High altitude cakes
Cakes are the most altitude-sensitive bake: too much gas and sugar make the crumb rise fast, then collapse. Enter your elevation and recipe below to get adjusted amounts.
Sea-level recipe
Adjusted for 5,280 ft (5,000 ft band), cakes
| Change | Sea level | At your elevation |
|---|---|---|
| Baking powder | 2 tsp | 1⅝ tsp |
| Baking soda | ½ tsp | ⅜ tsp |
| Sugar | 1½ cup | −1½ tbsp |
| Liquid | 1 cup | +3 tbsp |
| Flour | 2¼ cup | +4½ tbsp |
| Oven | 350 °F | 375 °F |
| Bake time | 30 min | ≈ 23 min |
Starting points, not guarantees. Make one batch, note what happened, then fine-tune. Start checking doneness at the shorter time.
Tips for cakes at altitude
- Cakes are the most altitude-sensitive bake: too much gas and sugar make the crumb rise fast, then collapse.
- Above about 5,000 ft many testers add an extra egg (or one more egg white) to strengthen the structure.
- Fill pans no more than half full; batter rises higher before it sets.
- Grease and flour pans well. High-altitude cakes tend to stick more.
Oven: raise by 15–25 °F. Adjustment amounts follow the Colorado State University Extension high-altitude table and King Arthur Baking guidance.
Other elevations
Questions bakers ask
Why does my cake sink at high altitude?
Lower air pressure lets gas bubbles expand faster and further. The cake rises before the crumb has set, then falls. Less leavening, a little less sugar, a hotter oven and sometimes an extra egg all help it set before it over-expands.
Should I add an extra egg to cakes at altitude?
Often, yes, above about 5,000 feet. Egg proteins add structure. Try one extra egg white in a two-layer cake first, then a whole egg if the crumb is still fragile.