Oh, I Give Up!

[Tilly2]

I have just made Delia's cake of the week...damp gingerbread. I followed the instructions precisely and yet the cake is as flat as a pancake, just like any other cake I've ever tried to bake.

That's it now! Never again.

It might be ok, in a dish with some custard poured over but to look at it looks like a miserable excuse for a cake. What a waste of time and money. I even bought a new cake tin to bake it in.

What do I always do wrong?

[ummmm]

I keep meaning to try and bake a cake. I have 3 cake tins...never used :-)

[jim360]

Oven temperature never quite right? Not enough air beaten in? The cake gods hate you for what you did to them as a child?

[MargoTester]

Don't know Tilly but whatever you're doing I do the same. They quite often taste ok though.

[murraymints]

type of oven, temp and time is most likely the cause...look at the instructions regarding type of oven ???

[Tilly2]

I thought Delia's recipes were foolproof?

One bonus, Ummm. The house smells lovely and Christmassy.

Jim, I don't remember doing anything to the cake gods. I must have a think.

[murraymints]

I'll bring custard...!!

[naomi24]

Do you open the oven during cooking to have a peek?

[Tilly2]

Minty it says 180 degrees, for 50 minutes. That's what I did.


You can't bake either then, Margo?

[Tilly2]

No, Naomi, no peeking.

[murraymints]

for a convection..fan assisted etc etc... did you pre heat oven ??

[Tilly2]

Here's the recipe. Have a go Ummm and see how you get on.

It looks really simple. :-)

[Tilly2]

https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/books/delias-cakes/damp-gingerbread

[bhg481]

Do you have an oven thermometer or do you believe the knob on the oven? You can get one for about £5; might be worth a try.

[Tilly2]

Yes, Minty, I pre-heated the oven...

[murraymints]

https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/books/delias-cakes/damp-gingerbread

this one ? no mention of oven variables... is your oven True ??

[naomi24]

Oven temperature? Did you sieve the flour and beat the mixture well?

[murraymints]

lol crossed posts..test your oven temps..I had one that was actually a good bit hotter than the dials suggested

[MargoTester]

No I'm useless. Pastry won't roll, looks like crazy paving. Made a trifle and poured hot custard over the set bottom part and it sank straight through (I was drunk - Christmas office party) I put a cake frill around the glass dish, nobody knew the difference! So I gave up too.

[rockyracoon]

Is your bicarb of soda out of date?

[Tilly2]

Bhg, perhaps an oven thermometer might help but other things seem to be ok. I have cooked in six different ovens in my married life and they have all been the same. None of them ever produced anything that looked like a sponge cake.

It's just me. I can't cook Yorkshire puddings either.