Flat sponge

[nahwhale]

Why does my sponge (victoria) go flat? I use self raising flour. Would using a spoon instead of an electric whisk give it more of a chance?

Add a teaspoon of baking powder and it should rise.

It doesn't say to - is it just that my self raising flour is rubbish?

Are you definitely using the right sized cake tin for the recipe? I once had a disaster sponge that turned out to have been for two 8" tins when I'd used 7" tins.

Otherwise, yes add some baking powder even if using self-raising. I do that even when I use a spoon instead of the electric mixer.

That should have been the other way round - should have been 7" and I used 8".

Are you using cheap SR flour?

Alternatively, are you using the right size cake tin? Using a tin that's too small or too big could affect the rise.

And finally, does the cake rise in the oven and then sink when you take it out? If so, leave it in for another few mins - it should spring back into shape when you press it lightly with your finger. If it doesn't spring back, it's not cooked and will likely sink.

Is your oven hot enough ?

Thank you all so much.

Yes right size tin.
Cheapo self raising flour - may try better stuff next time. Then add baking powder if needed.
Cake does not sink.
Oven says it's hot enough but I'll check that as who knows! Also I use fan oven - is that better or worse than standard oven?

Is it 'all in one' method or cream butter/sugar first method? If 'all in one' you need some extra baking powder even with self raising. Maybe take out the whole self raising worry and just buy plain flour and use with baking powder.

Right size tins too for recipe quantity is essential, cakes don't rise as much as you might think and sometimes there is a lot to be said for say making a 8" mix and using a 7" tin!

Was watching a tv programme last night with VS being made, there is no way the cake tins that we were shown with the raw mix in them going into the oven were the actual layers in the final shots of cake, they must have baked more and did a bit of editing, can't always believe what you read or see, have seen some recipes that simply would never come out like the photos!

@marylou25 Thank you so much. Yes perhaps I need smaller tins! Baking powder seems the way to go.

Thanks bakers of mumsnet

Also - size of your eggs! Eggs have got smaller and smaller and a cake recipe I've been using since the 80s which calls for 2 eggs now means 2 extra large , 3 large or 4 medium in current sizes.

Weight the eggs in shells then use equal butter flour and sugar. And definitely baking powder. I use 2 eggs per 8 inch tin

Agree with weighing the eggs. I do 3 medium eggs for an 8" tin.
And don't use baking powder, just 1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda.

Def baking powder and make sure you have creamed the butter and sugar enough.

How fresh are your eggs? Old eggs won’t hold air very well. https://www.deliaonline.com/how-to-cook/eggs/how-to-tell-how-fresh-an-egg-is

And be sure to sift your flour twice.

Oh do you have to sift flour still?!

@nahwhale The whole point of a sponge cake is that it’s as light as air. Flour is packed tightly. No air to spare. So, sift it. Sift it twice for more air.

Add baking powder? Sift it to be sure it mixes properly.

Cream butter and sugar. That’s adding air.

Eggs don’t come with air in them. You need to whisk them until they froth and balloon. It’s like magic. Oh, any sort of fat in the bowl stops them frothing. I always wipe out wit a few drops of lemon or vinegar first because my bowl lives in the open.

Fold your ingredients through, if you are doing it by hand, means using a spoon to lift carefully so as not to knock the air out. It sounds like mOre work than it really is.

Thank you so much I will try all this!