Here's Exactly What To Do If Your Cake Is Too Dry

A dry, crumbly cake is one of the most disappointing tragedies in baking. While you can always break down those dry crumbs and repurpose them into cake pops or slice them for a dessert-inspired French toast, there's still a way to enjoy dry cake by the slice. We consulted Jerrelle Guy, artist, recipe developer, and author of "Black Girl Baking: Wholesome Recipes Inspired by a Soulful Upbringing," on exactly what to do if your cake is too dry.

Guy asserted that even if your "cake is super dry after it's already out of the oven, you can actually add moisture after the fact." So, instead of throwing your cake away or mashing it up into another recipe, you can salvage the cake's integrity with the help of simple syrup. There are two ways to moisten your cake with simple syrup, and they both start with something that's still warm out of the oven.

"Shave a thin layer off the top to get to the spongy center (or flip the cake upside down and poke holes over the bottom of the cake with a fork or skewer), and drizzle over a warm, lightly-sweetened simple syrup," Guy suggested. The warmth of the cake will help it absorb moisture as it cools and sets. Once it's reached room temperature, you can proceed to icing it. The simple syrup will also fortify the crumb of your cake, so its consistency and form should be much improved when you cut yourself a slice.

Jerrelle Guy gives two options for adding simple syrup to a warm, dried-out cake that involves penetrating a crusty exterior to facilitate absorption. Shaving off the top is one way to expose a porous crumb, but it's also a more precarious method. However, this method is ideal if you've burned the top of your cake. You can use a serrated knife to slice off a thick burnt top, but a microplane gives you the control to remove the burnt edge without depleting your cake's volume.

If you didn't burn your cake, flipping it over and poking holes is a better option so that you can keep the top intact. Plus, if you've ever made a layer cake, you're probably adept at removing a cake from its baking pan to cool it upside down on a rack. You can then flip the cake back over after adding your simple syrup and cooling to apply the frosting.

The best way to integrate the simple syrup into your cake crumb is with a condiment squirt bottle. You can drizzle a steady stream of syrup vertically or horizontally over the cake's surface in a controlled fashion so that you don't oversaturate it. Simple syrup is an easy blend of equal parts water and sugar, but you can infuse it with fruit, spices, chocolate, and floral ingredients like this lavender infusion. A flavored simple syrup not only moistens the cake but also adds depth of flavor.