How to level my cakes?

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Number 18

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I always end up with a bump/s on my cake :(

I don't want to level it up with a knife!

is it possible to get it perfectly leveled while its baking?

I'm planning to do something similar to this

bake the first layer then add the other one, bake again...and so on



rainbow_sm.jpg
 
The center of a cake is higher than the edges because the edges get hot and set the batter faster, keeping it from rising further. The center keeps rising, creating a dome until it gets hot enough to set as well.

This can be prevented by keeping the outside of the cake pan(s) cooler longer so the edges can rise along with the center. You can do this by wrapping the cake pan in a damp cloth or paper towels before putting it in the oven. This may not completely eliminate the problem but will lessen it quite a bit.

I believe there are commercially available strips for wrapping cake pans that will do this as well.
 
I have had the same problem, and I do what my grandmother use to do. After you have poured you mix into the pan, pick each one up about 2 inches and drop it on the cabinet about 10 times. This gets some of the air bubbles out. This helps reduce the size of the dome. Also, use was paper. Put the 8 or 9 inch pan on wax paper and draw a circle with a pencil. You only want to cover the exact bottom. Then take the pan, spray it with Pam, put the wax paper in the pan, then oil and flour as usual. FYI, everybody with a flat cake has used a knife. You just want to reduce how much you have to cut off so that you have more cake, and less chance of the top cracking.
 
I saw on the food channel - don't remember who, after you pour your cake in the pan, take a spoon and dimple the middle in so it is lower then the sides, then when it bake the middle rises to meet the sides and it came out even, but that was tv. I haven't tried it yet. In fact i always forget to try it until they are done and then say to self you didn't dimple it again!!!!
 
I use the Wilton strips for my wedding cakes and usually they work quite well. Sometimes it depends on the recipe.

Remember, you are baking your cake three times here and you don't want to over bake the bottom later, so I would suggest after the first baking setting it on a single layer cookie sheet (not the air bake variety). Also, you don't bake the bottom layers until they are completely done, just until they can hold the weight of the new batter. This will help in keeping them more even as well. Finally, to get a smooth top cake I always invert my cakes and use the bottom for the top.

Hope that helps.
 
I have had the same problem, and I do what my grandmother use to do. After you have poured you mix into the pan, pick each one up about 2 inches and drop it on the cabinet about 10 times. This gets some of the air bubbles out. This helps reduce the size of the dome. Also, use was paper. Put the 8 or 9 inch pan on wax paper and draw a circle with a pencil. You only want to cover the exact bottom. Then take the pan, spray it with Pam, put the wax paper in the pan, then oil and flour as usual. FYI, everybody with a flat cake has used a knife. You just want to reduce how much you have to cut off so that you have more cake, and less chance of the top cracking.

PA this is very valid when you are baking the cake once, but I wouldn't do it for the three layers in the same pan because the banging would affect the levening in the partially cooked layer(s).
 
From my experience, this differs a lot between the different types of cake. For one type of cake, I get the opposite problem. And I sometimes get a perfectly even cake.

I do not remember where I read it, but to get an even cake, you have to have the right amount of baking soda and the right temperature. Another trick is to put a piece of baking paper on top of the cake after it is finished and filp it upside down and let it cool down that way. That prevents the cake from falling down too much.

I saw a tip that I have tried making the cake even better. When you mix eggs and sugar, do it over boiling water ( do not let the bowl touch the water). This helps the eggs suffle up and makes the volume bigger. My mom also substitute a little of the wheat flour with maizena ( a spoonful or two). If anyone want a recipe, I can give you the one I am using.

At the moment I am battling with a very cheap oven that do not have precise settings. But eventually it will be replaced so I can experiment more to get the perfect result :)
 
I have had the same problem, and I do what my grandmother use to do. After you have poured you mix into the pan, pick each one up about 2 inches and drop it on the cabinet about 10 times. This gets some of the air bubbles out. This helps reduce the size of the dome. Also, use was paper. Put the 8 or 9 inch pan on wax paper and draw a circle with a pencil. You only want to cover the exact bottom. Then take the pan, spray it with Pam, put the wax paper in the pan, then oil and flour as usual. FYI, everybody with a flat cake has used a knife. You just want to reduce how much you have to cut off so that you have more cake, and less chance of the top cracking.

thanks I'll try that as well:chef:

I saw on the food channel - don't remember who, after you pour your cake in the pan, take a spoon and dimple the middle in so it is lower then the sides, then when it bake the middle rises to meet the sides and it came out even, but that was tv. I haven't tried it yet. In fact i always forget to try it until they are done and then say to self you didn't dimple it again!!!!

hmm I'll do that after dropping the pan, thanks

I use the Wilton strips for my wedding cakes and usually they work quite well. Sometimes it depends on the recipe.

Remember, you are baking your cake three times here and you don't want to over bake the bottom later, so I would suggest after the first baking setting it on a single layer cookie sheet (not the air bake variety). Also, you don't bake the bottom layers until they are completely done, just until they can hold the weight of the new batter. This will help in keeping them more even as well. Finally, to get a smooth top cake I always invert my cakes and use the bottom for the top.

Hope that helps.

I'm doing a pound cake, it's a great recipe

and yea I was thinking of under bake them or pour the second layer as soon as the first one sets

but I was thinking about it yesterday and came up with this crazy idea:ROFLMAO:

freeze the layers, pour the first one>> freeze and so on:glare:

not sure about it though, what do you think?


From my experience, this differs a lot between the different types of cake. For one type of cake, I get the opposite problem. And I sometimes get a perfectly even cake.

I do not remember where I read it, but to get an even cake, you have to have the right amount of baking soda and the right temperature. Another trick is to put a piece of baking paper on top of the cake after it is finished and filp it upside down and let it cool down that way. That prevents the cake from falling down too much.

I saw a tip that I have tried making the cake even better. When you mix eggs and sugar, do it over boiling water ( do not let the bowl touch the water). This helps the eggs suffle up and makes the volume bigger. My mom also substitute a little of the wheat flour with maizena ( a spoonful or two). If anyone want a recipe, I can give you the one I am using.

At the moment I am battling with a very cheap oven that do not have precise settings. But eventually it will be replaced so I can experiment more to get the perfect result :)

hmmmmm how do u get a flat cake man:glare:
do you have the recipe please :chef:
 
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