how do i stop my sponge rising in the middle and not the edges as much?

how do i stop my sponge rising in the middle and not the edges as much?

I have been asked by my husbands grandmother to bake a cake for a church fete, my cakes are nice but i cant seem to get it to bake with a flat top, whenever it comes out the oven its always rissen in the middle but never really round the edges! how on earth do i get it to rise evenly? infact how do you get your cake to rise so much at all, mine dont seem to rise a lot at all. I always use my mums recipe, 8oz SR flour, 4 butter, 6 caster sugar, 2-3 eggs and a tiny splash of milk.  it always seems a little thick to me, when i went to college we were told to add flour till you got to the "ribbon stage".  Maybe i should hunt out my cook book lol.  It's been so long since i did anything like this, you wouldnt of thought i did a hopsitality course at college lol. I only managed my first year at top of my class but got pregnant and couldnt keep it up lol so it's been 4 1/2 years since i baked a real cake lol.  Any help would be more than welcome!

Re: how do i stop my sponge rising in the middle and not the edges as much?

Hi Nykita

I don't know how you'd stop your cake rising in the middle but to get it to rise evenly, you need to stir the mixture lots and lots. You could try using a food mixer?

I only use one recipe for fairy cakes and sponges and that's equal amounts of flour, caster sugar, margarine and one or two eggs depending on how much mixture you have. I sieve the flour and castor sugar to make the cake nice a fluffy and because my girls love sieving and wash up for me I don't use milk myself, just eggs.

Just thought I'd share because it's one thing I do well is sponge cakes

Don't sweat the small stuff. It will make you stinky.

Re: how do i stop my sponge rising in the middle and not the edges as much?

thanx Nina, i do mix it lots but perhaps not enough, and i always sieve my flour and castor sugar but i always only put in half the ammount of fat to flour, perhaps i need more butter? ill give it a try and see what happens lol thanx hun! hope all is well with you and the girls xXx

Re: how do i stop my sponge rising in the middle and not the edges as much?

Hi Nykita

You're probably being very sensible not using as much fat You could try looking at the cake recipes on this site? I usually have a look from time to time and then go off and have a Mr Kipling *lol*

Yes, my girls are fine, thanks. How are your two? It's getting close to your due date now isn't it? And when are we going to get an up to date photo of your two?

Nx

Don't sweat the small stuff. It will make you stinky.

Re: how do i stop my sponge rising in the middle and not the edges as much?

my two are fine thanx, need to get some more up to date pics on the computer but i think ill wait till my wee boy is born in the next 9 weeks and put all 3 on lol. i tried using more fat and it worked! it came out great exept the sponge stuck to the tin and ripped to pieces lol!

 xXx

Re: how do i stop my sponge rising in the middle and not the edges as much?

Oh well, I bet it still tasted delicious - just put it back together and smother it in icing - no one will know the difference!

While we're talking about food, have you tried the Chicken Bake that's on this site? SO easy to make and it's delicious. I made it last weekend as part of the Dolmio challenge: http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/dolmio Well worth trying. I just used frozen chicken breasts for mine and it worked brilliantly.

Nx

Don't sweat the small stuff. It will make you stinky.

Re: how do i stop my sponge rising in the middle and not the edges as much?

lol i should have done actually but i found a recipe for a lovely cake in the tana ramsey family food cook book we were given for x-mas, its got chocolate chocolate and more chocolate! lol it tasted really good although i'm not usually a big fan of dark chocolate.  I'll have to try that chicken bake, it sounds nice, but whether my hubby will eat it is another question lol he's very fussy and so is my eldest, its hard to make foor for the whole family in my house but i manage lol, usually spag boll, or sausage and mash, or sausage cassarole or beef cassarole or chicken and mash etc... the other prob i have is getting my hubby to eat his veg, as with the kids i have to actually cook it in the food so cassaroles and things are great! x

Re: how do i stop my sponge rising in the middle and not the edges as much?

To get your sponge to rise evenly you might like to follow my recipe and method:-

6 oz soft margarine

6 oz sugar (granulated or caster)

3 large eggs

6 oz S.R. flour

1 rounded teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon tepid water

If making a chocolate sponge add 1 tablespoon cocoa powder to the above.

Briskly beat together the marg and sugar either by hand or with a food mixer.

Add eggs and briskly beat until mixture is slightly thickened.

Sift flour and add to the mixture gradually, gently folding into the mixture.

If making chocolate sponge add cocoa powder now and fold in gently.

Add 1 tablespoon of tepid water and fold in gently.

Divide equally between two 8in sponge tins

Bake in the middle of a pre-heated oven for 25 minutes at 375F, 190C, gas mark 5.

Sponge is ready when separated from sides of pans and springs back when lightly pressed.

Good luck! Do let me know how you get on.