Question: Why is baking so different at high altitude?

Answer: As the altutude increases, atmospheric pressure decreases, and in turn cause serveral baking changes. Since the air is thinner and with lower atmospheric pressure cause leavening (baking powder, baking soda and yeast) to expand more.

Question: What are some of the specific problems?

Answer: There are several issues going on, however, we can begin with the following ones.

* Because there is less air pressure on top of the cakes, baked at high altitudes, liquids evaporate more easily and gas bubbles in the cake rise and burst at the top more readily.

* This results in less liquid in the cake and the other ingredients become concentrated.

* With higher sugar levels preventing the cake structure from setting.

* Losing air bubbles means not enough structure as the cake is baking causing the cake to fall..........leaving you with a soggy, heavy cake.

Question: What specific solutions, if any, that will solve these issues?

Answer: I like to start with reducing the leavening in the recipe. Many of my recipes were developed for sea level baking. Moving to an altitude of above 5,000feet I decided to reduce baking powder and baking soda by 50%, instant yueast, reduce by 25&. This conversions work for most cake, cookie and muffin recipes. There are other minor adjustments may be made if necessary.

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