Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Problem

[LindseyN]

I made a pineapple upside-down cake from scratch for the first time the other day. The taste was fine but the texture was dry and crumbly, like sand. The proper amounts of ingredients were in there, but I didn’t introduce the wet and dry ingredients the way the recipe called for. (I put everything in at one time rather than in increments) Any tips or advice as to what the problem could have been? Was the incorrect mixing of ingredients the issue?

 

[Norcalbaker59]

I made a pineapple upside-down cake from scratch for the first time the other day. The taste was fine but the texture was dry and crumbly, like sand. The proper amounts of ingredients were in there, but I didn’t introduce the wet and dry ingredients the way the recipe called for. (I put everything in at one time rather than in increments) Any tips or advice as to what the problem could have been? Was the incorrect mixing of ingredients the issue?

Several things can cause a cake to be dry and crumbly

Improper Mixing:

Follow the mixing instructions. There’s a reason for the instructions. Baking is all science. it is a chemical reaction of all the ingredients to temperature in time. And the method and order in which the ingredients are mixed are also equally important as it determines the chemical reaction.

Cake batter is an emulsion. And emulsion is two immiscible liquids that are mixed until tiny particles of one is suspended into the other. And example of immiscible liquids is oil and water. Cake batter contains both.

When you mix a cake batter, the order that the fat, eggs, liquids, and dry ingredients is mix ensure an emulsion is created during the mixing process.

For example, a cake with solid butter as the fat, the 65°F butter is creamed with sugar for about 4.5 - 5 minutes. This is mechanical leavening and it also softens the butter.

Eggs are beat in one at a time. Eggs contain 76% water. So this is the first step in emulsification—beating fat and water molecules together. Then dry and liquid are added alternately, beating after each addition. If you don’t work the liquid into the fat (butter) and egg emulsion, the batter will not be properly blended into an emulsion.



Over Baked

Oven temperature too high and/or baked too long. If you used a dark metal pan, non-stick pan, or anodized aluminum pan, then the oven temperature needs to be reduced as these pan conduct heat to intensely.



Formula Problems

Fat to flour ratio too low: too little fat will cause dry crumbly cake

Sugar to flour ratio too high: sugar is a tenderizer, too much will cause a cake to crumble.

Wrong flour was used

 

[LindseyN]

Thank you! I’ll try again.

 

[Brad]

Are you using a cast iron skillet? Its my preferred method. I have been making them for decades. Can you post your ingredients?
I use an old cast iron skillet, and my worry is always the upside down process. Sometimes I have to do some surgery with the topping and rings after turning it over. My batter is not too thick, and cake is a bit old fashion dense crumb, but moist-though not as moist as a modern pudding laden cake. Good luck on your next cake. And, ingredients adding and mixing matters. ;-) Brad

 

[retired baker]

Was the incorrect mixing of ingredients the issue?

yes.
Like the words in a sentence, if not in correct order the results are incoherent.