[watyouWANT]

whenever i try baking a cake it always falls apart...i really need some help

any tips?
please.

[makeupwhore54]

Do you grease and flour the cake pan before putting the batter in? They even make a flour baking spray that works well.

[watyouWANT]

well i put butter on the bake pan. does that work?
i use to have a baking spray. but it didnt work so i stop using it

[dcole710]

Does the cake fall apart when you try to get it out of the pan? you really want to grease and flour the pan otherwise it will stick and fall apart. Like Ashlee said, The baking spray works well too. Make sure the oven is at the proper temperature and you can use a toothpick in the center to make sure the cake is done. Allow it to cool slightly in the pan and then transfer from pan to a wire cooling rack. Make sure you don't shake the cake out of the pan.

[Aprill]

oh goodness, you said fall apart, lol, you put too much oil in, or you are trying to get it out the pan hot

[Ashley]

I agree with everyone.

Don't butter the pan. You can either use a baking spray (which I prefer, it's only one step) or you can use grease the pan with shortening and then flour it. But I think you should opt for the spray. When I use the spray, the cake usually slides out on its own.

Does the cake come out fully cooked? Or are you ending up with a raw center and burnt edges?

[kaylin_marie]

Is it coming apart when you are trying to get it out of the pan, or just coming apart in general??

[katnahat]

If the pan is not causing it, check your ingredient requirements. Make sure you are putting in enought milk or eggs. These are important for the continuity of the batter. If the cake is really dry after baking it tends to fall apart.

[AngelaGM]

I am one LAZY baker.. LOL. Just get one of these ready made mixes that come in the roll, cut and bake=)

[Dragonfly]

Angela, I'm lazier than you - I get one from the bakery lol

If I get offer one tip, make sure you double up the cake pans. This will help prevent the edges from burning. I also double up cookie sheets when I bake cookies or biscuits.

[watyouWANT]

oh dang it. i've been buttering the pan this whole time. no wonder it always falls apart when i try taking it out.

hehe silly silly me.
also. i cant seem to frost the cake right. i wait till it's completely cooled then i frost it but the outside of the cake falls out.
and my cake always seem to be raw on the inside even though the outside is cooked.

i think it's safe to say i cant cook.

[magosienne]

of course you can cook !
first, i use butter for my pans, but what i do is i only take a small bit of it on a sheet of paper towel and then grease the pan. you can also do it with a bit of sunflower oil (never use olive oil).
the best way to know a cake is cooked it to dip in the middle a clean pointed knife. if the blade is clean when you take it out, then the cake is cooked. if there's still something on it, you know it's not.
apart from a few recipes, usually cakes also require a hot oven, so make sure it is before you put the cake in (usually preheat doesn't take more than 5 minutes).
my mom once told me to know if you have the right pan, the pastry should fill it up to the 3/4 max. this helps preventing the edges from burning, and it helps cooking the cake.

as for frost, well, i suck at it, so i can't help you.

[Ashley]

If your cake is raw on the inside you can do two things, or both:

Buy a flower nail (you can probably find this at Michael's or anywhere that sells cake decorating supplies). It looks like a giant thumb tack. Spray it with the baking spray and put in the the center of your pan and pour your batter in like you would normally do. This helps to distribute the heat to the center of your cake.

You can also buy the baking strips. You soak them with ice cold water and wrap it around your pan before putting it in the oven. This prevents your edges from burning.

[emily_3383]

This used to happen to me so i use flour instead of butter now and it works better.

[plainandsimple]

A girl after my own heart--or better yet, hit the bakery & burn the box!