I bake 2" cakes and I have only filled/torted between cakes. Do you do this, or do you cut the cakes in half and end up torting 3 times?

Thanks,
Janice

I definitely torte the cakes in half. It gives the cake more flavor. Make sure to make a dam inside the torted layer. About 1/4 inch away from the sides. That way when the cake settles the filling won't bulge out the sides. This is especially important when you cover the cakes with fondant. Hope that helps.

I do 2" cakes that I torte each layer into 2 layers (so I only torte once per layer) yielding 4 layers of cake and 3 layers of filling.

I only dam if I'm using something besides BC as a filling (like lemon curd, etc.).

The reason I torte is I think this step takes it from a typical homemade cake (plain 2 layers) to a more professional looking cake (4 layers) plus it also adds heigth and I love tall cakes.

aswartzw Thanks.

Two cakes from the same size pans and decorated the same will look totally different if one is torted (4 layers) and the other is not (2 layers). The torted one will really stand out. It isn't that much more work or ingredients, but it adds an extra *wow* that your customers will love .

The more layers, the more professional looking, and yes, provides the wow factor. Once you get used to torting, it' hard to go back to simply filling two layer cakes. I have both 3" pans and 2" pans... if I'm using the three, the cake is three 1" layers. If using 2" pans, then each 2" is split providing four layers total.

What Win said! LOL 3" pans get torted twice (making 3 layers of cake, 2 layers of filling) per tier. 2" pans get torted once, but use 2 layers, so i end up with 4 layers of cake, 3 layers of filling. it really does make a difference.

thanks for the replies. You gals/guys teach me so much.

Janice

You know, I never thought about that. I think I'll be doing that from now on, lol.

Great thread!

I have some torting questions:

1) How do you do this so that it is both level and the thin layers don't fall apart in your hands while omving them back and forth?

2) How do you frost or fill the layers without having it full of crumbs from the cut part? It seems that a crumb coat wouldn't do it here.

I have been intrigued with the idea, but have no idea how to do it.

i use a leveler (the small wilton one has worked so far for me). make sure not to torte the layers too small... for 2" pan, just torte once, for 3" you can do it twice. if you having trouble with crumbs, refridgerate the layer before cutting OR even freeze it for a little bit to firm it up.

and you can use this recipe too, for a firm cake. i use this exclusively and have almost no crumbs anymore

1 box cake mix (any flavor)
1 box pudding mix (same or complimentary flavor - 4 serving size)
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. water or milk
4 eggs

mix on low for about 30 secs. scrap sides of bowl, and then mix on medium-low for about 3 minutes.

i bake at 325* -time depends on size of pan.

oh and i give the pans a few bangs on the counter once full and a quick spin. very few (if any) air bubbles.

To cut layers, I do use the Wilton gizmo (I know some hate it, but as a hobbist, I need the "training wheels" on). Some use dental floss wrapped around and pulled.

But my FAVORITE "discovery" for torting is using a flat cookie sheet (Cheapo, no sides) like a large spatula. I can cut the layers, slide the cut top off, fill the bottom, and plop the next layer right on top. Chilling/ freezing ahead also helps this step- but I never seem to have the time.

Rita

I'm with everybody else. Bake 2, 2" layers, torte each once to make four layers of cake, three layers of filling per tier. I use the Agbay to cut each layer 7/8 ", and when assembled I have a tier that is 4/4.25" tall - perfect for SPS. A slice really does look great on the plate. I also try to freeze everything overnight to get rid of the crumb problem.

What does torte mean?

Slicing a cake layer horizontally to make 2 layers out of one.

To get nice even layers you have to use a leveler. To handle the layers using cake boards. Then you stack and fill the layers using a piping bag or without letting your spatula come in contact with the cake. Then you crumb coat the top and sides.

I really do love this site. So let get this right if I bake a 2in cake i will slice it once but if its a 3in i would slice it twice. Do you charge customer more for torte?

I bake (2) 2" cakes, and torte each one once so I have 4 layers of cake, 3 layers of filling.

I use an Agbay leveler, and torte when the cakes are cooled. I use either my Pampered Chef cake lifters or a thin sideless cookie sheet to transfer my layers.

Thanks for all the ideas. I will get brave enough to try this sometime.

wow, thank you Johnson6ofus for that cookie sheet idea. I usually use cake boards, but I look at that as a waste. But the cookie sheet idea is marvelous.
I've torted once, was not very successful with it (the cake was kind of unstable), but I will try again.
Wish me luck!

Oh my G-d, I just became a junior member.
I am taking a bow. I feel like I've just graduated.

A few torting tricks I've learned over the years:

I'm old fashioned and still use the toothpick method which is measuring around the cake after it is leveled, marking with toothpicks and slicing across from there. I chill my cake and put it on a lazy susan so that once I start with the serated knife, I simply keep turning the plate and the knife goes right through. It sounds like work, but I've done it so much it's really not and the layers are so even.

If you have a resturant supply store near you go poke through their returned/clearance section (ours has a section where failed resturants turn their stuff back in and it goes to the "used section.") Look for the flat metal pizza plates resturants use to bake their pizzas. Those are PERFECT for sliding right through and lifting your layers off easily. I hate to say that's not my stroke of brillance, my good cake buddie thought of that one and it's a gem!

It sounds complicated, but really it's just that you will torte each one of your layers to 1". If you have two 2" cakes, torte them each in half and you have 4-1" layers. If you have one 3" cake, torte it twice so you have 3-1" layers. Hopefully that made sense .

Like others have said, it really does make your cake stand so much taller. And they look amazing when sliced so your clients get lots of filling with each bite!

After you torte your layers, do you use the same filling for each layer or different ones?

Totally up to you! I generally do the same for all the layers. A thin coating of pear icing and then a thin coating of raspberry preserves in each torte is one of our best sellers right now. Or lemon curd with raspberry, etc. could be used. I suppose we could do cake-pear icing-cake-raspberry-cake-pear icing-cake but to get the proper effect you would have to have a big bite of cake to get the pear and the raspberry together.

If you want to have a different effect, you certainly could have different fillings between layers - maybe I'll have to experiment a little more with that. But remember that if you use different fillings those will be seen when the cake is sliced. You probably don't want cake-raspberry-cake-raspberry-cake-pear-cake.

Oooh! I like the idea of using a cheapo baking sheet (no sides). I was trying to decide how to move a 16" square when torted. All I have is the wilton cake lifter (looks like a small pizza thing).
Yeah! What a great idea.
I also tort 4 layers of cake/3 layers of filling. No more bulges!