What Causes Cracks On Top Of Cakes: Know the Reasons And Fixes
Written by jheelum basu | December 19, 2025
Whether it is a wedding or a festive celebration, cakes are often at the center of the dessert table. And, absolutely nobody wants to see a crack on top of the cake. However, disasters still happen. Just one simple mistake while making the batter, and the cake ends up looking like the fissures after a volcanic eruption.
Baking is a collaborative process, and perfection is achieved only when everything works out well. To make sure a perfect cake with cracks is baked, one has to take care of several things, including the ratio and proportions of ingredients, baking duration, temperature, and so on. To avoid a baking disaster, make sure everything is taken good care of. Here’s an easy guide on what can cause a crack on top and what can be done to prevent that from happening.
What Causes Cracks On The Top Of A Cake?
While baking, cracks appear on top of the cake when the outside gets baked quickly, while the inside is still rising. This forces the inside of the cake to break through the crust. Besides, overmixing and overfilling the pan, and using excess leavening agent, also cause cracks on top. Here’s a list of five reasons that cause cracks on top of a cake.
5 Reasons Why Cakes Get Cracked on Top
High Oven Temperature
The high oven temperature often appears to be a crucial factor causing cracks on top. The crack forms if the top crust forms and sets before the cake has finished rising. In that case, the middle of the cake tries to push through the crust, causing it to crack. The perfect solution comes with using an oven thermometer to ensure the oven is at the correct temperature. Also, to avoid the cracks on top, it is recommended to place the cake in the middle shelf, and not in the top shelf.
Excess Leavening Agent
Excess leavening agent (baking soda, baking powder) in the cake causes the cake to rise rapidly. This often leads to a crack in the top. It is therefore recommended to reduce the amount of the leavening agent. One may also use a combination of plain and self-raising flours to avoid the cracks on top.
Small-sized Cake Tin
The size of the baking tin plays a vital role in ensuring a soft and fluffy cake. The wrong size of the pan often meddles with the outcome, just like the other factors.
If the cake tin is small, the batter moves only upward. Eventually, it will create a dome shape and cause cracks on top.
For a perfectly spongy, fluffy cake, it is always recommended to follow the cake tin size mentioned in the recipe. If the size differs, make sure to adjust the baking time accordingly.
Wrong Ingredient Ratio In The Recipe
Preparing a perfect cake batter is all about accurate measurements and ingredient ratios. Balancing the dry and wet ingredients is key to achieving the optimal results. An imbalanced cake batter with excess flour and very little liquid often becomes thick. This also causes surface cracking as the cake bakes. Therefore, it is important to strike a balance between dry and wet ingredients to avoid cracks on top.
Overbeaten/Overmixed Batter
When the batter is overmixed, it incorporates excess air in the mixture. Too much air makes the cake rise rapidly in the oven, which leads to cracks on top. Overmixing also leads to excess gluten formation, making the cake tough rather than tender. For optimal results, mix the batter just until the ingredients are well combined.
Tips & Tricks On How To Cover The Cracks
Using frosting as glue:
To cover the crack on top, apply a generous amount of buttercream or ganache directly into the crack and smooth it out with an offset spatula.
Final Icing:
To cover the gap, apply a final layer of frosting or fondant to a crumb-coated cake for a smooth, finished look.
Fondant Fix:
If there is a crack in the fondant, simply make a paste with a little vodka and fondant. Apply it over the crack and smooth it.
Conclusion:
Baking a cake is all about achieving perfection. It is always ideal to prevent cracks from happening in the first place. If it still happens, make sure these tips and tricks are applied to fix the cake. Happy Baking.