Why can't I make cakes?

[SPARKLER1]

This week I have made a chocolate sponge cake and today I have made chocolate fairy cakes. Both have been complete disastors. My sponge cake fell to pieces when I took it out of the baking tray. My fairy cakes ended up like cookies - well crunchy on the top and stuck to the paper cases at the bottom.
What am I doing wrong??
I so want to be able to cook.

Is it your oven? If it's not distributing heat evenly that would make it look like you can't bake, without it actually being your fault.

I bet turtle's right....we had that problem at my old house and my mum was great at making cakes - you can do it! Stupid oven.

Message withdrawn

i know slightly different but i cannot for the life of me make yorkshire puds in my blokes oven (it is fan assisted), yet when i make them at mine they turn out fine, (gas)
this happens with my mate as well. she has fan assisted and cannot make them . id thought it was just me being silly you see but she has same prob.
So could well be the oven
HTH

What did you use for butter/ margarine?
You need to use something that is at least 70g fat/100g of product.
If you use anything less, they will contain more water and this will evaporate in cooking leaving your cakes etc brittle and dry?

If delia's recipe doesn't work then you'll know it's your oven, or try cordon bleu recipes (I have the book don't know where to get them online though)

This is a completly fail safe recipie...

Turn oven on to 180 (GM5 i think) and let it heat up

In a bowl mix
100g SR flour
100g butter (softened) i find 1 min on defrost in microwave for 100g in MY microwave
100g caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 tsp baking powder
and 2 beaten eggs

Use an electric hand whisk or similar and beat for 2 mins (and its ALL Mixed)

Divide this mixture between 20 fairy cake cases (so u know they arnt too big or small)

and put into preheated over for 15mins (no more no less)

Get them out and let them cool.... should be purfect!

BTW my 4 year old charge can make these by HIMSELF (ecept oven bit!)

Good luck!!!

check out the temp of your oven with a thermometer they only cost a few quid if the oven is the wrong temp, even nigella would fail to make cakes!!