Recipe Rescue: Curdled Cake Batter

Cake mix can curdle when you add eggs or milk that are too cold. This reduces the overall temperature of the batter and prevents the ingredients from emulsifying properly together, leaving little pockets of fat where the butter won’t mix in.

If this happens, place your mixing bowl over a saucepan of hot tap water for a few minutes. This will help warm all the ingredients through. You can then try to beat the mixture again.

Another fix for a curdled mix is to add a tablespoon of flour, stirring in until the batter emulsifies again. Don’t stir for too long though, as it will cause excess gluten to form, which will create a tougher, chewier crumb.

The best way to prevent your batter curdling and help your ingredients to combine properly is to take them out of the fridge a couple of hours before using, so they are all at room temperature.