I have been having this problem with the tops of my cakes being wet. After I allow them to cool I will try and flip them out of the pans and a good part of the cake comes out on my hand….....

You should only leave butter cakes in the pans about 10 minutes—and most sponge cakes should be take out immediately.  If you leave them longer, they will get soggy from the steam escaping the cooling cake.  On the other hand, butter cakes can fall apart if you remove them too soon.

it could also be that your oven isn’t heating as high as you think. I sometimes reduce the temp from 350 to 325 when making 6 inch layers so that they won’t dome up and often the top is wet although the inside is perfectly cooked.

you may want to check the temps inside your oven.

jen

I will try checking the temps, because the cakes are cooked fine inside…..thanks

This is also something that I experience quite often, Though I’ve learned to live with it if it means a very moist cake.

I ALWAYS take my cakes out of the oven, let them cool for a bit, the securely wrap them in plastic wrap (pan and all) to keep the moisture in, and put them in the fridge until they’re cool, sometimes even overnight (a tip I picked up from Colette Peters).  If you have difficulty flipping them out of the pan after they’ve been in the fridge, briefly move the cake pan bottom over one of the burners of your stove and try again.

Rather than flipping the cake onto your hand, try flipping it onto a wire cooling rack, then again so that it is right side up.  There’s less of a surface on the wire rack and not as much cake will come off of the top.

Tony - Do you line your cake pans with parchment?

oh yes…always…it keeps the bottoms in tact.

I’m tempted to bake a cake, just to give this technique a try. Tony, how long do you have to cool the cakes before wrapping them?

t\Thanks Pastryprince1 for that advice, I will see if it helps me any. All of you have been very helpful, thanks.

yvonne - 25 April 2008 08:55 AM

I have been having this problem with the tops of my cakes being wet. After I allow them to cool I will try and flip them out of the pans and a good part of the cake comes out on my hand….....

Hi,

Just to add to the suggestions here: check your ingredient measurement. I read that too much sugar or liquid can cause a wet sticky top (I wanted to link the source, but sorry I couldn’t find it).

Good luck. :)

Thanks Julius for the suggestions…...I will research it further.