Mixing up yeast types turned my birthday cake into a dense brick

I accidentally used rapid-rise yeast in a cake recipe that needed active dry. The batter rose way too fast in the oven, then collapsed completely. It was so dense you could barely cut it. Now I keep my yeasts in clearly marked jars. Double-check your labels to avoid this mess.

3 comments

3 Comments

wyatt1481d ago

Rapid-rise yeast just works different than active dry, no matter the oven temp. It's meant for one fast rise in bread, not for the slow build a cake needs. The collapse was guaranteed once the yeast ran out of food. Best to just use the type the recipe calls for.

kevinross2d ago

Saw on a baking show that rapid-rise activates way hotter. Instant yeast would've been even worse for that cake.

barbara_owens2d ago

Did you check your oven's actual temperature when it happened? @kevinross is right about the heat, but if your oven runs even a little hot on top of using rapid-rise, it would explain the violent rise and total collapse. That yeast basically had a sugar feast and then died all at once.