Frequently Asked Questions

You've asked, and I've answered!

Below I've provided some very detailed answers to the baking questions I get from time to time.

Jump to:

• Recipe Troubleshooting
• General Recipe & Baking Questions
• Orders & Blog Questions
• Still have questions?
• 💬 Comments

Recipe Troubleshooting:

I did not make any substitutions and am having trouble with one of your recipes; what happened?

Here are common recipe mistakes that can impact the final outcome of your baked goods:

• Using the wrong size cake pan (½ sheet pan instead of ¼ sheet pan or vice versa; using a 10 cup instead of a 12 cup bundt pan, etc). Please check the recipe card's Equipment Section and click on the link of the cake pan to double-check the size. 🙂
• Using regular or cooktype clearjel instead of Instant Clearjel. The packaging often looks similar, but they are quite different!
• Pulling the cake from the oven before it is done because of the bake time on my recipe card. If your cake doesn't pass the toothpick test or doesn't spring back when you touch it, it needs more time in the oven. All ovens bake differently, and my oven may just take less time than yours! 🙂
• While it shouldn't make a big difference, slight measuring variations are possible when using measuring cups instead of a kitchen scale. Especially when measuring items like fruit that are not easily measured in cups. For best results, I recommend using a kitchen scale and measuring ingredients in grams. This will ensure the most accurate measurements and help you achieve consistent results every time.
• Did your cake sink, shrink, or overflow? Please read the next three FAQs.
• If you don't see the answer to your question on this page, please contact me, or email me at [email protected]. I want these recipes to turn out perfectly for you, and I'd love to help you!

Why did my cake batter overflow when using the Cut and Stack Method?

Troubleshooting Overflowing Sheet Pans--All my cake recipes are a tight fit in my recommended 1" tall sheet pans. I love baking cakes in these pans, but a couple of readers have had their cake overflow slightly while it bakes in their oven. (If your cake overflowed a lot, please check the cake pan size). I suspect this has to do with either:

1) Lower oven temps causing the cake to bake slower and not bake as quickly as it rises, therefore overflowing. You can check your oven with an oven thermometer. Or just increase your oven temperature to 350 degrees for the first part of baking.

2) Uneven spreading or warped or shorter sheet cake pans (or smaller pans).  The sheet pan I use is and this ¼ sheet (for 1x batches) or this ½ sheet (for 2x batches).

3) Slight measuring variations when using measuring cups instead of a kitchen scale.  

4) Any recipe substitutions could cause the cake to bake differently.

If you find this to be a frequent issue, I would recommend baking in a 9x13 sheet-cake pan (for 1x batches) or a 12x18 sheet-cake pan (for 2x batches), which are 2" tall instead of 1" tall.

With these pans, you'll still be able to easily cut the cake out with a cake ring, and use the ring as a guide when cutting the two half pieces of cake. The bottom layer may require extra cake scraps--just fill in the middle of the bottom pieced layer of cake with cake scraps as needed.

Why did my cake shrink away from the sides of the pan?

This can be common with creamed-method cakes, but it should be subtle and not affect the cake flavor or texture. If it shrank a lot, and is short and dense, then the entire cake may have sunk. Please read the question below for more information.

Why did my cake sink?

The delicate light texture of my creamed-method cakes (like my Vanilla Almond cake) can make it more prone to shrinking or sinking if it's overbeaten or a few other possibilities that I'll go into below.  My two-bowl method cakes don't need as much care when prepping. 

Two Bowl Method Cakes (easier and less prone to sinking)

Here's what I've found most commonly causes cakes to sink:

1. Using regular, original or cooktype clearjel instead of Instant Clearjel (I always bring this up just because it is a common confusion as they look the same, but the instant clearjel should clearly be labeled "instant").  Or you can use instant pudding mix instead as described within the recipe. 
2. Using too much batter in the cake pan(s). Cakes baked in round pans are more likely to sink than cakes using the Cut and Stack Method, so if using round pans, I recommend four 6" round pans for a 1x batch of cake, and four 8" round pans for a 2x batch of cake, as there will be less batter in each pan, and bake more evenly. You can see more in my Recommended Cake Pan Chart.
3. Overcreaming the butter with the sugar-- I recommend starting with butter that is soft to the touch, and we want to beat it just till it is light and fluffy, about a minute.
4. Overbeating when the dry and wet are added.  We just want to beat these in just until they are fully incorporated and the batter is smooth. 
5. Baking the cake in an oven that is lower in temperature.  You can use an oven thermometer to check this, or if you just think it bakes lower than normal, you can bump it up to 350 degrees in the beginning of baking, then turn the temp down to 300 degrees.  Another option for a heat boost is to preheat the oven to 350 degrees, but then turn it down to 325 degrees after you put the cake in the oven.
6. Underbaking.  Since all ovens tend to bake differently, it might take longer to bake in your oven than my recipe suggests.  The cake is done when it bounces back when you lightly press it with your finger instead of indenting in, and when a paring knife comes out mostly clean when quickly struck through the cake (I like to use the knife to check several areas of the cake for doneness, since one corner of the sheet pan could need a few more minutes when the rest seems done.  A couple of moist crumbs on your knife are fine, but they shouldn't look wet).

General Recipe & Baking Questions:

What cake pan(s) can I use?

While my cakes are made in sheet pans using the Cut and Stack Method, I have a Recommended Cake Pan Chart for other cake sizes (best viewed on desktop).

How do I use Instant Clearjel in my own recipes?

When adding instant clearjel to recipes that you already like, it may take some trial and error to get the perfect amount. You can usually leave the flour as is, then add a little instant clearjel and bump up the liquid/fat a little bit, since the instant clearjel will allow the recipe to hold more moisture without getting heavy. 

For instance, you could add 2 tablespoon Instant Clearjel (whisked in with the dry ingredients to avoid lumps), and an additional 2-4 tablespoon buttermilk or vegetable oil to a cake recipe.  I'd recommend comparing the ratios of the recipe you are tweaking with my recipes, and I always recommend small test batches when tweaking recipes before making the final product.

Do you have gluten-free/ vegan or special diet recipes and recommendations?

I'm sorry, I currently don't have enough experience with special diet baking to offer recommendations at this time. Here are some external links that may be helpful, though I haven't tried them in my recipes:

• Vegan baking substitutes
• Sugar-free baking substitutes
• Gluten-Free baking substitutes

Do you have recommendations for high-altitude baking?

I'm sorry, I don't have any experience with high-altitude baking! I did hear from a reader that her bake with my Triple Chocolate Ganache cake turned out perfectly without substitutions. But I would recommend reading over some high-altitude baking tips, and trying out test batches before baking the final product.

Orders & Blog Questions:

Are you accepting orders?

I am not able to take any orders, but I hope you enjoy the bakery recipes that I am sharing on this blog.

Can I share your recipe photo on my website?

You may share one of my recipe images on your blog with visible credit linked to Amycakes Bakes and a direct link back to the recipe, but email me first and I’ll give you written permission. Thanks for sharing!

Can I post your recipe on my website?

I have to ask that you please don't copy and paste my recipes or images onto a different website, as it negatively affects the ranking of my website in search engines. Feel free to share a link to my recipe instead (thanks for sharing!) You can also share or Pin my recipe through the share buttons at the top of each recipe post!