Splitting layers of cake

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Bettyjc

Assistant Cook
Joined
Dec 13, 2007
Messages
13
Location
Alabama
I have a recipe I want to try, but it calls for splitting the layers of cake after baking and cooling. What is the best/easiest way to do this? Thank you for any and all help. betty
 
Hi Betty,

I've found two ways that have worked for me.

1. If you have a big serrated knife, you can just cut through the cake with the knife. The easiest way to do this is by placing the cake between two blocks (anything -- wood sticks, plastic containers, etc...) of equal height that come ~half way up the cake and resting the knife on those blocks while you cut through the cake. The blocks keep the knife's level even and results in even layers. You can also do this without blocks. It is, however, more prone to error.

2. You can use floss. Begin by lightly cutting the side of the cake all around it's circumference. Wrap some floss around the cake (using the cut you made as a guide) and where the ends of the floss meet, pull the ends sideways until it goes through the cake. For really dense cakes, this might not work, but I've had success with it.

Hope this helps!

Tim
 
I have tools for this for my wedding cakes but the ideas above all work well, I also measure up where I want to cut and at intervals insert toothpicks just above and below this mark. Then I take a serrated (bread) knife and cut between the toothpicks. This method seems to make the cleanest cut through the cake.
 
I cheat. In the craft section of most Wal Marts, there is usually an aisle with Wilton Cake tools and supplies. There is a cake cutting tool made just for making layer cakes. It is like a giant wire, cheese slicer, and has indentations on the legs to all you to pick the thickness of the cut. You just place the wire on one side of the cake, and slide the legs back and forth along the table while moving the wire through the cake. I have made 6-layer cakes with this tool. After the cake is cut, I slide flexible plastic cutting boards (not a lot thicker than a couple sheets of paper) between the layers. I then set the layers aside, place the filling.icing on top of each layer, and then slide the next layer back on top. It makes the process much easier. Hope this helps.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North
 
...It is like a giant wire, cheese slicer, and has indentations on the legs to all you to pick the thickness of the cut...


We have one of these too. It's not cheating, it's simply the right tool for the job. Of course, SO doesn't use it. She freestyles with a bread knife and we all enjoy her cakes with the lopsided layers. :rolleyes:
 
I cheat. In the craft section of most Wal Marts, there is usually an aisle with Wilton Cake tools and supplies. There is a cake cutting tool made just for making layer cakes. It is like a giant wire, cheese slicer, and has indentations on the legs to all you to pick the thickness of the cut.
Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

As a cake designer, I have the larger Wilton cutter with a serrated blade. I do not recommend this to anyone. Goodweed, I have heard that the small wire one is great and that sounds like the one you have. Unfortunately it won't cut my larger layers. I got one from another company that has three blades which are stronger and more solid than the Wilton ones. You can remove and adjust the blades as you like. It is wonderful when I have to torte a 3 or 4 inch large (or small for that matter) diameter cake into several layers. It makes them even all around.

But the toothpick one works very well when I don't want to pull out the "big guns".
 
Many, many thanks to all

You have all been a tremendous help and I can hardly wait to bake that cake now. Wish me luck!! If it turns out as good as it sounded, I will be heading for the Wilton dept. to get the complete works. Again, thanks a million!! Betty
 

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