What am I doing wrong? (Baking related)

If the ingredients were pre-packed then I think it probably was because the cases weren't supposed. Most of them look ok, don't be too ashamed! Anyway, I bet they taste fab which is the most important thing!

Yep! Best to use a yorkshire/cupcake tin - keeps the cases supported! You can get them cheap in the supermarkets and it'll make all the difference.

Wees stick them in a yorkie tin and they'll be fine, failing that make as many as you can fit on a flat baking tray and any with 'run over' become the cooks ?

"what am i doing wrong?" - you have the same problem as i do.....your trying to make them rather than just buy them!! i had this last week with fairy cakes (except mine turned out like rock cakes!), i don't know what i was thinking, i'm just not cut out for this house wife malacky!

You definately need a tin for fairy cakes etc to give them support when cooking. When not using pre weighed mix, I suggest you check egg sizes if your eggs are to big your mix will be to wet which can give interesting results. Weighing eggs and calculating the dry ingredients for spong type cakes works well for me.

Hugh explains it better than I can in this article [View:http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/may/15/victoria-sandwich-recipes-fearnley-whittingstall:550:0]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/may/15/victoria-sandwich-recipes-fearnley-whittingstall

I cant remember the last time I baked a cake but I do recall using the tins...... crumble them up and have with ice cream, yummyyyyyyyyyyy...

Thanks ladies. Will give the cupcake thingmebob trays a go next time. If that fails I may just have to accept the fact that I should buy rather than bake ?

You need a proper tin!

I always double up the paper cases too.

?. Great tips there Jules! Maybe I won't give up just yet!

Another top tip courtesy of my mum is to add a tablespoon of boiling water just before (and I mean just before) you put the batter into the oven. The heat in the water will activate the chemical reaction that occurs in the baking soda (realeasing gasses and therefore making your cake rise and be nice and light) sooner than if you just sling it in the oven cold.

Second top tip from a work colleague, when you cook egg it goes firm so it's the egg that makes your cake firm - if you use a bigger egg you'll get a slightly more solid cake. Just keep practising and you'll get there. Plus TeeHee's suggestion of crumbling any "disasters" over ice cream sounds fabulous.

Aw December they look nice, they have risen it is just that you havent used a tin to support the sides, dont give up!! If you think your scales are dodgy this would be why your cakes dont work well usually, you need to be really exact with the ingrediants and not keep opening the door when cooking otherwise they wont rise very well but if you do that and follow a recipe you shouldnt go too far wrong! x