Hello:

I am hoping I can get some help regarding the sinking of a cake in the middle.

I have been attempting to make a caramel cake and each time I bake the cake it sinks in the middle. Not sure what I am doing wrong, but I have tried everything, including using the "baking strips" and NOTHING seems to help.

I am also wondering if, by chance, if the problem is the leavening agents (correct in the initial recipe). Here are the ingredients:

12 oz. unsalted butter, softened
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 1⁄2 cups self-rising flour
1 1⁄2 cups buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Any help or advice is greatly appreciated. The cake tastes wonderful but it is not worth the effort if it keeps sinking in the middle each time I make it. Thanks so much.