Baking can often be an incredibly enjoyable and fun task. It is something that you can do with friends or family to pass the time, or it is something that you can do alone if you want to relax.
Most of the time, baking is a piece of cake. If you follow a recipe, things will usually run smoothly, and in just a short period of time you will be able to tuck into a delicious, homemade cake.
However, sometimes things won’t run so smoothly. Anybody who has ever baked will have experienced a baking disaster.
Whether it be your cake burning, your baking tin overflowing, or your cake not cooking in the middle, we’ve all been there.
One of the most common issues when it comes to baking cakes is your cake batter remaining uncooked in the middle when you take it out of the oven.
In this guide, we’ll be taking a look at why this happens, and how to fix it. So, if you want to find out more, keep on reading!
Why Isn’t My Cake Cooking In The Middle?
If you have taken your cake pan out of the oven, left it to cool, and flipped it out of the cake pan only to realize that the cake remains uncooked in the middle, then you probably want to know what has caused this.
Especially if you have followed a recipe to bake the cake. So, let’s take a look at some of the main reasons why your cake mixture might remain wet in the middle.
Oven Temperature
One of the main things that can cause sponge cakes, or any cakes for that matter, to be under-baked in the middle is the oven temperature.
When you follow cake recipes, it is vital that you cook your cake batter at the correct temperature, otherwise you could end up with an uncooked cake.
However, it is very easy to unintentionally bake your cake at the incorrect temperature. If you are following a recipe that requires you to convert the temperature and cooking time, it is very easy to make a mistake when doing this.
It is also possible for oven temperature to prevent your cake from cooking properly due to problems with your oven. It is possible for convection ovens to have issues with the oven thermometer, and it is possible for a conventional oven to have this issue too.
If there is a problem with the oven’s thermometer, it could cause low oven temperature. Even if you have your oven set to the correct temperature on the dial.
Cake Batter And Baking Powder
Something else that can cause an undercooked cake is the cake batter being incorrect. If you include too much of one ingredient and too little of another, your cake will not cook correctly. One ingredient in particular that can cause an undercooked cake is baking powder.
Baking powder is included in most cake recipes, but it is very important that you include the correct measurement of baking powder.
If you include too little, then your cake can end up being too tough. If you include too much baking powder, or if you use old baking powder, then the middle of the cake might end up being gooey and wet. That is why it is very important to follow the instructions for the recipe you are following.
Cooking Time
Finally, cooking time can also often prevent your cake baking in the middle. If you do not leave your cake in the oven for the correct amount of time, then the baking process will not be complete, often leaving the center of the cake batter uncooked.
That is why it is very important to leave your cake in the oven until the cake is fully cooked. Even if this means cooking it for longer than the baking process recommends.
How To Fix This
Now that we have taken a look at why the middle of your cake might still be like cake batter once you have cooked it, let’s take a look at how to fix this.
Use A Toothpick
It isn’t good to eat undercooked cake, and that is why it is so frustrating when you have gone through the entire cooling process, just to cut into your delicious cake and find that the middle of the cake is still raw.
To ensure that your cake is baking properly before you take it out of the oven, you can use a toothpick. Most of the time, your cake will bake from the outside of the cake pan in, which is why the middle often ends up under-baked.
But, you can use a toothpick to ensure that the center of the cake is cooked before you take it out of the oven.
Simply push a toothpick into the center of the cake pan, and then pull it out. If your cake is cooked, then the toothpick will come out clean.
Most cakes bake in ten to fifteen minutes, but, if it needs longer in the oven, the toothpick will come out with cake mix on it. If this happens, you should leave your cake tin in the oven for longer.
Follow The Recipe Closely
You can also usually fix this issue by following the cooking process outlined in the recipe to the letter. Don’t include any more baking powder than the recipe recommends, and try not to include too many additional ingredients, such as chocolate chips.
Likewise, ensure that you have your oven set to the correct temperature and that you are using the right type of cake tin for the job.
Change Your Oven
However, if you are finding it impossible to make a cake with the middle cooked properly, no matter what recipe you follow, then the issue could be your oven.
Ovens are not cheap, so you shouldn’t change your oven as a first fix. But, if you find that the problem is consistent, then it might be the only option if you want your cake to bake evenly.
Summary
In short, if your cake is not cooking in the middle, then it is probably due to the oven temperature, the cake batter, or the time in which you are cooking the cake.
In this guide, we have taken a look at why your cake might not be cooking in the middle, and how to fix it. So, if you want to find out more, check out the guide above.
