@Mrs.John [quote=“Mrs.John, post:5, topic:268411, full:true”]
Can you sort out my damn vanilla sponge too?
[/quote]
probably a bit late now only just seen your post but hopefully can give you a couple of tips!
Always use stork instead of butter for sponges
Invest in a flower nail (put this in your baking tin then your batter on top) cooked through perfect sponges always!
And figure out a foolproof recipie if you don’t already have one I usually triple mine and it’ll make 2 layers or a couple of batches of cupcakes but the single version is
110g of everything (self raising flour, caster sugar and stork)
2 eggs ( if you double or triple the batch don’t forget to double or triple your number of eggs if forgot and found out the hard way )
1 teaspoon vanilla
Don’t know if we can add photos to other threads but if we’re allowed I’ll happily share a few snaps
@GlasgowGal brilliant!!
I made the mistake of putting all my mix into one tin (to make one thick layer).
It did finally bake…
Will definitely try your method x
If you ever do that in future it can work fine if you lower the temperature and roughly double the cooking time. Sometimes one big thick cake is good because it helps keep it fresh longer.
Kinda of a novice cook but do try and am learning. Heard the temperature lowered/longer cook before on another dish but I must’ve did it wrong and it came out horrible. Understand doubling the time. When you say lower the temperature, what’s a rule or guideline for how much to lower it?
I clicked thinking this was some kind of historical contraceptive device… @GlasgowGal and @Mrs.John are welcome to pop round here to bake a cake - would be lovely if life allowed that!
I’ll stick with Tesco in the meantime
Hard to say exactly, but if I was baking a sponge cake that said to use 2 tins and bake at 180 for 30 minutes, I would lower it to about 140 and check it every five or so minutes after 45. I’d lower the temp if it looked done on top but wasn’t in the middle. It’s one of the few things about baking that you can eyeball to get the best result. If you’re a novice baker though, it’s always best to stick to the recipe like glue until you are familiar with it.
Thanks you! When I first read to lower temp I was thinking anywhere from 20 to 80 deg but had no clue where to start. Makes sense to check more frequently. I’m not experienced enough to bake/cook by feel yet so when I try a recipe I definitely follow it exactly. The dish in question caught me off so I had to adjust on the fly and it didn’t work lol Oh well, I chalk it up to a learning experience and will keep trying. Really do enjoy it though:)
I’m more cupcakes than big sponges but my fool proof recipe is - 6oz flour, sugar and stork and 3 eggs and vanilla. Which isn’t far off the same really if you doubled your measures. Makes 12 cupcakes or split in half to make to sponges
So the flour nail helps put heat into the middle ever so slightly? Or am I miss understanding on some of the cakes I’ve made it seems fine everywhere except for the middle section, so if I’m understanding correctly this sounds like a good thing to try
That’s it exactly the flower nail is metal (usually used to make buttercream flowers) but if you turn it upside down and place the flat surface in the middle of a cake tin it acts as a conductor for the heat and cooks through. Have a nosey on Google it’ll explain the trick in more detail
but hopefully can give you a couple of tips!
yup hence the off topic thread
didn’t know there was a post all here thread so thanks 
on some of the cakes I’ve made it seems fine everywhere except for the middle section, so if I’m understanding correctly this sounds like a good thing to try