[MissButtercup]

I have this delicious chocolate cake in the oven but the top has cracked. How do I prevent this? It's happened to a few cakes I've baked, do I have the oven too hot?
This is the cake - http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/25912/rich...late+fudge+cake

[*CalamityJane*]

Yep, probably too hot. The outside is cooking too fast and making a crust and then as the inside cooks and expands it burst through. It'll still taste good, just a pain if you want to ice it,

[~sydblue~]

DH cooks his cakes in a bain marie(think that's how it's spelt).
They always come out nice and even and moist. You could also have the oven up too high.

[Jemstar]

I had this problem, try decreasing the temp of your oven by about 10 degrees and also if your oven is fan forced line the pan with baking paper so it comes up nice and high and protects the rising cake from the flow of air from the fan.

[MissButtercup]

Thanks ladies I've just turned the oven down. Oven is fan forced so that could be the problem too...

Nice crack aye - lucky its just for us to enjoy at home.



Oven was at 160 - now down to 140.

This post has been edited by MissButtercup: 08/02/2013, 06:39 PM

[*LucyE*]

Yes, the oven could be too hot.

I also notice you didn't line the tin with paper. Did you grease and flour it well? Sometimes not doing that will cause the cake to have trouble 'rising' because its cooked to the edges and that causes cracks.

Looking at your cake, I think this may be more likely because the cracks are around the rim. Cracks from too hot an oven tend to be in the centre with more of a volcanic protrusion.

[icekool]

Did you follow the recipe to the T?

I found when I used reduced fat butter or substitute with margarine, it doesn't come out moist but dry.

[greenthumbs]

No idea. I just wanted to say 'those racks are spotless!'

I would be ashamed to put a photo of my oven where anyone except me could see it!

I'll bet the cake tastes great still

[MissButtercup]

I greased the tin and lined the base with paper but not the sides. I just turned the cake out and it's come out perfectly. yay!

Yep I followed the recipe.

ETA - greenthumbs - I only cleaned the oven last week, we're in a rental while our house is being built so trying to make the move out clean as painless as possible. Lucky you can't see the rest of the kitchen though. lol

This post has been edited by MissButtercup: 08/02/2013, 07:57 PM