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Broken cake or fixing curdled cake batter Even the most experienced baker’s heart may be broken. You probably prepared your cake pans with oil and parchment paper You accomplished all of the weighing and measuring and followed all of the directions. But in the final critical step of removing the cake from the pan, things fell apart.
Whether your cake fell into pieces or just cracked down the middle, don’t cry over your cake layers. Your dessert isn’t toast – here are a few creative ways to mend it or transform it into another delectable treat.
4 Reasons Why Your Cake Might Break
First, before we transform our broken cake, let’s figure out why it broke in the first place. Here are a few plausible explanations.
- You didn’t properly prep your pans . Make sure you grease your pan on the bottom and sides. Butter and flour your pan to offer an extra layer of protection. As a final layer of protection, add a parchment circle to the bottom. If you take all of these precautions, that cake is not getting stuck.
- The oven was too hot. If your oven temperature is too hot it can affect the rise and structure of your cake. Get an oven thermometer and ensure that your temperature is within the proper range.
- You under-mixed the batter. Leaving pockets of dry ingredients that aren’t mixed into the batter well enough can cause weak points inside your cake. Make certain that the batter is properly mixed and that there are no dry patches.
- You didn’t cool the cake long enough. After removing the cake from the oven, allow it to cool in the pan until it is cold to the touch. Run a knife along the edge and flip onto a stable surface and let it cool completely.
7 Smart Pivots for When You’ve Broken a Cake
1. Use your frosting as cake “glue.”
Depending on how your cake shattered, “gluing” it back together may be your best choice. Think of the frosting as mortar and spread it in and around the crack to get the cake to hold. Then frost all around it to cover the mistake, chill, and voila! When you slice it up and serve it, no one will notice (or care).
2. Turn your cake into tres leches cake.
Tres leches is a three-milk soaked Latin American cake (hence the name). The beautiful thing about it is that since it has been soaked, some shattering is to be anticipated. When I was growing up, we scooped our tres leches off the cake pan with a huge serving spoon. Start by breaking the cake into large pieces and placing it snuggly in a round baking dish. Just follow the soaking instructions and you’re done!
3. Make mini cakes (or petit fours).
Maybe a large magnificent cake isn’t in your future, but how about a few little ones? Fill, frost, and decorate your cake in matching sections. It’s almost as though you planned it all along.
4. Make like the Brits and trifle.
5. Admit defeat and make cake pops or balls.
Nothing gets me happier than a dish of cheerful cake pops. They simply make you happy and make you feel like a child. Enrobed in chocolate and made with shattered cake and icing melted chocolate or candy melts, you can decorate them in so many different fun ways. So, flip that frown upside down and give them a go.
6. Make cake-based bread pudding.
If using stale bread makes delicious bread pudding, imagine using cake! Chop up the cake and use it for the bread in this recipe.
7. Make cake croutons or crumbs.
Preheat the oven to 300°F and prepare a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Crumble or cube the cake and arrange it in a single layer on the baking sheet. Toast the cake crumbs or croutons until they are dry and crunchy. Let them to cool fully before storing them in an airtight jar for a few days. Now go nuts and top ice cream, yogurt, or cupcakes with those crumbs. Put some cake croutons in a bowl. fruit salad or into a milkshake.
In the end of the day, the cake is still tasty. Serve it with the fillings or frosting on the side and let everyone create their own personal cake adventure. It may not be as gorgeous or stunning, but I’m sure it will be a dessert you remember. Plus, you’ll look like the cool, confident cook that doesn’t let anything get you down!
Related Questions
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Can you salvage an undercooked cake?
However, after a cake has cooled, it cannot be re-baked. The cake would have to be heated all the way through again, and the exterior would become too dry. Also if the cake has sunk in the centre from being underbaked it will not rise again as the raising agents in the recipe will have expired.
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Can you save a collapsed cake?
The good news is that you may save your cake as long as it is fully cooked. Then, test it to ensure that another problem, such as too much baking soda, hasn’t ruined the flavor. If it hasn’t, level the cake; you’ll have a little thinner cake but still a cake.
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Why does my sponge cake fail?
If your cake did not rise, make sure you used the proper rising agents. Check that your raising agents are up to date, since out-of-date ones will not have the same oomph. That might also be a sign that it wasn’t fully cooked, in which case put it back in the oven for a few more minutes.
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How do you fix a cake that is not cooked in the middle?
If it is still not cooked in the center, return it to the oven, closely covered with tin foil. While it traps the heat within, the foil will serve to heat the cake and aid in the cooking of the interior. Bake your cake for 10-15 minutes, checking after 7 minutes to ensure it is done.
