Does anyone have a miracle cure or even a hint to stop cakes shrinking in the middle when they are in the oven, or when you take them out of the oven? I have heard you drop the cake tin before you put it in the oven to stop air bubbles. However, I have done it several times and it does not work.: oops:

What sort of a cake are you making, dawnjem?

It may be because you have too much baking powder in it.

It may be because your cake is too close to the element. Move it one wrack down.

It may be because you open your oven door too soon. You shouldn't open an oven door before at least half way through the cooking time.

It may be because you aren't cooking the cake long enough. Try cooking it another five or ten minutes.

They are the only things I can think of.

I have a no-fail sponge cake recipe. Want to give that a try?

The nofail sponge cake sounds interesting? I would love to have a cake that does not fall in the middle.

NEVER FAIL SPONGE CAKE

185g Sugar
1 Heaped Tablespoon Flour
2 Tablespoons Hot Water
185g Cornflour
4 Eggs
1.5 Teaspoons Baking Powder

Beat egg whites until stiff.
Boil sugar in water.
Add sugar mixture to stiff egg whites.
Beat hard.
Add egg yolks.
Beat hard.
Fold in dry ingredients.
Halve mixture and pour into two tins.
Bake at 375F for 20 minutes.

Dawnjem, I've made the `never fail sponge' dozens of times and it always comes out beautifully.

Fill it with jam and cream (or jam, cream and strawberries or something as equally as nice).

I had a chocolate cake sink on me the other day. I got a plastic tumbler and used it as a means to cut the middle out of the cake and turned it into a `ring cake'

I ate the bit I cut out with a cuppa once I'd finished baking.

I have just found this thread, and i also have a nice sponge receipe. My trick to this one to stop it going flat or sinking in the middle is to drop the tins on the floor or the bench when you take them OUT of the oven.

I did have one incident after taking out a sponge from the oven, my son was crawling at the time, and he saw the tins on the floor, and came crawlling over, and in goes his hands before i could rescue them. lol.