So if your cake batter is too runny, what can you do to fix it?
If the cake batter is too runny, you’ll have a wrinkled and deflated cake top. Removing water or adding dry ingredients to the cake batter can thicken it up and save your dessert. However, make sure you add dry ingredients slowly to your batter, as this may form lumps.
This article has a step-by-step guide to help you fix runny cake batter.
How Can You Tell If Your Cake Batter is Too Runny?
A runny would have a watery consistency and race to the other side when you tip the bowl. If your cake batter is too runny, you may have missed a crucial ingredient or added more wet ingredients to your mix.
However, if you have followed the cake recipe correctly, your batter is unlikely to be runny. Avoid adding extra flour unless you are sure something has gone wrong because this could cause the cake to be dense and dry.
Remember that oil and melted butter will make the cake batter thinner, and it will also be thin if it has a high ratio of egg whites to flour. This doesn’t mean that your cake will turn out bad. Choose your recipes from credible chefs and trust that the cake will work.
Here’s our favorite cake recipe.
What Happens if Your Cake Batter is too Runny?
If your cake mixture is too runny when you bake it, the cake will not rise properly, and you will end up with a wrinkled cake that looks more like a soft biscuit. It will probably still taste good unless you accidentally forgot to add some ingredients.
Also, add sifted flour and fold the mixture well to prevent any lumps from forming.
How Can You Fix Runny Cake Batter? – Step-by-Step Guide
The cake batter should have a “dropping” consistency; Instead of racing to the other side of the bowl, the cake batter should drip smoothly and slowly from a bowl when tilted.
Step 1 – Scoop Out Water
If you think your cake batter is too runny, scoop out some extra liquid with a spoon before stirring. This will help if you fix the mistake before mixing. The liquid will be the top layer. Dip a spoon into the liquid and scoop out much out as necessary.
Step 2 – Add Cake Flour
One quick fix for the runny and wet batter is simply to balance it by adding a dry ingredient. Cake flour is a dry ingredient similar in texture to the boxed mix, so you can add it to your batter to achieve a To do this, combine half a cup of cake flour with the cake batter, one tablespoon at a time, until the cake batter reaches a dropping consistency.
Step 3 – Add Eggs
Beat eggs into the batter. The eggs will add viscosity to the mix and help it maintain shape as it bakes. Eggs can thicken batter in two ways:
(1) The protein-rich part of eggs, called the egg whites, fortify the cake’s structure, giving it a solid texture upon baking.
(2) Egg yolks emulsify ingredients, creating stronger bonds between the flour, confectioners’ sugar, and fat. The fat in the yolks will also add moisture to the baked goods.
Step 4 – Add Dry Pudding Mix
Add one box of dry pudding mix to absorb excess water and thicken the batter. Cake mix ingredients are highly processed, so you will need to sift them before mixing. Thickening a watery batter with a dry pudding mix has several advantages. It enhances flavor and texture matching; you won’t need to mix or sweeten your batter. Whisk in a matching instant pudding flavor until the batter reaches a near-dropping consistency.
Tip: A little goes a long way. With instant pudding, you want to reach just shy of full-dropping consistency, as the batter will thicken more after it begins baking. Whisk in instant pudding 1/2 tablespoon until a titled tablespoonful slides off after 1 to 1 1/2 seconds.
Step 5 – Add Garnishes
Mix garnishes in cornstarch. Cornstarch has double the thickening ability of flour, and if the batter is slightly loose, a cup of nuts or dried fruit dusted in cornstarch will fix runny and wet batter. Add garnishes after the batter is completely mixed.
Things You’ll Need
- Spoon
- One egg
- Dry pudding mix
- Electric mixer
- One envelope of dry whipped topping mix
- Cake flour
Tip
Use any of these techniques to fix the batter. Add an envelope of dry whipped topping mix as an alternative to dry pudding. Another option is to add one tablespoon of cake flour to the mixing bowl and blend. Cake flour will enhance the texture of the batter and absorb some of the liquid.
Warning
If you add flour to your batter, use it sparingly to avoid altering the flavor of the cake. Add one tablespoon at a time until the batter thickens. When adding any liquid to a cake mix, set the measuring cup on a countertop and bend down to check the quantity. This puts your measuring cup at eye level, so you can avoid adding more liquid.
Additional Tips to Fix A Runny Cake Consistency
Use cocoa powder to fix a runny cake consistency.
Cocoa powder is a superb alternative to flour in the thickening cake batter. It’s best to add cocoa powder to your chocolate cake batter. Keep checking the quantity while adding cocoa powder to make a perfect cake.
You can use the same technique of adding flour while adding cocoa batter. Take a strainer, put a tablespoon of cocoa powder in it, and then strain it on the cake batter.
Note: You should never over-mix cake batter. Over-mixing a cake batter will make your cake dry and unpleasant when baked. Mix slowly until the cocoa powder gets mixed well.
Cookies can save Your batter.
It might sound strange, but cookies can fix runny cake batter. Here’s how you can thicken runny cake batter with cookies:
- Take three or four cookies and grind them into powder.
- Strain the powder over the cake batter slowly. Then mix it using a spatula and keep adding until you get a perfect consistency.
It’s best to add the same flavored cookie as your cake batter.
NOTE:
You can also use thin crispy waffles and wafers to thicken the cake batter. Grind waffles or wafers to powder and add them according to your need.
Keep in mind not all cake batters have a thick consistency. Some cakes call for a thin batter. To get the perfect cake, you should know what kind of cake you make and its ideal consistency.
Read our guide on batter consistency for various cake types.
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes Poor Cake Volume?
Under-beating and overbeating eggs can result in poor volume, dense and crumbly cakes. Overbeaten egg whites may also produce a dry cake. Bring egg whites to room temperature before beating if you want the perfect cake.
What helps cakes rise and become fluffy?
Add a leavening agent to the cake batter. Most cakes will call for baking powder or baking soda. These leavening agents create the air bubbles you need for the cake to rise. If the flour you use is self-raising, you won’t need another leavening agent.
Is cake better with water or milk?
It’s always better to use what the recipe calls for; otherwise, milk is the best choice. Milk has things that water doesn’t, like sugar and fat, which can also help enhance the taste and texture of the cake.
Final Thoughts
You shouldn’t have to worry about runny cake batter consistency when making delicious treats. Hopefully, our in-depth guide has taken some of the load off! But if you still have questions about baking cakes, please don’t hesitate to let us know comments below!
