"Diane W. Saunders" > wrote in message
m...

> For the past two days I have been baking chocolate
> cakes and after baking and removing from pan (after
> cooling) they are splitting on the bottom - not just
> small cracks but very large crevices -- any idea as
> to why this is happening?? Again, any and all responses
> greatly appreciated.

Splitting on the *bottom*? Are the cakes sitting on their tops? It's
not unusual, if you're doing cake decorating, to turn the cake
upside-down so as to have a best flat surface to work upon. However,
you need to trim the top of the cake level -- use a serrated or very
sharp long knife to level the domed or rounded surface -- before you
leave the cake on its top for any length of time otherwise, as you've
seen, the bottom may split.

Or not, if you're not leaving the cakes on their untrimmed tops.
-j