioneer, Tn)

I am having problems with my cupcakes not rising ( well they rise but fall right in the middle after taking out of oven) and not sure what I am doing wrong, any suggestions? I am using room temperature eggs because I heard that would help. While they are baking they rise so pretty but when I take them out of the oven they sink and look awful.

Hi Shari, It is possible they are rising too quickly, try a lower temperature. It is also possible that the batter is not being mixed enough to develop the gluten. Make sure they are done before removing them from the oven by pricking them with a toothpick. The toothpick should come out clean. Leave them in the oven and turn the oven off with the door open, this may work as well. If you take them out too quickly and expose them to cooler temperatures they can sometimes fall.

Try a different recipe as well. Most cake recipes work fine for making cupcakes though.

How high are you filling your tins? Don't fill them more then 2/3 full. This could be part of the problem too.

Are your cupcakes still edible? or are they mushy in the middle? They may be able to be salvaged. Once they are cooled down you can shave off the top and frost them and no one will ever know. AS long as they are fully cooked that is.

Another really great recipe that is very stable and good for cupcakes is my
best carrot cake recipe. Those with a nice lemon cream cheese icing and toasted or untoasted coconut is amazing! Also great with chopped toasted nuts on top as well.

Well I hope that helps you out Shari with your falling cupcakes.