Cake Decorating Community - Cakes We Bake

Hello there, I'm not new to cake decorating, and I'm not a pro, but can I get some advise on how to keep my homemade cakes from turning out dry and dense? I can't seem to get it right. Sure could use the help. Thank you, Sara

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I love the recipe that Sherry posted here under recipes. It is called WASC (White Almond Sour-Cream) ...I love it and got great comments on it.
I have the same problem...on a cake decorating show I saw that they brushed the cake with simple syrup (can flavor if you want) to keep the cakes moist before putting in the fridge or freezer. I am going to try it on my next cake. We will see how it goes.
Thank you for the info!

Shallena Miller said:
I have the same problem...on a cake decorating show I saw that they brushed the cake with simple syrup (can flavor if you want) to keep the cakes moist before putting in the fridge or freezer. I am going to try it on my next cake. We will see how it goes.
Scratch and butter based cakes (even mixes that use butter instead of oil) will be more dense, and less moist than cakes that require oil. I have published a baking tip I created over 25 years ago. It is on my blog here at Cakes We Bake. It helps the moist aspect but the crumb will not change and will still seem dryer due to the texture than an oil based cake.

Also, be sure not to overbake your cakes. This will cause dryness as well. As far as being too dense if you over mix a scratch cake you will cause the gluten in the batter to become thicker, thus causing a very dense cake. Always only mix until well incorporated and smooth.

I personally do not recommend using syrups to create moistness. It alters the base flavor of the cake and if not done properly can cause a soggy cake instead of a moist cake. There is a fine line :)
I use a simple syrup brushed onto each cake layer. (Simple syrup - 1 part water, 1 part sugar - in sauce pan bring it to a boil then lower the heat and simmer for a few minutes) You can add other flavors to compliment your cake. I just did a chocolate cake with a raspberry/chocolate mouse filling the other day. I added raspberries to my simple syrup to get a more berry flavor. Once your syrup has cooled use a pastry brush to brush onto your cake then fill/frost as usual. The key is adding that moisture without completely soaking the cake...don't go crazy with the syrup.

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