Why Cakes Fail In Winter: The Science Behind Cold Kitchens And Baking Disasters
Written by yash lakhan | January 4, 2026
Many amateur bakers experience a shared frustration at the seasonality of baking cake; recipes that worked perfectly during a hot summer seem to flop, fall, become dense, and/or bake unevenly almost immediately. There are many factors within a baking environment that alter ingredients, and how they function, the structure of the batter, and how heat is distributed/ received in an oven; however, most bakers are unaware of this until they experience problems with cakes in the cooler months. When the temperature starts to decline outside, the temperature of your kitchen also drops, causing your baking to become even less forgiving. As a result, cakes will require even greater technical skill and timing adjustments when baking.
The Role of Temperature in Cake Structure
Temperature plays a role in nearly every step of the process when making cakes, starting from the creaming of the butter, and ending with baking the cake and setting the crumb structure while in the oven. Since the temperatures of the ingredients stored at room temperature are typically much colder than what recipes specify for summertime, when cooled and either beaten together or creamed, the butter will most likely hold less air, resulting in a cake that does not rise. Incorporating cold eggs into a batter can cause the batter to clump because it has become "cooked." Before you fire up the oven, the problem begins when you open the refrigerator and take out the egg to use, and continue down this path when you put it back after it's been used.
Why Butter Behaves Differently in Cold Weather
Cakes are often made with butter, which is a key ingredient that affects how much air is mixed into the batter, depending on how stiff the butter is. Butter is more capable of being aerated in the Winter than it typically is, due to being much stiffer than it would normally be at room temperature. If the process of softening the butter involves overmixing it in order to incorporate the air, it will melt and create areas within the butter that do not have evenly spaced pockets of air, causing the cakes to have a lower rise and cook dense in the centre. The reason for the failure to cook correctly in the winter months is oftentimes because the butter has not achieved its proper consistency for usage before starting the cake.
Eggs, Emulsions, and Broken Batters
In addition to butter, the egg is also an essential ingredient for emulsifying the fat and the liquid in a cake. However, using cold eggs directly from a kitchen shelf or the refrigerator will result in a cake batter that will not bind well. As a result, the batter may look perfectly fine, but weakened emulsions lead to cakes that fall apart or are rubbery after they are taken out of the oven. Much of the reason for the failure of cakes in the winter months is because of this process that people are unaware of.
Leavening Agents React Slower in the Cold
Baking powders & baking sodas rely on three key environmental conditions: temperature, moisture & acid to create the necessary gases to create leavening. Because of their temperature sensitivity, winter batters may respond more slowly &/or unevenly to these reactions. As a result, cake rises will be delayed due to an oven’s continued heating after the cake has been placed inside, causing their failure to set completely before they are removed from the oven or cooled; thus producing a failed cake that appears flat on top, has a sunken centre, is void of moisture and has an inconsistent texture.
Oven Heat and Uneven Baking
Winter ovens have to work harder to maintain appropriate oven temperatures than they do in the summer months because of their exposure to cold drafts. Oven doors are opened frequently, and the introduction of cold metal pans into the oven will create extreme temperature fluctuations while the oven is heating up (this can produce steam within the oven), creating a delayed spring from within the oven. Therefore, cakes may not arrive at appropriate temperatures to allow for enough time for proper leavening to take place and/or allow for extensive gas release before the cake has set completely. As a result of the above time delays, cakes may have a denser texture and/or may be gummy once cut.
Dry Air and Moisture Loss
Colder weather results in less moisture in the air. Thus, there is less moisture available for the hydration of cake batters, and when moisture is removed from cake batters due to baking, dry crumbs will be produced if the cakes are baked correctly. If enough moisture has been removed from an actual cake batter, then the cake will lack tenderness and softness after it has been baked, regardless of the cake’s quality before baking. Chefs should allow for adequate preheating periods and refrain from temperature fluctuations while they are attempting to achieve successful results in their winter baking.
Pan Temperature and Batter Shock
Using a room-temperature cake pan before placing the batter inside prevents thermal shock on the cake batter from the extreme heat of the oven, as well as providing a consistent rise to all layers of the cake. However, if using a cold pan, you are likely to experience an uneven bake, which will result in domed tops, cracked tops, or underbaked centres.
Baking With the Season, Not Against It
Although baking in cold weather is a challenge, it does not reflect a lack of baking capability, but rather that baking has a direct response to the environment in which the cake is baked. Cold weather requires bakers to adjust the temperature of their ingredients, take more time to mix, and become more aware of how their oven bakes.
Conclusion: Understanding Why Cakes Fail in Winter
When cakes fail during the winter months, it is nearly always because cold air has affected how the ingredients react with one another and slowed down the process of the chemical reaction of baking. The result is that the ingredients have lost moisture or become dense. By understanding the seasonal challenges of baking, bakers can obtain the maximum advantages from winter baking and therefore produce high-quality cakes by adjusting their techniques accordingly.