Troubleshooting Common Baking Issues: Expert Fixes for Home and Professional Bakers

Why Baking Problems Happen

Most baking failures come down to:

• Incorrect measurements
• Wrong mixing techniques
• Temperature issues (ingredient, environment, or oven)
• Poor ingredient quality (common in India with maida, yeast, butter alternatives)
• Skipping scientific steps like gluten development or emulsification

But the good news? Every baking issue has a solution.

Cake Troubleshooting

Problem: Cake is dense or not rising

Causes:

• Overmixing batter
• Incorrect ratio of flour to fat
• Expired baking powder
• Low oven temperature

Fix:

• Use the creaming method correctly (butter + sugar must be pale and aerated)
• Measure with a digital kitchen scale
  
• Replace baking powder every 3 months (especially in humid cities like Bangalore)
• Preheat your oven fully before baking

Problem: Cake cracks on top

Causes:

• Oven temperature is too high
• Too much leavening agent
• Small tin size

Fix:

• Bake at 160–170°C in OTG ovens
• Avoid overusing baking soda
• Use the right pan size as per recipe

Problem: Cake is dry or crumbly

Causes:

• Overbaked
• Too much flour
• Not enough fat or liquid

Fix:

• Add sour cream, curd or milk for moisture
• Set a timer and check early
• Use oil-based batters for softer texture
  

Bread Troubleshooting

Problem: Dough not rising

Causes:

• Weak or expired yeast
• Cold kitchen temperature
• Too much salt

Fix:

• Always bloom yeast in warm water (38–42°C)
• Proof dough in a warm place or oven with light on
• Avoid direct contact between yeast and salt
  

Problem: Bread too hard or chewy

Causes:

• Strong gluten due to over-kneading
• Low hydration dough

Fix:

• Use the windowpane test
• Increase dough hydration slightly
• Use good-quality bread flour
  

Problem: Sourdough too sticky or flat

Many students in our sourdough bread course struggle with this.

Fix:

• Strengthen dough using coil folds
• Reduce hydration if using low-protein flour
• Keep starter active with regular feeding schedule
  

Cookies & Pastry Issues

Problem	Cause	Fix
Cookies spread too much	Too much butter, warm dough	Chill dough 30 min
Pastry not flaky	Butter melted	Keep ingredients cold
Sugar not dissolving	Wrong mixing technique	Use caster sugar

Frosting & Chocolate Troubleshooting

• Buttercream too runny: Refrigerate 10 minutes and beat again
• Whipped cream collapsing: Use 35% fat cream and chill bowl
• Chocolate seizing: Never mix water with melted chocolate
• Ganache too thin: Add more chocolate in 2:1 ratio
• Fondant cracking: Knead with vegetable shortening

Baking Challenges Most Students Face

Unlike international kitchens, Indian baking conditions can be tricky

• Maida has lower gluten levels
• Butter melts quickly due to heat
• OTG ovens vary in temperature by 20–30°C
• Humidity affects meringues and macarons
• Instant yeast brands perform differently

These challenges are why self-learning online is slow and frustrating. In professional environments, chefs rely on scientific testing, ingredient control, and technique correction – the same skills taught at top baking schools such as Celesteyum.