Why did my cake sink? 6 reasons and how to fix them

A sunken middle is the question we hear most on WhatsApp. The good news: it is almost always one of six things.

1. The oven door was opened too early

Opening the door in the first two-thirds of baking lets the temperature drop before the structure has set. Wait until the cake has risen and the edges look set before you peek.

2. Too much raising agent

More baking powder does not mean a taller cake. Extra gas makes the bubbles grow too big, burst, and collapse. Measure with proper measuring spoons and level them off.

3. Under-baking

If the centre is still wet, it will fall as it cools. Use a skewer — it should come out clean or with a few dry crumbs — and learn the "spring back" test.

4. Over-creaming or under-creaming

Butter and sugar should be pale and fluffy, not oily. In our climate, butter that is too warm can't hold air at all.

5. Oven temperature is off

Most home ovens in Sri Lanka run 10–20°C hot or cold. An oven thermometer (about Rs. 1,500) is the best investment you will make.

6. The tin is the wrong size

A batter for a 23 cm tin baked in a 20 cm tin will be too deep to set in the middle before the edges overcook.

Still stuck? Send a photo of your bake to our WhatsApp — our instructors reply during class hours.