Getting a rise out of bundt cakes

[Fae]

I don't have a specific recipe in mind, but rather an issue that always comes up no matter what recipe I happen to be using. Pound cakes, cream cakes, and the time I ventured to try a root beer cake. Tasty, but a failure.

Anyway, each time I make the cakes, they get quite dark on the outside before the interior can cook through and rise. It results in something that's still tasty, and cake like around the edges, but the center is a dense puck that doesn't resemble cake at all. I've tried adding extra baking powder to cake recipes to counteract the effect, but it doesn't seem to work. Is there some other trick to bundt cakes that tends to help them rise properly when cooking?

 

[Becky]

Are you using recipes designed for Bundt cake pans?

 

[Fae]

The pound cake attempt may not have been, but the cream cakes and root beer cake were meant to be cooked in a bundt pan, yes.

 

[Becky]

Might sound like a weird idea, but have you tried putting less raising agent in? When there is too much it can cause the cake to rise up and then collapse down before the cooking time has elapsed - that would result in a sunken middle and dense cake. Also, to counteract the over-browning on the outside, it might be a good idea to set your oven temperature lower and bake the cake for longer. Try not to open the door until at least 80% of the baking time has elapsed otherwise the rush of cool air can cause the structure to collapse before it is set.

 

[Fae]

I've definitely seen my cakes balloon while baking, only to see them collapse like a terrible souffle when removed from the oven. That could definitely be an issue. I also do peek in a lot. I didn't realize bundt cakes could be so finicky, but I'll definitely keep both those tips in mind for my next bake.