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From: Sarah Phillips
Remote Name: 64.81.210.89
Remote User:
There's a whole list of causes, but I think you're right--a bouncing kid does not make for good cakes. I have 4 teenagers now and I still get distracted when they're around when I bake.
What's probably happening is that she has to start and stop making the recipe -- while the cake sits, air bubbles escape and beaten egg whites start deflating. The leaveners start acting too and by the time she gets the cake in the oven, they are already somewhat spent.
Cakes need to be mixed without skipping a beat and then put in the oven--I still have trouble doing that when my kids are around--I get distracted and sometimes leave out ingredients.
And, then there are the dogs under foot, who I keep bumping into and sometimes tripping over. A barking dog begging for cake batter and dog treats can also lead to fallen cakes !!
I should add "kids" and "pets" to my cake problems chart --http://www.baking911.com/cakes_problems.htm
Here are some official reasons for fallen cakes: Over or underbeating – too much or too little air is incorporated into batter.Underbaking - oven temperature too low and / or too short a baking time Over or under measurement of liquid Too small a pan Excessive jarring or moving of the cake during baking. Opening the oven door before cake sets Oven temperature too low. Too much baking powder, baking soda, liquid, or sugar. Excessive mixing of the batter.