Cakes, bother them

[adaeze]

Oh wise and talented flist,

Why is it that *every single time* I attempt to bake a cake, by any variation of the "cream butter & sugar, then add eggs" method, the wretched mixture always always always curdles?  I did *everything* by the book this time, eggs out of the fridge last night to be sure they'd be room temperature, butter & sugar creamed till they were as light as a feather made from hydrogen, and as fluffy as Exceptionally Cute.  And yet still, at the first hint of egg, it curdled.

I know it's not the world's greatest disaster, and I know the Christmas cake will taste just the same.  But it's the principle of the thing - just once in my life, I want to make a non-curdled cake!

Comments

[miss-t-ide.livejournal.com]

I make sure my butter is soft (but not melted) before I start. If it's a cold day (or I didn't get the butter out of the fridge in time) then I may warm the bowl and the beaters. But I've never really had a problem with curdling (sorry), so I'm not sure exactly what it is that I do that prevents it.