Your cake is burnt outside and raw inside because the oven temperature is too high, causing the exterior to cook and brown rapidly before the heat can penetrate and cook the center, or your baking pans are too dark, or you're using the wrong pan size/position. The fix is to use an oven thermometer to verify temperature, lower the heat, use lighter pans, bake on the middle rack, cover with foil if it browns too fast, or adjust your recipe/pan size.
Try using a flower nail in the middle and see if that helps. I only resort to those in large cakes (12``+) in my oven but worth a try. Mostly, though, just bake longer. If she's worried about the outside cooking too fast, try baking strips around the pans.
Over mixing gives your cake, a weird, gummy, dense, rubbery texture and it's just horrible.
Lower the oven temperature slightly
Lowering the oven temperature gives the heat more time to slowly and evenly work its way through the whole cake. Instead of rushing the outside to a crisp, the gentler heat lets the center cook fully without burning the edges.
A cake soak is liquid that is brushed directly onto each cake layer after baking but before frosting and filling. The liquid “soaks” into the cake, adding more moisture to prevent the cake from drying out and infusing additional flavor and/or sweetness. A variety of liquids can be used as a cake soak.
The seven rules for baking a perfect cake
Once I tasted the two cupcakes, there was no contest.
The over-mixed cupcake was dense as pound cake and gummy; it stuck to the side of my mouth as I ate it. The correctly-mixed cupcake was light and airy and, well, the ultimate vanilla cupcake.
The "4-day cake rule" is a baking strategy to spread out cake creation over four days, reducing stress by separating baking, filling, frosting, and decorating, and building in buffer time for mishaps like illness or mistakes, ensuring a fresh, complex cake is ready for the event without last-minute rushes. This allows bakers to bake layers early (even freezing them), make components like frosting and fillings on separate days, and assemble/decorate closer to the event, with the final day for touch-ups or assembly just before serving.
Most of the times it's best to start over if it's raw from top to bottom. If it a little bit at the top you can cover it up with butter cream. But if you really want to not feel bad about it make a new one. :/.
If you have over-baked a cake, it's rather obvious in most cases. The cake will be dry and extra crumbly when sliced. If you notice your cake is crumbling or losing a lot of crumbs as you slice it, it's probably over-baked.
To resolve this issue, try adjusting the oven temperature, using a more appropriate baking pan, and being careful not to overmix the batter. If the cake still does not cook evenly, try reducing the baking time slightly, and checking for doneness with a toothpick or cake tester.
A cake that's wet in the middle, in most cases, has not baked long enough. Put it back in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Be sure to check every 5 minutes with the toothpick test for any changes. If sliced, cover with aluminum foil to prevent the top from browning even more.
A wobbly or firm middle that doesn't bounce back is a sign that the cake needs more baking time. When you insert a thin skewer in the cake, it should come out clean (or with a few dry crumbs).
if it melts too quickly. it's over mixed and if you still see the edges fold. couple more times and test it again. I call this a 10 second test.
Overbaking can lead to a loss of moisture and flavor, causing the cake to taste dull or even burnt.
Common Baking Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)
The 1-2-3-4 cake method refers to a tried-and-true ratio: 1 cup softened butter, 2 cups granulated sugar, 3 cups flour, to 4 eggs. TASTINGTABLE.COM. The Vintage 1-2-3-4 Cake Formula That's Still The Easiest Way To Bake From Scratch - Tasting Table.
Too much flour or not enough leavening agents like baking powder can result in a dense cake.
Problem: The sides of my cake are crunchy or burnt.
It could be that too much fat has been used to grease the tin; the cake tin wasn't lined sufficiently; the oven was too hot; the cake was left in the oven for too long or a fat that is not suitable for baking has been used.
There are a few different styles of buttercream, but no matter which one you make, be sure to avoid these mistakes.