Newbie Baker Needs Help

[youngjy2k]

I recently began baking and twice now of my last attempts have ended in spectacular overflow issues - once with a cheesecake, once with a graham craker cake - what normally causes this - too much baking powder, over beating, HELP

[Arky]

Without the details, I can't say what went wrong or even that you did anything really wrong, but something to keep in mind in the future - unlike other areas of cooking, baking is chemistry... it requires specific and tested amounts of things such as milk to egg to baking powder ratios that, if altered, will probably ruin the result. In baking, EVERYTHING must be carefully measured - no "a pinch of this" or "a dash of that." Please, have fun baking... but resolve yourself to becoming chemist-like in measuring to be successful.

[MexicoKaren]

Welcome to DC! Sometimes it is as simple as using a pan that is smaller than that for which the recipe is designed...a 10 inch tube pan may differ considerably from another, depending on how big the hole in the middle is, for example. Or it might have to do with your climate. I live in the tropics at sea level, and I have learned to use less leavening (yeast, baking soda, baking powder, whatever) than the recipe calls for, especially this time of year, with the heat and humidity. Generally, if you get within a inch of the top of the pan, STOP.

[sassezz]

Hi, so far I have baked cheese cakes before and did not encounter this type of problem. Perhaps you can post your recipes here so that we are able to advise better?

[LPBeier]

I agree with all that has been said so far. If you can give us details - recipe, pan type/size, etc. it will be easier to help you. A cheesecake doesn't usually have too much leavening in it so I am not sure why this would overflow unless the pan is too small or if it is a springform pan, the seal is not correct and it is actually coming out the bottom. I am also not exactly sure what you mean by a graham cracker cake so again a recipe or description would help.

Welcome to DC by the way, and this is exactly what we are here for - to help and support one another.