How to prevent fruits and chocolate chips from sinking to the bottom of a cake?

Question

Prevent fruits and chocolate chips from sinking by using simple mixing and coating tricks.

Answer 1

To prevent fruits and chocolate chips from sinking to the bottom of a cake, toss them lightly in a small amount of the dry flour from the recipe before folding them into the batter.

Detailed Explanation:

It's a common disappointment to find all your delicious mix-ins congregated at the bottom of your cake! This happens because fruits (especially fresh or frozen ones) and chocolate chips are typically denser than cake batter, causing them to sink during baking. The simple trick of coating them works wonders:

1. Dry Ingredients from Recipe: Take 1-2 tablespoons of the dry flour (or cocoa powder for chocolate chips) that is already called for in your cake recipe. Do not add extra flour beyond the recipe's total.
2. Lightly Toss: In a separate bowl, add your fruit or chocolate chips. Sprinkle the measured flour over them and toss gently until they are lightly coated. The flour provides a little friction and helps them 'grab' onto the batter.
3. Add Last: Fold the coated mix-ins into the cake batter at the very end, just before pouring it into the pan. Fold gently to distribute them without overmixing.

This method helps suspend them more evenly throughout the batter as it bakes and sets. For very wet fruits, you might also need to pat them very dry before tossing in flour.

Pro Tip:

For particularly heavy or juicy fruits, consider using a thinner batter (if your recipe allows) or chopping the fruit into smaller pieces, which reduces their overall weight and tendency to sink.