Although this cake looks good from the outside when we cut it at Easter there was a hole in the middle and the cake was not thouroughly cooked.
Any suggestions of what might have gone wrong. I have a Garfield 3D pan that I would like to use for my Granddaughter's 9th Birthday and would like to correct this before making her Birthday cake. Both these pans are old Retired Wilton pans. Thanks Lynda

Did you use the heating core?

No I did not. I guess the old pans don't reflect on the heating core. I don't have one nor know how it is used. Any help along that route that you can give I would greatly appreciate. Lynda

They sell plan old heating cores at Michaels. Just get one and treat with baking spray and insert. Make sure you can pull it out of the cake after baking. What I would use is my wonder mold bar that would be long enough I think. It might tilt but big deal.

I use flower nails for heating cores. They work just as well as Wilton's and much cheaper. Just spray it and stick it in upside down before pouring the cake in.

Unfortunately, I have had issues with flower nails rusting after baking so I do not recommend that way anymore.