I need help solving this problem. Whenever I bake a cake and let it cool, I always have a sticky/gummy side that is hard to deal with. If I put my cake on a cooling rack the bottom of the cake becomes messy. I have also wrapped my cakes in Cling Wrap and they are messy. Yesterday I flipped my 9X13 cake on a piece of wax paper. I wanted to cut the cake in half for a stacked cake. The bottom stuck to the paper and it was very difficult to get the cake off without tearing the cake. It seems no matter what I do the bottom of my cakes aren't "dry" on the bottom so I can easily move them. My cakes are completely cooked, so I am not overbaking them. It is like the "sweating" from cooling is causing my problems.

I would appreciate any insight. Have a great day!

darkchocolate

Try elevating your cooling racks. I have some of the Pampered Chef racks that have legs and are stackable, but if you don't have those, then turn 4 cups or glasses upside down and set your cooling rack on those. This gives you more space under your cake for the steam to escape as it cools. When the rack is sitting right on the counter, you've only got about an inch or less of space and the only place for the steam to go is back up into the cake. I've been doing this for over 20 years and it works great.

indydebi, thank you for the advice about the cooling rack, but I do use a Pampered Chef cooling rack. In fact, I have two of them because I like them so much.

When I use the cooling rack the cake sticks to the rack and I have a mess.

darkchocolate

I use parchment under all of my cakes..then brush a very thin coating of cake release...I release the edges of the paper, gently, then peel the rest of the paper off....

AHhhhhhhh....now I get it...you are setting the cake on the rack itself....I cool mine on a rack but on a cardboard round....always cool top up...I cover the round with plastic wrap...so I can use them over again....

IHATEFONDANT, yes I am putting the cakes directly on the cooling rack. I understand what you are saying about the cake board being covered with plastic wrap, but doesn't the cake stick to that also when you try to take the cake off? I could see if you flipped the cake over you would have something to hold, but when you remove the cake board it seems like it would tear some of the cake off. In my experience anyway, my cake "clings" to the Cling Wrap.

darkchocolate

Are you letting the cakes cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes before taking out of the pan. I let them cool on the cooling rack for at least 10 minutes. Then I turn them over onto the cooling rack. I then immediately put my bottom level cake onto the cut to size board, and the top level I put on a board covered in wax paper. I then place these in the refrigerator (usually 30 minutes) to finish cooling (this also gives my cakes more firmness) so I can torte them and ice with very little crumbs.

I usually just put my cakes directly on the rack too, usually not a problem. I just pull them off carefully and they dont get stuck. I have read where people put paper towel underneath. I guess at least the cake could still breathe through that. A little bit of the cake might still get stuck to the paper towel, but at least it wouldnt be stuck the the wire.

When I take the cake from the oven I flip the cake straight out of the pan onto a cooling rack, So its Upside Down, then I flipp it on to another cooling rack so its right side up and let it cool. Hope this helps~
~Sweet~ =0)

I just thought of something that may be my problem. When I flip a cake I do so that the bottom/flat side is on top. I like have a smooth and flat surface to decorate. I know this is what I did yesterday. Maybe the bottom of the cake is "crusted" so to speak from being next to the cake pan making for a sturdier surface?

I appreciate all the advice and comments for my post.