The oven temperature is too high. If the top crust forms and sets before the cake has finished rising, the middle will try to push through the crust as it continues to bake, causing it to crack and possibly dome.
Patterson also suggests simply lowering the temperature by 10 degrees if you notice your cakes significantly doming all the time. “This may be enough to equilibrate the temperature difference between the center and perimeter so that the cake rises at the same level,” she says.
To stop your cake from doming, line the outsides of your cake tin with a double layer of foil. Simply take long strips of foil, fold them to the height of your cake pan and wrap around the outside. The extra foil slows down the heating of the pan, so the cake batter at the edges won't cook as quickly.
In order to bake cake evenly, you have to insulate its edges. Preventing the temperature of batter at the edge from increasing quickly allows the cake to rise longer before it sets. A cake whose edges rise at nearly the same rate as its center will remain flat across the top — no dome, perfect for stacking and icing.
If your oven is too hot, the cake will rise higher in the middle in a dome-like shape, which will then collapse when the cake cools. If your oven is not hot enough, then the middle won't bake all the way through.
How to prevent a crack: If you really can't stand cracks, bake the cake in a tube pan, rather than a loaf pan. The hole in the center of the pan distributes the batter so it will cook more evenly and have a smoother surface.
Reason #1: Air has got trapped between the Cake Layers
This is one of the most common reasons why cakes bulge. Sadly, most bakers fail to rectify this error. This depends on how you add the filling between the layers.
If the oven is too hot, the cake will set too fast before the air bubbles have formed. If the oven is not hot enough, the cake will rise too much, then fall in the center before it is set. Bake a cake mix cake for a test run to check your oven temperature.
Under-cooked Cake Layers
It is one of the most typical reasons why do cakes sink in the middle. If you take your cake out of the oven before the centre is done, it will sink as it cools. On the other hand, if the cake isn't fully baked through, the centre doesn't have a chance to set, and it will sink also.
Give your cake a pat
Then place a kitchen towel or tea towel over the cake. Our favorite cleaning tool, a microfiber cloth, will work too! Gently pat the center of the cake with a flat hand. Light, even pressure will start the leveling process of your cake dome, as it cools and sinks.
Starting with a short side of the cake, roll up the towel and the warm cake together into a spiral. Yes, the towel will be inside your baked cake roll. This step helps to form the cake roll shape later without any cracking. Roll to the end of the towel.
The center oven rack is ideal for baking cakes and other desserts. However, to achieve the flaky and crispy underside of a pie, positioning the racks lower in your oven can help avoid an undercooked crust.
If the oven temperature is set too low, the outer layers of the cake will cook faster than the center, leaving the middle raw. What is this? Additionally, if the cake is placed too high in the oven, the middle will not receive enough heat to cook. This can also lead to an underdone middle.
In an oven that's too hot, the outside of the cake cooks at a much faster rate than the inside. A crust forms early on, but as the inside of the cake continues to cook and rise, this crack crusts. You might experience the same problem if the cake recipe has too much leavener or if you've used a pan that's too small.
Cakes typically bake between 325 to 450 degrees F (see chart with Tip #9).
If your fridge is too cold (especially at the back), adjust the temperature. It's also important that you store your buttercream cakes in an airtight container or a box while they're in the fridge, to prevent the buttercream from drying out and causing cracks.
What is the cause of cakes peaking in the center and cracking? The oven temperature was too hot.
If you try to remove a cake from its pan immediately after baking, it can stick or fall apart because it is so tender. By letting some baked products sit in the pan for a short period of time, the edges begin to cool and pull away from the sides, making removal easier.
If it's too hot the cake will cook too quickly and burn on top. If your cake is not cooked, but is starting to brown on top, cover it in tin foil or baking parchment. This will make sure the centre continues to cook but the outside doesn't. Keep an eye on it and check it every 5-7 mins until done.
The middle oven rack is the happy place where air is circulating, the heat sources are evenly distributed, and tops and bottoms aren't in danger of burning or browning too quickly. It's the perfect place for cakes, cookies, and brownies to stay and bake.