My cake was sinking in the middle every single time, so I tried something weird with the oven rack

I was making a lemon pound cake for a friend's birthday and it kept coming out with a big dip in the center, even after three tries. I read online that putting a pan of water on the bottom rack could help with even heat. I slid a metal baking sheet with about a cup of water onto the rack below my cake pan. The cake baked for 55 minutes and came out perfectly flat and moist for the first time. Has anyone else fixed a baking problem with a simple oven trick like this?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_lucas4d ago

Sounds like your oven just runs too hot.

vera_campbell4d ago

Has anyone checked the actual temperature with a separate oven thermometer? My last oven's display was off by almost 25 degrees, so I was always over-baking things. The built-in thermostat can go bad over time without you realizing it.

ray1894d ago

Actually, that water trick can mess with your oven's air flow (ask @the_lucas about heat spikes). Your cake might just need less baking powder.