Why don't my cakes rise?!

beat a load of air into them.

The oven is not hot enough- it has to be piping hot.
If you live high altitude you have to make it hotter.

Baking soda OR a cup of soda- 7 up or sprite is a good way to do it. And let the batter sit getting bubbles in it. Once you've put the sugar in, the batter becomes heavier, so you might want to try using powdered sugar or less sugar?


It could be your eggs ( if you use eggs) are too heavy. I would suggest adding two more egg whites to a batter, and whip them before- then FOLD the egg whites into the batter so it's more foamy.

If you're using butter, REALLY cream it for ten minutes. to get as mush ari as possible in the batter.
If using oil ( I like oil, it makes moister cakes) don't use old oil or heavy oil.

You need a fresh batch of baking powder.

Baking powder is baking soda mixed with a dry acid. The dry ingredients can only react with each other when they are in a liquid, so keeping them dry stops a reaction. Remember the volcano someone made in grade school by mixing baking powder (a base) with vinegar (and acid)? The combination releases carbon dioxide so quickly that the whole mixture foams all over the place. When you mix acid and base in your batter, the dry base (baking soda) and the dry acid dissolve and start to react, creating carbon dioxide bubbles that stay in the batter, making it light and fluffy.

If you store baking powder for too long, or if you don't seal it tightly or you live in a humid area, the moisture from the air will get into it, causing the acid and base to react in the container, and when you use it in a cake, it is too late.

Toss a spoonful of baking powder into a glass of water. You should see it fizz.

BTW - that same reaction is what makes alka-seltzer fizz.

First of all follow the recipe exactly so that the proportions is right. Try using baking soda instead of baking powder? If all does not seems to work than there is one secret ingredient which I assure you that your cake will rise. Use yeast. It's the best from of rising agent. Your cake will be as soft as cotton candy.

hi - I am not good a baking aswell but can do lots of other bits. Have recently tried NOT to over stir or whisk when making the mixture as my nanna told me that I was overdoing that part! Also have been using a wire sieve when putting the mixture into the the big bowl so that the air get into the flour, baking soad and bicarbonate of soda.
After all this it does seem to be working.......give it a go!

Use cake flour if u can get it and the creaming method for simple cakes also mix well but don't overmix...also the altitude u live can effect the cake

check the expiration date on your baking powder or baking soda if they are expired than the cakes will be flat
hope this helps