Why does nothing rise?

[TheOneWithTheHair]

Every time I make a cake or muffins it never rises properly. I always follow a recipe as I can never remember the measurements but whether it calls for self raising flour or plain with baking powder, the result is the same.

Can anyone tell me where I'm going wrong or give me any tips please. Thank you.

Please help. I want to make cupcakes/muffins for the staff room next week and I want them to be good.

room temperature fat and eggs.
LOTS of beating - I love my hand electric whisk for cakes. Muffins are nice but not right when I make them!

Light sponge cake for me:
6oz margarine (full fat)
6oz caster sugar
beat until changes color, and is almost white.
Add 3 eggs, one by one, whisking after each addition. Splash of vanilla extract for vanilla.
Add 6oz SR flour (or 5.5oz flour, 0.5 cocoa), and half a teaspoon of baking powder. Whisk again (most people say fold at this point, I don't). Splash of milk (maybe a generous tablespoon?), whisk. Into ONE caketin, and preheated oven at 180oC til cooked. 30-40 mins, depending on the shape.

Thats what works for me, but different people, different kitchens, different ovens, and you can get a very different result!

Does it taste nice? In which case whats the problem??

What temp do you bake at? 160 is best for cakes.

Nextphases recipe should work well

Is your flour/baking powder out of date?

Thanks. It tastes ok but is a bit dense. I'll try lowering the oven temp and whisking more. I usually bake at 180.

Thank you for the recipe. I'll give it I try. I notice you use SR flour and baking powder together. Is that usual?

I don't think so Ginformation but I wouldn't like to guarantee it.

Weigh 4 eggs. Then chuck the same weight of sr flour, soft marge and caster sugar and a tsp of baking powder into a bowl. Beat like crazy with an electric whisk.

Divvy up into paper cases in a muffin tin. Bake in a 180ish oven for 7 minutes. Turn the tray round. Bake for another 7, then check every 2 until done.

I make thousands of these- hasn't failed me yet. There is more egg and baking powder than many recipes- which could explain it!

Thanks. I'll try it. When do you add any flavouring or 'interesting bits' as my dcs like to call it. Does it make any difference to your weights?

No. Liquid interesting bits in at the beginning, solid ones stirred in at the end. Mine is a very forgiving recipe, the only thing it doesn't like is being vey much too firm. So if an interesting bit is cocoa, for example, put it in with the flour, but add a splash of milk.

Ok brilliant. I'm may give it a go with dd this afternoon.

If you do the traditional method, cream fat and sugar, add eggs one by one, fold in flour, no baking powder. If you do the quick method - sling it all in a bowl and whisk, I've often seen baking powder added. I've sort of blended the two methods over the years (saves getting another spoon covered in cake mix!)

Curlews recipe is basically the same - an egg is taken to weigh 2oz.

Right, the muffins are in the oven. I've used curlew's method/recipe so I'll let you know. Fingers crossed.

I bet this isn't the first live baking thread on here.

is your oven seal a bit leaky?

you also need a good high sift of your flour for a good rise. mix all the other ingredients really, really well. Butter and sugar creamed until they go really pale.

but leave the sifted flour until last. just gentle fold this in to keep a decent amount of air in the mix.

Thanks Charlotte. The oven seal should be fine. It's quite new.

Right, I've turned the tray and it looks like they are rising. :)

Yay. Success! They are beautifully light and have risen really well. Thank you so much. I'm well chuffed.

Second batch done. They rose too. again.

Yay! Well done!

A MN happy ending!