Why does chocolate cake mix bake to brownie consistency?!
made this recipe four times. First two times, cake consistency, no problem. each time, I made the same way.
Last two times, it was brownie consistency and stuck to bottom of pan.
I have to use this recipe for wedding cake and I'm not sure where I went wrong these last two times.
Any ideas....please!
Answers:
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1. Use only fresh ingredients. Measure them carefully.
2. Beat the butter until it's fluffy, beat in the sugar until it's incorporated with the butter.
3. Beat in the eggs (large eggs), one at a time, until they are incorporated with the butter-sugar mixture.
4. Add the melted chocolate or chocolate morsels and beat in.
5. Stir all the liquids (sour cream, hot water, vanilla) together.
6. Stir the dry ingredients together (flour, salt, baking ______).
7. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the liquid ingredients and stir just enough to incorporate and blend everything. Bake immediately without standing, particularly if you use baking soda.
Things to check:
Did you use eggs that were too large? Cake recipes are based on large eggs at about 1/4 cup per egg.
Did you use real sour cream? Fat-free sour cream may be unpredictable in baking.
Did you leave the unbaked batter sitting around? The leavening may have done its thing and then dissipated.
Are you sure the recipe calls for baking soda and no baking powder? A small amount of baking soda may be necessary for the sour cream, although I wouldn't use it. I'd use only baking POWDER, at the rate of 2 teaspoons to 1 Tablespoon per 2 cups of flour. Probably the 1 Tablespoon because of the melted chocolate. And be sure it's fresh.
I'm a chef and I'm constantly making brownies. Sometimes I screw them up and they turn to a cake texture.This is because I'll be in a rush and overdo the baking powder, so give that a shot. Try adding a bit more baking powder.
one guess is that maybe you didn't use the correct amount of butter. Too much fat will weigh down your batter and not allow it to rise well enough.
A second guess is old baking powder or baking soda and it didn't rise well enough.
Try using cocoa powder instead of chocolate morsels.