13
Cooking
(cont'd)
Problem
Cause
Lopsided cakes
(bake unevenly)
Pans touching each other or oven walls.
Batter spread unevenly in pan.
Uneven heat distribution in oven.
Oven is not level.
Cakes, cookies, biscuits
too brown on bottom or top
Oven not preheated.
Pans touching each other or oven walls.
Using glass, darkened, warped or dull
finish metal pans.
Rack position too high or low.
Incorrect use of aluminum foil.
Oven temperature too high.
Pies don’t brown
Incorrect rack position.
Using shiny metal pans.
Temperature set too low.
Cakes not done in center
Temperature too high.
Pan too small.
Baking time too short.
Pan not centered in oven.
Cakes fall
Too much shortening or sugar.
Too much or too little liquid.
Temperature too low.
Old or too little baking powder.
Pan too small.
Oven door opened frequently (peeking).
Insufficient baking.
Excessive shrinkage
Too little leavening.
Mixing batter too long.
Pan too large.
Oven temperature too high.
Baking time too long.
Cakes high in middle
or cracked
Temperature set too high.
Overmixing.
Too much flour.
Pans touching each other or oven walls.
Common Baking Problems
If you begin to notice consistent problems refer to the chart below for possible solutions. If results are still poor, contact
Amana Consumer Affairs at (800) 843-0304. Ingredients should be at ambient temperature prior to baking.
Test your cakes for doneness
While they are still in the oven. Because
of variances across individual ovens, it
is best to test for the proper consistency
rather than solely relying on time and
visual appearance as an indicator.
It may not be the oven
Cake problems may be in the mixing of
the batter. Overbeating can cause cake
structure to break down and excessive
shrinkage of the cake. Underbeating
can result in lumpy cakes that may not
be cooked thoroughly. All ingredients
should be at room temperature—not
out of the refrigerator. Make sure to
follow the recipes directions for how
long the batter should be mixed.
Cake stuck?
Allow cake to cool in cake pan on a
rack for 10 minutes before removing.
Larger cakes (over 14 inches in
diameter) may take 15 minutes. If the
cake has cooled too long, reheat in the
oven at 250°F for a few minutes.