After you’ve spent time and effort baking a cake, there is nothing worse when it comes out and is dry on the inside.
Dry cake is not something you want to eat or that will be a hit with your family and friends.
The same frustration can be felt when you’ve made a cake that was moist a day ago, but now seems to have gone dry.
It can make baking feel like something you never want to do again.
Well, don’t throw away that cake just yet. Dry cake can be saved!
We’ve put together a guide on the best ways you can moisten your dry cake so all of your hard work does not go to waste.
What Causes Cake To Be Dry?
Before we look at the ways we can save your already dry cake, it is important to know what causes the cake to become dry in the first place.
This way, the next time you bake a cake you can prevent it from being dry rather than saving it.
Dry cakes are caused by several things:
- You baked the cake too long. If you bake a cake for longer than an hour, then it’s likely going to end up dry.
You should always follow the recipe instructions carefully.
- Your oven may be running too high. The temperature of your oven is very important.
If the temperature is too high, then the cake could burn before it has had enough time to cook properly and can cause the inside to be too dry.
- Eggs are too small. Eggs are one of the most important ingredients in any cake. They add moisture to the batter which helps the cake rise.
However, if they are too small, then this won’t happen. Make sure you use eggs that are large enough for the amount of flour used.
- Your measurements aren’t accurate. Measurements are extremely important when baking.
When you change the measurement slightly it can cause your cake to change, leaving the cake dry.
Moistening Dry Cake
Now that we know what caused your cake to be dry, let us look at some ways we can save your cake from being put in the trash.
Use Simple Syrup
If you’re looking for a quick fix for your cake, then simple syrup is a great option. Simply mix equal parts of water and sugar into a bowl.
Heat the mixture over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove the pan from the heat and allow the liquid to cool completely.
Pour the syrup onto the top of your cake and enjoy.
This is one of the most foolproof ways to add some moisture back into your cake. Plus it makes the cake taste amazing!
Use Jam
Sometimes to save a dry cake, you have to change the way you were going to put together your cake.
Placing jam between layers is a good way to add moisture to your cake. Make sure to use a thick layer of jam so that all of your cake’s surface is covered.
Soak The Cake In Milk
This is a method that a lot of bakers swear by. What you want to do is brush a bit of milk on your cake to moisten it.
Then you have the option of placing it in the oven for a few minutes. Some recommend keeping it in the oven for around 20 minutes on medium or low heat.
We would suggest that you do not leave your cake in the oven for too long as this can cause it to dry out again.
Put Some Frosting On Your Cake
Another way to add moisture to your cake is to frost it. Frosting helps to hide the dry cake, especially if you completely cover your cake in the frosting.
Frosting also adds a nice touch to your cake. It will make it more appealing to eat and you’ll get compliments on how delicious it looks.
Using frosting such as buttercream will help to get rid of the dryness by hiding it in the moisture of the frosting.
Try To Microwave It
Microwaving your cake is a quick way to add moisture to the cake you need to serve soon.
All you have to do is place a damp paper towel on a glass microwaveable plate and place the cake on top. Then microwave for around 10 seconds.
This tip is only useful for cakes that need to be served soon as the moisture does not stay in the cake very long.
Of course, don’t do this with cakes you have already frosted.
Add Other Ingredients
Sometimes there is not much you can do for a dry cake. So when you feel as though nothing works, you can also serve the cake with custard instead.
Or even with some cream. This will make the dryness of the cake hidden as the custard provides all the moisture you need.
Use The Cake For Something Else
If you think your cake is beyond repair, then try using the cake for something else. You could crumble the cake up to make cake pops.
The amount of frosting you add to the crumbled-up cake will moisten your cake crumbs.
You could even use the cake crumbs as the base of a sundae. This way you don’t waste the cake but you don’t use it in the way you intended.
Final Thoughts
Dry cake is a common problem that many people experience. There are a number of reasons why cakes can become dry.
We’ve looked at what causes dry cake and some of the things that you can do to prevent this from happening.
Hopefully, these tips will help you avoid having to throw away a perfectly good cake by saving it.
We hope that you feel more confident baking your next cake and can use these tips to avoid accidentally making your cake dry.
Please share this article with others who may benefit from reading it.
We wish you the best of luck baking your next cake. Thank you for reading and happy baking!
