why are my cakes dry?

[AllyH]

I followed a friends recipe for Hummingbird chocolate cup cakes and used all the right ingredients (except semi-skimmed milk instead of whole milk - but added a little cream - it's what I had!)

And as our oven is quite fierce turned the recommended temperature down a bit. However her cakes are lovely and moist and stay together and mine tasted lovely but fell in half (with the bottom half still attached to the paper cases!!)

Why do you think it is? Any ideas - otherwise will just have to keep making them and experiment with different variables! (At least the kids will eat them!)

all cakes i make turn into biscuits. no idea why. so you're not alone!

do you use butter? do you cream sugar and butter together adn then gradually add flour and then a little milk?

if you do the above and still have dry cakes there is no hope!

if mine are dry it's because I've out the temp too low and I've had to leave them in the oven too long

My normal fairy cakes as you say creaming butter and sugar together, etc are fine, but am trying to be more adventurous and this recipe you wizz together the flour, sugar baking powder, butter, cocoa (think that's about it), then add half of a mixture of milk and egg, beat it to get rid of the lumps and then add the rest of the liquid, the mixture looked good! Just not the final product!

Tommy - I was thinking that might be it, and might try with the temp a bit higher (but worried I'll get burnt on top and not cooked through!)

And you think it would be so simple!

Buttermilk is great for making moist cakes.

COV - do you just use that instead of milk?