How do I get my cakes to rise evenly?

[PopiusTartius]

Just that really. My cakes always dome up more in the middle, which is fine just for everyday baking but for more special occasions with decorating it makes life harder! What am I doing wrong? I am using a fan oven...

I find switching the fan off bets a better rise on sponges. Don't know why though.

gets not bets..

I am pretty sure that rising in the middle is perfectly normal. otherwise why would some cake decorating instructions tell you to slice the top off to make it flat?

Well yeah, I do do that (the slicing thing) but then it's not such a smooth surface... I will try using the oven without the fan.

I am sure I remember dimly being told years ago to put the cake tin in a bigger tin of water to cook it, is that a bain-marie? My memory is very sketchy...

If you have lined the tin is the bottom of the cake not a good flat surface for decorating?

ive cooked cheese cakes in water like that, never sponges. I flip them upside down for decorating! The weight flattens the top out provided it is not too domed and nice flat surface for decorating.

Funny that works unless it's a double layer sandwich type cake - I suppose I could just then put the cut surface at the bottom though, that's a good point. I will try that!

The Hummingbird website recommended not having your oven too hot to help with this, I will try that too.

I flip them both if it's double layered. The weight of the sponge flattens it out anyway. Not that my sponges are dense or anything!

I've heard the water thing too. Because the water only gets to a certain temperature so it cooks more evenly in a water bath.

It needs to be a non-fan oven and a lower temperature. It happens because the top of the cake cooks too quickly and so the middle 'bursts out' when it finally gets around to rising.

Yep lower temp.

I think slightly too damp mixtures make cakes go 'peaky' too.

Lower temp and flip the cakes so the dome is at the bottom and you have a flat surface for icing.

Alot of books suggest making a scoop with the cake mix so it levels out when cooking. I have tried this and it works ok. Failing that cut the top off and still turn it upside down.

Reduce the temp by 5-10 degrees and add 10 mins cooking time. I bake cakes all the time (I make celebration cakes) and a 10" square baked at 160 takes 1.5 hours but comes out flat and moist

Get an old muslin and cut to depth of pan. Wet. Wrap around circumference of the pan. Pin. Cook. Perfect :-)
Something to do with the sides heating up more quickly than the middle and the wet cools them and evens it out.
HTH