I made myself a cake, took it out of the oven, it looked pretty and perfect and I did the typical tests for doneness and everything indicated that it was cooked through, so I turned off the oven, set it aside and let it cool. After it cooled sufficiently removed it from the pan, it came out beautifully, and than looking down at it, (it was a bundt cake) I saw through the center ring the middle of the cake was uncooked batter.
Now I know what everyone says. You cannot put a cake back in the oven and rebake it, not after it has been left sitting out and has timed to cool. There is nothing you can do at this point to save the cake. But I was looking at my cake, and thinking of all the resources that went into it, both in the physical ingredients, and the time and effort it took to make. While it was not the most complicated cake to make there was some tedium involved in the process.
I was torn, I really could not bring myself to throw this cake away and I did not think at that moment I had the energy to remake it, but I had been anticipating this cake all day.
Well I thought to myself, the cake is already unediable it is not like I can really make it any worse than it is, screw what the world tells me, I am going to try and save it.
I know one of the biggest problems people say with trying to rebake an already cooled cake is that the parts that are already cooked through will dry out.
So I brushed the cake with water using a basting brush, and wrapped it in foil was a way to try and preserve moisture than I put the cake in on a low heat, and baked it for a while long and slow, as a way to sort of steam cook it, to prevent drying out. For the second half of the cooking I uncovered the cake, and turned up the heat, to help recrisp the edges, so the cake would not be too soggy from the steaming.
When the uncooked portion appeared to have finally cooked through I took it out of the oven, and let it cool.
I will add because I did not specify before, that as I mentioned it was a bundt cake, and of course when I discovered it was undone I had already removed it from the bundt pan. For the reheating, because the outer edge of the cake was done and firm enough to hold the cakes shape I placed the cake on a baking sheet and cooked it that way.
Now back to the final result, when I did cut into the cake and try it I have to say that it really was a perfectly good cake. The outer layer of the cake might have been a touch on the crispy side, and the in side was not as super moist as it would have been if it came out right the first time through, but at the same time it retained enough moisture to be pleasant to eat. And needless to say the flavor the cake was spot on phenomenal. If anyone is curious as to the kind of cake, it was a lemon poppyseed.
So if you are just baking for yourself and your family, and you are not worried about absolute perfection, you can, if you are careful save a cake that comes out undone even if you let it set out before you discover the mistake. The cake might have a few flaws but it should still come out perfectly edible.
Labyrinth of the Mind 