Why are my cakes dry and horrid? I try so hard ....

[Queenofknickers]

No matter what recipe, how gently I fold in flour etc etc my cakes just aren't...cakey. In fact they taste dry and quite tasteless. Help please!i just want to make a decent cake (or even a bun, I'm not fussy)

It could be your oven's fault.
Delia smith has a lot to say on the subject and she maintains that a good cake isnt possinle in a poor oven.

So..

Check oven is up yo temperature before putting the mix in.

Beat the eggs with an electric mixer, in a very clean bowl.

Try adding some flavour such as vanilla essence, orange or lemon zest, rose essence or chopped apricots.

Try out different recipes.

Use the right size and shape of tin for a recipe, and try out different recipes.

Have you checked your oven temp? They are quite often out, so a separate thermometer will let you check - if it's dry it's possibly over-baked. What temp are you baking on? Can you give us an example of a recipe you've used, and how you baked it?

A lot of recipes of for conventional ovens: if yours is fan assisted, turning it down 20 degrees might help.

Are for, not of for

I had an oven thermometer as my oven dial had a lot of wriggle room and it wasn't well marked. I now have a digital display one.

My standard fairy cake recipe is Nigella's and I use her all in one method. Everything in the bowl. Mix, into cake cases and cook.

But I learnt that my old oven was still too hot so I had very pointy cakes, ended up experimenting and turning it down 10 degrees and increasing the time until it worked. I half the recipe so I get 8 cakes. Perfect as they get eaten in one sitting so none left over tempting me.

I think making fairy cakes is easiest way to start, then move onto a full cake.

The only time I fold in flour is when I do a very rich 3 layer chocolate cake for birthdays.

Like everyone else says, I would bet it is your oven temperature.

Thanks everyone - turned down oven yesterday and got a decent lemon cake!

Hurrah!

Bbc good food chocolate fudge cake is easy to make and nigh on impossible to make it dry. Best cake ever

Yay cake