Full question
Every time I make the Chocolate Guinness Cake it sinks in the middle. What am I doing wrong? It tastes fine but looks awful.
Our answer
Nigella's Chocolate Guinness Cake (from FEAST) is a dense, dark and moist cake. It has quite a liquid batter, which helps to give a moist cake, but means that the cake can take a while to cook and could be slightly longer than suggested in the recipe. If the cake has sunk a little in the centre, it is likely that it has not quite fully baked. When baked the cake should be risen, firm to the touch in the centre and slightly shrinking away from the sides of the tin at the top edge of the cake. A cake tester inserted into the centre should come out clean or with some damp crumbs attached, but not uncooked batter.
If the cake is sinking a lot and has a wrinkled surface then it could be that too much leavening is being used. Measure the bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) carefully, using proper measuring teaspoons (5ml) and half teaspoon (2.5ml). Also the spoon measures should be level and not heaped.
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