Next time, trim the top of the cake to level it out.

Better yet, carefully separate the sides from the pan with a butter knife, then invert the pan over a plate or board so the cake comes out upside down. The bottom of it, which is now the top, is level, and the indentation is hidden. Cover the evidence by frosting the cake.

If the indentation is really big, fill it with frosting or some other creamy filling before flipping (so that the middle of the flipped cake doesn't fall into the hole).

Next time, trim the top of the cake to level it out.

A kitchen aid mixer is an awesome tool, but like any tool it's more appropriate for some types of jobs than others. I wouldn't use it for mixing cake batter - it's too rough, and will incorporate too much air (as you've found). Cake batter calls for gently folding the wet ingredients into the dry with a whisk or rubber spatula - you don't want to beat it. Save the kitchen aid for cookie dough (creaming butter/sugar and beating in the dry ingredients) or whipping cream or egg whites.

Experimenting like this is the best way to learn about what works! I love the science behind baking . And happy birthday to your DH!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, I cooked it already. I did it for 30 minutes because at 25 minutes the fork wasn't coming out clean. Can anyone tell me why now after the cake cooled it has a huge dip in the middle? My poor DH is getting the most janky cake for his birthday tonight.

Usually it's because the batter was overmixed (beaten too long / too hard) before pouring into the pan. This incorporates a lot of air into the batter, which expands as you start to bake the cake, so it over-rises, but doesn't have the structure to hold the extra-high rise, so it collapses.

There are a million other reasons it can happen (old baking powder, not enough or too much baking powder, bad ratio of wet:dry ingredients), but I'd assume most of those are OK since you used a mix.

As PP said - fill it in with frosting

Yep you are right I over beat it now that you say that. It looked clumpy after the suggested 2 minutes so I ran it on high for another minute or so. I'm not a fan of the kitchen aid mixer but that's another thread!

Next time bang your pan on the counter a few times before putting it in the oven to help get some of the air out.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, I cooked it already. I did it for 30 minutes because at 25 minutes the fork wasn't coming out clean. Can anyone tell me why now after the cake cooled it has a huge dip in the middle? My poor DH is getting the most janky cake for his birthday tonight.

Usually it's because the batter was overmixed (beaten too long / too hard) before pouring into the pan. This incorporates a lot of air into the batter, which expands as you start to bake the cake, so it over-rises, but doesn't have the structure to hold the extra-high rise, so it collapses.

There are a million other reasons it can happen (old baking powder, not enough or too much baking powder, bad ratio of wet:dry ingredients), but I'd assume most of those are OK since you used a mix.

As PP said - fill it in with frosting

Yep you are right I over beat it now that you say that. It looked clumpy after the suggested 2 minutes so I ran it on high for another minute or so. I'm not a fan of the kitchen aid mixer but that's another thread!

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, I cooked it already. I did it for 30 minutes because at 25 minutes the fork wasn't coming out clean. Can anyone tell me why now after the cake cooled it has a huge dip in the middle? My poor DH is getting the most janky cake for his birthday tonight.

Usually it's because the batter was overmixed (beaten too long / too hard) before pouring into the pan. This incorporates a lot of air into the batter, which expands as you start to bake the cake, so it over-rises, but doesn't have the structure to hold the extra-high rise, so it collapses.

There are a million other reasons it can happen (old baking powder, not enough or too much baking powder, bad ratio of wet:dry ingredients), but I'd assume most of those are OK since you used a mix.

As PP said - fill it in with frosting

^ I can't tell you why it happened but I can tell you that it's fairly easy to fill a dip in a cake in with frosting.

And now I want cake

Sorry, I cooked it already. I did it for 30 minutes because at 25 minutes the fork wasn't coming out clean. Can anyone tell me why now after the cake cooled it has a huge dip in the middle? My poor DH is getting the most janky cake for his birthday tonight.

OP, can you tell us what pan sizes the directions do list? If you give us the temp and cooking time for the other pans, I might be able to help extrapolate.

Sticks knife or toothpick in, pull it out. If it's completely clean the cake is ready.

Cook till done.

roll pan out to make round, add ingredients and bake.

It's a Duncan Hines red velvet box cake. Doesn't specify for this size of pan. Thanks!