My cakes are rubbish please help me.

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They just don’t rise enough. No one else seems to mind. They say they taste great. I don’t eat cake but am endlessly making them for dc/ family birthdays. My heart sinks when I am asked to make one.
I can cook well in all other areas but have NEVER been able to make a light and fluffy sponge.
Over the years I’ve tried all sorts of methods - nothing works.
I had a friend at secondary school who could make the most amazing sponges. We all had the same ingredients and used the same equipment- mine were rubbish, hers were huge.
Can anyone give me tips?

@Tinpotspectator that is true

@MarleneDietrichsSmile Thanks for that. So that means we should all be adding some form to acid to every cake to ensure the baking powder can do its job.

No. It isn't necessary for sponge cakes. It helps with scones though. I add a bit of lemon juice to the milk, or use buttermilk.

If a sponge cake rises too quickly it will sink.

My aunt, who is an amazing baker, always swears by putting in a tablespoon of boiling water in and stirring through immediately before putting in the oven. It gives a great rise!

[quote Tinpotspectator]@MarleneDietrichsSmile Thanks for that. So that means we should all be adding some form to acid to every cake to ensure the baking powder can do its job. [/quote]
This is actually the difference between baking power and bicarbonate of soda.

You don't need to add any acid to baking powder because it has the acid already in there in a dried form (which is why it won't work if it's got damp, because that allows to bicarb and the acid to react). Once you add water the acid and bicarb are in solution so they reaction.

Bicarbonate of soda is essentially one half of that - so you have to add the acid so that the mixture has enough H+ in it to react. So it's only necessary if you're adding bicarb, not baking powder.

E.g. the reaction is essentially NaHCO3 + Acid (e.g. vinegar, CH3COOH) --> CO2 + H2O + sodium acetate (a salt).

@Gladioli23 that's fascinating. So the tartaric a is actives the bicarbonate of soda?

Activates

Exactly - once they are both dissolved. Golden syrup and honey are also both acidic as well, as is lemon juice - so lots of normal baking ingredients serve the function.

Fascinating re the baking soda, I always wondered what the difference was- now I know!
This thread has been brill- so helpful. Thank you to everyone who has posted❤️

Weigh 4 eggs in the shells and match the fat,sugar and flour to the same weight.

Don't use real butter.

Cream sugar and fat for ages until it turns white,add eggs, fold in flour .

Bake @ 160

Add some vanilla too

Use caster sugar

@FleasInMyKnees

For2 x 8 inch tin I use 8oz sr flour, sifted from a height, 8oz butter, 8oz caster sugar, 4 eggs, tablespoon milk, drop of vanilla essence.

Oven 180
Grease and flour 2 x 8inch tins
Cream butter and sugar with whisk till fluffy
Add one egg followed by a tablespoon of flour until all mixed in
Add tablespoon of milk and drops of vanilla essence, ribena makes it a light pinkish colour
Cook 25 30 mins and test with a knife if they are cooked
Tip out upside down on rack, cool, fill with jam and cream, ice, eat.

I

Oops no idea how that happened! I agree, think there's no need to fiddle with the recipe, the standard one has been around for years and does work. My guess is you just aren't using enough mix for your tin size. Double it up and see what happens. 8oz and 4 eggs for an 8 inch tin