Hollow cakes
I like to think of myself as a pretty good cook but I am at a loss these last few times I have baked. I’ve tried these receipes before and they always look and taste amazing but lately, whatever I bake rises lovely in the oven, but when its cooling flop horribly down in the centre. At first I thought it was my baking powder (as it was expired), then I thought maybe my kiddies bumped the oven but the cakes still seem to flop. Am I overbeating the batter? Its with any cake I make, no matter the receipe, which leaves to me think its my methodology. The sides rise beautifully and the taste is still there.
You could be overbeating the batter inadvertently. Are you using different equipment to mix your cake batters? Maybe it is too vigorous. Try doing the last part by hand and see if it helps – fold until the ingredients are have just come together and no more.
I’d also point a finger at the oven – I have had a terrible oven before and no matter what I did the cakes would collapse. It was too hot. You can change the oven thermostat or get a stand alone thermostat that goes in the oven to check the temperature is actually correct.
agree with Shireen, but another couldbe/maybe is if you have changed your oven (perhaps a new one) or the element and thermostat are not matching perhaps the temperature of the oven has changed try putting in a new thermostat they are not expensive,
I have the same problem. One day my apple pie is absolutely perfect, the next time soggy in the middle. Im also at a loss. I dont think its the baking powder, because I use self raising flour for this recipe. Then I end up putting newspaper over the edges with a hole in the middle and put it back in the oven.
It could be that you are using too much baking powder or that the cake is not 100% cooked through when you remove it from the oven.