Altering cake batter amount- how to adjust oven temp/baking time?

Altering cake batter amount- how to adjust oven temp/baking time? - Woman in White Sweater Baking Cake

I'm planning to bake this cake.

http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2015/03/23/my-favorite-carrot-cake-recipe/

BUT...Instead of making a two layer cake, I would like to make a one layer cake in a 9-inch round cake tin. I was thinking that I could make 3/4 of the recipe, which would give me one layer that is a little bit thicker than in the recipe.

Other than baking for a longer amount of time, do I have to make any adjustments to the oven temperature? Am I risking having a dense cake that doesn't bake through?



Best Answer

Whenever you make a cake deeper you risk of a denser cake for a couple of reasons. The first is because the lift you get from the action of the leavening agents and expansion of air and steam will be partially offset by the increased weight that needs to be pushed up. Second, you may lose more lift than a thinner cake because the center of the cake will take longer to crystallize - it may start to sag back down before it hardens up.

Because it takes longer to cook the center of a thicker cake the outside of your cake might be more overcooked than it would with a thinner cake.

How much of a difference this actually makes is very hard to say, it depends on the recipe and other factors. Most cake recipes are pretty flexible, so there's no reason you can't make it thicker and get a good result. You'll want to reduce temperature and increase cooking time, how much is hard to say, I'd try decreasing your temperature by 15F, and as a guide add at least 10 minutes to the cooking time.

To take the guesswork out of it I would suggest using an instant read thermometer to check if it is done rather than a toothpick or skewer, the cake will be done between 205-210F.




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Altering cake batter amount- how to adjust oven temp/baking time? - Homemade Chocolate Cake in A Baking Pan



Quick Answer about "Altering cake batter amount- how to adjust oven temp/baking time?"

Just increase the oven temp by 25 degrees F and decrease the bake time by a quarter. In this particular example, since your pan is 1 inch larger, more surface area will be exposed. The liquid in the cake batter will evaporate quicker, which means it will bake faster.

Can I bake a cake at a lower temperature for longer?

Reduce the baking temperatureBaking at a lower temperature slows the spring in the leavening, which prevents a dome from forming on your cake. Most cakes bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Reducing the temperature to 325 degrees is all you need to do to get a flat-topped cake.

How do you reduce cooking time for a small cake?

A good rule of thumb is to set your timer for half the amount of time called for in the original recipe. So if a 9" x 13" cake takes 50 minutes to bake and you've halved the recipe to bake in a 9" cake pan, set your timer to start checking after 25 minutes.

Does baking time increase with quantity?

Again, the bake time will not change significantly. However, if you double the amount of a lasagna recipe, but only use as lightly larger casserole, the 2nd lasagna will be much thicker. It will require more time to bake through.

How does baking time change with pan size?

Don't expect to change a pan size and not have to change anything else in the recipe. Depending on whether your layer of batter is shorter or taller, you may need to reduce or increase the baking time. Cupcakes and muffins might be done in as little as half the time as their larger counterparts.



How To Adjust Baking Time For Different Size Pans




More answers regarding altering cake batter amount- how to adjust oven temp/baking time?

Answer 2

I would definitely reduce the heat as well as there is more dough to bake. At a higher temperature, you risk burning your cake from the outside while it doesn't cook through.

Maybe drop the temperature 10ยบ and see what happens.

The cake is done when it separates from the mold and when you have a "toothpick inserted into the center come out clean".

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