How do I prevent my cake from splitting in half?

Question

As soon as it's done cooking, I let the cake sit out for 30-40 minutes. But when I flip it upside down on to the other plate, it just falls apart or just splits in half. I only have one cake box left. What should I do!?!

Answer 1

In my experience, the cake splits in half and cracks when you cook it for too long. Even a LITTLE bit too long. It dries out.
Try baking your cake for SLIGHTLY less long, so it's more moist.
Then it shouldn't crumble on you so easily.
:] Happens to me all the time, sometimes you have to kind of find out for yourself what time is good, despite what the cake box says.
Goodluck!

Answer 2

Over mixing, over baking and under cooling are your problems.

If The cake is salvageable, glue it together with icing or cut it into squares and layer cake, fruit and whipped cream in a clear bowl.

Mix for the recommended 2 minutes or whatever the box says and then make sure the oven has been preheating for at least 15 minutes. Check the cake at least 5 minutes before the box says it should be ready. Take the cake out when a toothpick or a knife comes out relatively clean. Put the cake in the freezer for 10 minutes or more, turn it out on a plate and crumb coat it with a thin layer of icing and return it to the freezer for 10 more minutes then take it out and frost it and decorate, it should be fine.

Answer 3

It's possible that your cake mixes are old, or that the temperature setting for your oven is slightly off.
To check the oven settings, you can buy an oven thermometer that will hang on the wire racks for under $10. (Big box merchandisers like Target and Wal-Mart, bigger grocery stores or any place you can buy kitchen gadgets should have them.) You can test the setting by heating the oven to 250 degrees and waiting till the oven tells you that temperature has been reached. (The oven heating element will go off.) Open the door and note what the thermometer says.
Then set the oven at 350 degrees, re-test, and so on up the dial.
If the settings are off, you will be able to adjust the temperature with the use of the thermometer.
In the meantime, the suggestion for "glueing" the cake back together with frosting is a trick cooks have used for years. (If it is a really big crack, you can also use toothpicks or skewers to help hold the cake together. Just be careful when slicing it to remove the toothpicks before you serve it.)

Answer 4

This one I can help with!! My mother used to decorate cakes.

When the cake mix is in the pan (before you bake it) pick the pan up off of the counter about 4-6 inches and kind of bang the pan on the counter a few times. You will see what looks like bubbles. They are the air bubbles in the mix. This will make your cake settle better. Too many air bubbles in the mix will cause a seperation and it will split when you take it out of the pan.
Another suggestion is to buy cooling racks. unlike a plate, they are completely flat and this will help too. they also cool faster, since they cool on top and bottom. Once they cool in the pan for about 15 min. turn upside down on the racks and cool for another 30 minutes or so. Then you can move them to a plate to frost it.

Good luck and I hope I helped you some. = )

Answer 5

I'd have to agree with it being over cooked. To prevent this from happening to me, I set the timer to two minutes less than what the box calls for. Usually my cakes are done at this time. Make sure you're using good quality cake pans that are thicker to prevent the cakes from cooking too fast. I just made my son's graduation cake today and it turned out just fine. I used a very good quality cake pan and the temperature was 25 degrees lower due to the pan being dark and insulated.

Answer 6

Let it cool longer... Are you sure you are adding all the ingredients? In order? Correctly? Greasing & flouring the pan right? Baking it at the right temp? Baking it long enough? Using the right oven/altitude directions? Go over the entire instructions carefully from start to finish...
also-Cool it much longer (maybe 2 hours on a rack)

GOOD LUCK!!!

Answer 7

you need to grease and flour the pan very well. When it comes out of the oven loosen the sides with a knife and gently try to separate the bottom from the pan. Then flip it quickly and gently lift the top straight up.

Answer 8

I use to have that problem too, all I had to do is to let the cake cool for a couple of hours! I think that is the most important letting it cool completely, best of luck.

Answer 9

dont let it sit that long. flip it onto a cardboard round (found at craft stores or baking supply stores) then freeze it til you are ready to frost it

try using parchment paper in your pans instead of spray.

Answer 10

I would try to "glue" the pieces together with frosting and then pop it in the fridge so the frosting gets cold and firm before frosting the whole thing.