Master bakers please assist

[LimitIsUp]

So I have followed a recipe to the letter and have ended up with two barely risen flat cakes. Where did I go wrong?

Only things I can think of: did you use the right size tin, was the flour old (or plain by mistake) or did you open the oven door before the cakes were cooked?

Did you use plain flour instead of self raising flour by mistake?

I’ve noticed that Mary Berry often uses additional raising agent in her recipes, even when using self raising flour. Wonder if this recipe has enough with four eggs in it.

Thanks all

I used self raising flour - I think its in date.
I didn't open the oven door until the 25 mins was up
I should have used a 20 cms tin but it was 22 cms so not much bigger - but perhaps enough to make a difference

Should I make it again and add baking powder do you think? How much, a teaspoon or more? I really am an inexpert baker with very little experience

Did you increase the mixture for it being a 22 cm tin rather than 20 cm?

No, I confess I didn't.

My plan now is to increase the mixture by a factor of 1.5 to account for the bigger tins
Add some baking powder

Then, if it doesn't work its a trip to the supermarket to buy an 'effin birthday cake

The slightly larger (even only 2cm) tins would have made a difference. I would expect to see baking powder in a recipe of that quantity to be honest. I would probably add 1/2 a tsp.

To be honest though, they don't look that flat to me. Once you've got all the icing on I reckon they'd be fine.

Thanks Norma

As its for a birthday cake I will make it again with a bit more mixture, but I won't waste the original. I keep those for 'domestic' consumption (birthday cake is for a friend)

You could make one more cake with half the mixture and have a spectacular 3 layered cake, with nothing wasted?

I agree, use half the mixture in one tin and make a triple layered cake. It will look spectacular!

That sometimes happens to me - but my oven is crap!

Great idea MsMaple and AdaColeman, but I'd already made up the mixture before spotting your posts and bunged it in the oven. Time is of the essence since the cake is for this evening.

In the end I made up the same amount of cake mixture as previously rather than 1.5 times (as I didn't want to waste ingredients if it turned out to be a flop) but I did add baking powder (especially since I checked the date on my SR flour and it was best before December 2019 - the baking powder however is newly purchased). I have a cringey confession to make, I think (but I am not sure) that I may have added only 125g of self raising flour yesterday rather than 225g since there seemed more flour in the bowl, the mixture was heavier today and there was a bit more of it. Its possible that I was reading the recipe without wearing my reading glasses . I am not sure that I did this but I have to acknowledge that it is a possibility. I really am poor sighted without my reading glasses

I should know how things have turned out in approx 20 mins time

I bet it's the tin size then. I don't put additional baking powder unless making a sponge using the all in one method, but I know some people swear by it. If you cream the fat and sugar until is really pale and then add the eggs slowly, it should rise just fine.

Cross posted! Let us know how it turns out

I'll post pics

Second batch on the left with a reject from the first attempt on the right for comparison. An improvement - thanks all

Now to proceed with the filling and topping

With my reading glasses on

Final result
Not too shabby
Thanks all

Looks delicious!

Thank you, I am quite chuffed and might give this baking malarkey another go