cooking time and temperature for lakeland topsy-turvy cake tins (1 Viewer)

[Joanna]

Hi everyone. I'm new to this site and fairly new to baking! I bought myself the lakeland topsy-turvy cake tins (15 cm, 20cm and 25cm) and found a lakeland recipe (basic - flour/eggs/sugar/sr flour) on the net. It says cook at 180 for 1 hour, 1.5 hours and 2 hours respectively. I have a fan oven.

The first one rose in the middle and came out quite burnt. The second I took out 15 mins early with much the same result. Not convinced either is properly cooked in the middle. The third one I've put in at 150 instead of 180 and with 30 mins to go I can see that it's risen in the middle. Where am I going wrong? Any tips? Luckily this is a trial rather than a cake for an occasion!

 

[Angie]

Hi @Joanna

Welcome to the site.

Aww, I'm sorry that you're having trouble with the cakes and hopefully I'll be able to help some. The basic recipe you mentioned is most probably a Victoria Sponge Recipe which is very versatile and easy to bake with.

However, as you said the cakes have risen in the middle and burnt which suggests to me that the temperature is way too high for the cakes. (It can also be caused by too much raising agent or the tins being overfilled with batter).

I'm not sure how deep the tins are that you have bought but when I bake a 6 x 3 inch Victoria in my fan-assisted oven I bake it at 150°C on shelf two, (because I have a large capacity oven) for around 55 minutes. If you have a small oven I would bake it on the middle shelf.

Generally, the deeper the cake tin the lower the temperature you would bake it at maybe 150 or 160°C would be fine, I would only bake a Victoria Sandwich at about 170/175°C on my middle shelf but that's because it's only about an inch deep when baked and bakes much quicker. Anything that's deep bake on lower for longer, that way you get a more even bake.

180°C is probably for a conventional oven with no fan as when you have a fan assisted you have to reduce the temp down by 10-20°C to compensate for the air being circulated by the fan.

To ensure the cake is baked in the middle insert a knife or skewer into the centre of it. If the knife/skewer comes out with a gooey cake mixture on it the cake isn't baked in the middle. If it has a little crumb on it it's done.

Another way to test a cake when it comes out is to push your finger lightly and very quickly onto the cake (be careful the cake is hot). If your fingerprint springs back the cake is baked if it doesn't it needs to continue baking. Another way to test if the cake is done is by sound, if you lightly push quickly on the cake (again be careful because it's hot) it will sort of make a soft hiss sound at you like it's crispy. Sounds weird but works all the time when I make Madeira cakes.

Anyway, hope this helps, I'm really glad that you're testing your cake tins and recipe (you'd be surprised at how many people don't).

If you need anything else then let me know.

You're doing great and well done for thinking to reduce the temp down.

 

[Angie]

Just a point... @Joanna

When you do reduce the temp you will have to bake for longer. If you have reduced the temp by a vast amount I would bake the cake for anywhere between 10 - 30 minutes longer than the original recipe depending on the size of the cake.

However, take the cake out after the original time and test with the skewer. If it's really gooey in the centre of the cake, bake for another ten minutes and then check again with the skewer. If it's still got gooey cake mix on it place it back in the oven then keep taking it out roughly every 5-10 minutes and keep checking the centre (ensuring you clean your skewer each time).

The gooeyness of the cake with eventually turn into small crumbs on the skewer. Once this is done you can then take it out but keep a pen and pad by the side of the oven so you can work out exactly how long you baked it for. (This gives you an idea for next time how long to bake it for).

Once baked, place the tin on a wire rack for about ten minutes and allow it to release away from the tin. Then after ten minutes turn the cake out onto the wire rack and allow it to cool fully. If you have greased your tins properly the cake will slide right out.

Don't want to overload you with info but just want you to get as much info as possible.

Good luck!

Angie

 

[Joanna]

Oh Angie that's great - thanks soooooo much! The third one, which I cooked at 150 degs, has definitely come out better than the others, although I've yet to examine its middle. The skewer came out clean though. In terms of depth, the tins are 10cm deep at the deep end and 6cm deep at the shallow end.

 

[Angie]

Aww, you're most welcome my dear. So the tins are basically between 2½ and 4 inches deep. Yeah, I would definitely stick with the 150 if you're happy with it.

If the skewer is clean you should be good but the bigger the cake sometimes they can be a touch undercooked now and again in the centre so it's good that you can taste test and analyse this one to ensure that it's cooked all the way around when you cut into it.

If you find the larger cakes to be a touch dry you can always add a stock syrup to them when they are hot and it absorbs into the cake and keeps them moist for longer.

Good luck with the taste testing you've definitely earned it.

 

[A Guy]

Welcome to HMB Joanna

A Guy