Why does the cake not to rise? - Pan is too large. - The batter is under beating. - Too much liquid is added. Why does the cake stick to the pan/ difficult to de-pan? - The cake is cooled in an improper lenght of time. - Too much shortening is added. Why does the cake fell of dipped/soggy? - Oven temperature is too low. - There is too much liquid. - Too many additional ingredients is added to batter.   How can I tell if my baking powder is still "good"? You may place 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder in a cup of tepid water to see if it "fizzes."