Curdled Cake Batter

Have you ever noticed when making a cake or pudding that the batter looks a little curdled? Well, don’t worry, it’s just how the butter and eggs work together.

However, a badly curdled base can lead to a heavy, dense or greasy texture in your finished cake – so it’s worth knowing how to fix it.

When you beat eggs into butter and sugar, you’re actually creating an emulsion – bringing the fat in the butter together with the water in the eggs.

At first, when you add an egg, the mixture will almost always look split or “slippy”. That’s just the emulsion not formed yet.

The fix? Just keep beating! As the mixture thickens, the emulsion will develop, and everything will come together into a smooth, creamy batter.

In cooler weather, this can take a little longer because cold butter resists forming an emulsion. If needed, you can gently warm the bowl to help things along.