This is the largest cake I have ever baked, while reading other posts I noticed mention of a heating core. I assume this helps the center cook faster - in time with the edges. Do they work and do I need to use one when using a pan of this size? Any other tips for this size cake will be really appreciated.
Thanks.

If you have a flower nail, put it in the center, up-side down, it does the same thing as the heating core!!

hope this helps

Lorris

Hi!

I always use my bake even strips on all or my larger cakes. It really helps. Believer me, I am not a wilton fan, however,those things can be quite good. A heating core is probably a good idea for a pan that size too. Usually I will bake the 18x3 inch half circle, they are easier to bake.

Hope this helps,
Bestest,
Dawn

Baking cores are essential when baking a cake this size. When I say baking core, I just mean a heat conductor like a flower nail or whatever. I've even used heavy duty foil coated well with cake release. If you use a flower nail, you will need 2 or 3 for this size of a cake. Good luck!! I'm sure everything will turn out just fine

I just recently tried this size cake with the strips and one inverted flower nail, and had bad results. The cake looked like it was doing fine until I took it out of the oven and then it sunk in the middle. I tried again with a Wilton heating core and the strips, and it turned out so nice and flat that I didn't have to level it! To be fair, I did have 2 other variables that may or may not have helped: the first cake I used generic vegetable oil, the second I used Crisco oil. The first I used large eggs and the second I used extra large eggs. Hope this helps you.

Safteymom,

You might not have cooked the first one long enough. I did that a few times, but I always use generic oil. It's cheaper and does just fime for me.

Xandra, I'm glad to know that that you do fine with generic oil. It takes one of the variables away. I baked them the same amount of time, so either the extra large eggs or the heating core, maybe both! Thanks.

I just made a 14-inch round cake with 3 flower nails and it still sank in the middle. It was a white chocolate cake so it could have just been a heavy recipe but I got a heating core the next time around and it turned out perfectly level. I'm not used to baking a cake over 10-inches so it was all new.

THank you so much for the advice, I will definately be using a heating core - not willing to chance baking this giant without one.

I never have used heating cores on a 16". I just turn the oven down to 325 and bake longer. I have never had a problem with them. We live just above the high altitude level, so I make sure and follow the directions for high altitude. HTH