cake not risen - novice cake baker

[topsi]

have just made a 3 egg coffee cake which after the specified time in the oven has nor risen that well.
I have an old fan oven and did reduce the temp. by 10 degrees as normal.
when cakes don't rise can it be due to an oven being too hot and sort of cooking the cake before it has risen properly?
also what type of ovens are best for cakes? fan/electric/gas etc
any advice for a novice??

No, a too hot oven makes cakes rise suddenly and form a big peak in the middle, the oven too cold would make it rise less than normal. It is more than likely there was something not right with your mix. Was your self raising flour/baking powder in date? it can lose it's effect if out of date.

did you mix it lots?

you need to get air into the mixture in order to get a well risen cake. Depends on the method, but if it's a creamed cake, you beat the butter and suagr together lots at the beginning. Lots of mixing = lighter cake

Also need SR flour and/or baking powder, which as oops says needs to be in date to work best.

Did you use self raising flour?

I find fan oven dry out cakes a bit, so if you can switch it off do.

Agree re beating butter/sugar to get air in well in beginning ( a lot - it needs to be pale and fluffy ) and then adding eggs very gradually - I use a measuring jug and electric whisk. Fold in flour, no beating, just a few big wide strokes to incorporate, again if done too much will beat out the air.

And as mentioned, sr flour dtaes quickly once opened.

thanks all may have been the flour will go and check the date

I have a fan assisted oven and my cakes never rose. I turned off the fan and now they rise beautifully.

I have a fan oven and all my cakes come out beautiful. >
And I usually just beat the mixture with a wooden spoon. Consequently I never beat anything too much. Cakes still come out fine. It's more likely the oven not doing the correct temperature, especially since it's an old oven.

have a little top oven which is not a fan oven . I will buy new flour and try using the little oven. Also might try oven thermometer