How do I make a Cake rise evenly......Should I use shallowish tins....Do I need one of those thing in the middle of the cake

Thank You
Helen

Shake your pan side to side first, before putting in oven. Check to see if your oven is un-level. Also, Wilton has bake even strips, you can use to correct this issue. If you have a hump in the middle of your cake, this is normal and you can just cut it off.

HTH!

Different sized pans (2 & 3" deep) require different amounts of batter:

http://www.wilton.com/cake/cakeprep/baking/times/index.cfm

Wilton cake making/decorating help link:
(How to bake cakes, level, frost, fill and more.)

http://www.wilton.com/wedding/cakeinfo/index.cfm

Cake troubleshooting charts:

http://tinyurl.com/2p5bdu
(Short list from joyofbaking.com.)

http://tinyurl.com/3dmp96
(Long list from Sarah Phillips of baking911.com)

HTH

I used two inverted flower nails on my chocolate 10" cake. It rose beautifully and flat to a solid 3" high cake. Didn't have to cut anything off at all.

HTH!

I use inverted rose nails, bake strips and reduced heat 325 degrees.

I baked tonight and took pictures. Hope this helps you to visualize the process. These were 6" pans. For larger pans use several nails arranged around the center.

Dee

Here's the puff you get when baking without a nail or strips. this was just some extra batter in a 5" pan.

Nice photos! Thanks for taking those! It was scary first time I ever used the nail...what, like it was going to attack me?! But now can't live without it! I know there is a thread somewhere on this site that gives how many nails for the size of pan.

Soon I will get brave and do the wrap, too. I'm just still chicken....

The strips are easy, I've been using them for years. The flower nails are new to me. NOW I USE BOTH.

I hear you can use wet towel strips instead. Just put them in a bowl of water. squeeze out the excess and wrap it around the pan. I connect with a metal paper clip. VOILA.....even rising cakes.

Thank you for posting the pictures. I've been wanting to try nails--just for the fun of it--but was wondering if my thoughts about using a nail were right. Turns out they are! I'll be trying this on my cake this weekend.

So how do you keep them from dripping? The towels I mean. Perhaps I'll be braver this weekend...

thanks for the visual. Good to see the end result so as not be afraid to give it a try.

I tried this on a cake over the weekend. It was the orange dreamsicle cake. I'm sure I'll see a different results in a white cake. But the dreamsicle tasted like it always does -- heavenly!

Mmmmmm

GI,
Orange dreamsicle sounds divine. Is the recipe posted here?