Why Is My Cake Burnt on the Outside and Raw in the Middle? Common Causes and Fixes

If your cake comes out burnt on the outside but raw in the middle, chances are your oven temperature is just too high. When the heat blasts too strong, the outside cooks fast and burns before the inside even gets a chance.

That leaves you with a dry, crusty shell and a gooey, undercooked center. Not exactly what you want.

Sometimes, baking time or temperature settings don’t really fit the cake or pan you’re using. Dense cakes or ones with lots of liquid need lower heat and longer time to bake through.

Using a pan that’s the wrong size—or sticking your cake too close to the oven walls—can also mess with how evenly it bakes. It’s kind of surprising how much those little details matter.

For more specific tips, you can check out this advice on cakes that are burnt outside but raw inside.

Common Reasons for Uneven Cake Baking

When your cake burns on the outside but stays raw in the middle, there are usually a few baking issues at play. Most come down to heat control, cake placement, and your choice of tools.

Tweak these, and you’re way more likely to get an evenly baked cake.

Incorrect Oven Temperature

If your oven runs too hot, the outside of your cake cooks way too quickly and burns. The inside just can’t keep up and stays raw.

Honestly, most ovens aren’t as accurate as we’d hope. Grab an oven thermometer and check if the temperature matches what you set.

Avoid opening the oven door a bunch of times. Every time you peek, the temperature drops or spikes.

High heat cooks the edges fast, but if your oven’s too cool, the cake might still bake unevenly. Stick to the temperature in your recipe as closely as you can.

Improper Placement in the Oven

Where you put your cake in the oven actually matters. The middle rack is usually best because heat moves around more evenly there.

Place your cake too close to the top, and it’ll brown or burn before the middle sets. Too low, and the bottom gets scorched while the center stays wet.

Don’t put your cake pan right on the oven floor—uneven heat city. Stick to the middle rack and center the pan.

Inappropriate Bakeware Choices

Bakeware can make or break your cake (literally). Dark pans soak up heat fast and might burn the edges before the middle cooks.

Metal pans heat up quickly and give a nice crust, but you’ll want to watch the temperature closely. Glass pans heat slower but keep warmth longer, which can help the cake cook through.

If your pan’s too small, the batter sits deeper, so the outside cooks first and the middle lags behind. Using the right size pan really makes a difference.

You can read more about these issues and fixes at BBC Good Food.

How to Prevent Burnt Edges and Raw Centers

To avoid burnt edges and raw centers, you have to control how heat travels through your cake. That means adjusting oven settings, making sure your batter is even, and double-checking your oven’s real temperature.

Adjusting Baking Time and Temperature

Try lowering the oven temperature to around 325°F (160°C) instead of cranking it way up. This helps the cake cook through without burning the outside.

If it’s still uneven, add another 15–20 minutes and check often. Patience is key.

Stick to the middle rack. It gives you better air circulation and steadier heat.

If your recipe says to bake for a certain time, lower the temperature first before adding more minutes. High heat just burns the outside before the middle is done.

You’ll find more tips for consistent cakes at cooking.stackexchange.com.

Preparing the Cake Batter Evenly

Mix your batter well, but don’t go overboard. Overmixing traps too much air and can make the cake rise weirdly.

Add eggs and other ingredients slowly, so you don’t end up with lumps or curdling. That just leads to uneven baking.

Pour the batter evenly into the pan and smooth the top with a spatula before baking. It helps the heat get everywhere.

Try not to cram the oven with too many pans at once. Baking one or two cakes at a time keeps air moving and avoids hot spots (bbcgoodfood.com)..

Utilizing Oven Thermometers Effectively

Most ovens don’t really show you the true temperature inside. That’s why I always grab an oven thermometer to see if mine runs hot or cold.

Stick the thermometer right in the center of the oven before you start baking. If you notice the temperature’s higher than what you set, just turn your oven’s thermostat down a bit.

Halfway through baking, give your cake a quick rotation. This helps every side get a fair shot at the heat.

Try not to open the oven door more than you have to. Every time you do, the temperature drops and your baking could suffer.

An oven thermometer makes it way easier to bake at the right temperature and keeps you from ending up with burnt outsides or raw middles (reddit.com).