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    Home Β» Uncategorized

    The Infamous Rubber Cake--When Cake is Too Dense and Rubbery

    Published: Apr 1, 2022 Β· Modified: Feb 20, 2025 by burntapple Β· This post may contain affiliate links Β· Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Once upon a time I made a cake for my dad--one of my very first cooking creations. My parents went out to dinner and while they were gone I made him a cake. When they got home, I surprised my Dad with the birthday cake! He took one bite, then started to scrape the frosting off. He then proceeded to stretch the cake out and play with it. I had created a bouncy, chewy rubber cake--a cake too dense and rubbery to eat!

    Square pieces of golden brown cake too rubbery and dense on a round wooden board, with a silver fork, a partial view of a white pitcher and a small dish, and a sprig of greenery on a white tablecloth.

    What Makes a Cake Too Dense and Rubbery?

    I did a lot of research online about this and found that a cake becomes rubbery and chewy due to several reasons:

    • Overmixing of flour activating the gluten
    • Incorrectly creaming the butter and sugar
    • Use of too much oil
    • Overcooking the cake
    • Overbeating your batter
    • Distraction--I added this one. It's the #1 reason food doesn't turn out in our house
    • Humidity
    Jump to:
    • What Makes a Cake Too Dense and Rubbery?
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Serving
    • The Infamous Rubber Cake--When Cake is Too Dense and Rubbery
    Close-up of a dog's snout sniffing a round treat held between a person's fingers, with a blurred background of a wooden board and a white cloth.

    Ingredients

    The ingredient list is very simple for this recipe. You will need:

    • Melted butter, oil or milk
    • Sugar
    • Egg
    • Flour
    • Vanilla

    Instructions

    First off, I had to go back to a place of inner ten year old. What would I have done back then? Luckily for me I got one of my nails ripped off during the making of this cake and had to go find nail clippers. So the batter got mixed for a very, very, very long time. I also used melted butter and overbeat the butter, sugar and egg. All of these things help make a nice cake too dense and rubbery!

    Fingers crossed this works!

    Serving

    Make sure to slather this cake in a nice thick frosting to give off the illusion you made a nice beautiful cake! Everyone will be excited to stretch out a slice of this cake. If you're looking to make a nice legitimate 5 ingredient or less cake, try our soda cake, carrot cake, or molten lava cake!

    Square pieces of golden brown cake too rubbery and dense on a round wooden board, with a silver fork, a partial view of a white pitcher and a small dish, and a sprig of greenery on a white tablecloth.

    The Infamous Rubber Cake--When Cake is Too Dense and Rubbery

    Traci Wennerholm
    This cake does it's best to yield the most perfect dense, bouncy chewy rubber cake recipe! The great thing about this cake is the cake is too dense and rubbery every time you make it!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    0 minutes mins
    Total Time 35 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 50 kcal

    Equipment

    • cake pan

    Ingredients
      

    • Β½-3/4 cup melted butter or oil or milk can substitute apple sauce for a really chewy rubbery version
    • Β½ cup sugar
    • 1 whole egg
    • 1 cup self rising flour or cake flour
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8x8 inch pan and set aside.
    • In a mixer, blend the egg, sugar and oil or butter together until blended. About a minute or two.
    • Add the flour and vanilla, stirring until blended well. Cake mix instructions usually say 2-3 minutes...I say 7...8?
    • Pour the mix into the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until nicely browned. Remove and allow to cool completely.
    • Eat plain or frost the cake.

    Video

    Notes

    Storage:Β 
    Um....if you want to store this cake you can. It stores in the fridge for a couple of days covered in an airtight container.Β 
    Note: Cake is NOT a good replacement for bubble gum. Please do not use in place of a bouncy ball.Β 
    Disclaimer: Measurements are approximate.Β 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 50kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 0.02gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.004gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.003gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 0.5mgSodium: 0.3mgPotassium: 1mgSugar: 13gVitamin A: 1IUCalcium: 0.3mgIron: 0.01mg
    Keyword april fools day, cake is too dense and rubbery, chewy cake, rubber cake
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    traci burntapple website featuring recipes with five ingredients or less

    Hi, I'm Traci! Cooking hasn't always come easy. I'm the burnt pancake on one side and perfect on the other pancake person that serves it to you with the pretty side up. I've learned to cook and make it look easy to my family and others. I'm now helping you save time & money with easy simple recipes with five ingredients or less!

    More about me β†’

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