I tried baking a large sheet cake tonight in an 11 x 14 pan...it took forever to cook and got too brown. I am going to make cake balls out of this one...however, I am wondering if I need the heating core, what it's benefits are, and how do I use it? Does Michael's sell something like that or is it something I'd have to order? The cake is due Tuesday...

Please help!

I use flower nails. Just coat them to prevent sticking put it nail (sharp) end up in your batter. I would use two for a sheet cake. Also bake at 325 degrees, takes a little longer but bakes more evenly. HTH

I've baked larger cakes without a heating core, I just bake them at 325 degrees. Try it, if you still have problems, then is your oven thermostat. I suggest you buy an oven thermometer, check that oven is calibrated correctly.

How deep is your pan, and how much batter did you use? (And it was an 11x14, not 11x15.)

Everything you ever wanted to know about making your 1st tiered/stacked/layer cake:

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-605188-.html

Above has info (and personal opinions) on using flower nails or heating cores and/or bake-even strips - and so much more!

HTH

For over 25 years of baking professionally I never used a heat core - NEVER!
Bake even strips and lower temp will do the job.
It sounds to me like your oven might be off. Have you had it ck'd lately? Do you use a thermoter in the oven? Don't rely on the temp dial.

I did bake it at 325 for about 42 minutes...it got very brown on the top and the sides...I guess I need an oven thermometer after all! It also got all bubbly...maybe I had too much batter in the pan?

Cake troubleshooting charts:

http://tinyurl.com/2p5bdu

http://tinyurl.com/6lpjww

http://tinyurl.com/32goqe

http://tinyurl.com/6c745g

HTH

I'm with kakeladi....30 years, never used a heating core, reduce the oven temp, use baking strips. when I bake an 11x15 cake, I use two cake mixes, so you didn't have too much batter. Sometimes I even add a little extra batter, if I'm in a high production day.

Here's a thread on "the science" of baking strips, why they're used and how they work: http://forum.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=3467363#3467363

As usual, you guys are the pros!

Today, I found a chart online that said an 11 x 15 needed about 11 cups of batter. SO, I greased the pan, put two flower nails in it, put parchment over that, then measured the batter out per cup. I had enough batter left over for 6 cupcakes. It didn't get all the way to the top, but pretty close, and it didn't boil over like it did with 2 mixes, although I wish I'd added another cup.

45 minutes later at 325, it's perfect.

Thanks for all the great advice

Kristi

Kind of late, and I know I am in the minority, but I love the heating cores:

http://sugaredblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/i-love-it-to-core.html

I know this is way late, BUT I just finished baking a 12X18 sheet cake and thought this is not my first time baking this size cake; it's the first time that it baked leveled and didn't get brown on top. I used two size 6 flower nails (greased) and this worked wonderfully. I have to bake two other sheet cake the same size and I'm trying the strips on the next one. I'm just trying to perfect my basics and use all CC'ers advices that I've read in these posts. Thanks everyone that share what you've learned along the way. GREAT TIPS!