I've recently bought an 11 x 15 pan, and I was wondering if a cake will bake evenly in this pan without a heating core. I'd appreciate any help. Thanks!

I just made that size last week. I used the bake even strips from Wilton and it worked great!

I always use baking strips. I never use heating cores. Works fine.

I have turned a flower nail upside down and placed in the middle. I don't like the cores. Just make sure to spray your nail well so it will pop right out. My cakes have been just fine using the nail.

Wilton baking strips work awesomely! I also lower my baking temp to 325. I haven't tried the flower nail trick, but I'm going to try it this week.

I use that pan all the time. I don't use anything, no core, no strips. I just bake it at 325 - never had a problem.

Thanks for the help guys. I don't like the heating cores either, so I'm definitely going to try some of these tricks. Thanks.

I bake this cake all the time too and baked one today. I also use the bake even strips ( I use 2 and pin them together so they will go around) and I use 2 upside flower nails in this cake. Works great. I do lots and lots of sheet cakes. Sandy

If I bake this 11 x 15 x 2 inch cake and fill it, how many people would it serve. It seems like the guides base it on a 2 layer cake. Does that mean I need to bake two 11 x 15 x 2 inch cakes? I need to feed no more than 50 people.

One cake and you should be fine. I think it serves right around 50, 11 one inch wide x 5 3 inch thick x 2 plus inch tall will give you 55 servings. We usually serve 48 at our house with that pan size.

I always say it will serve 54, if I use the marker that marks each piece it will make 54 1 inch pieces. Sandy

An 11x15 serves 35 of the industry standard 2x2x2" squares. A 2x2x1" is REALLY TINY.

A 2-layer 11x15 serves 70 of the industry standard 1x2x4".

Okay, I decided I am going to make a second layer tonight...it will be easier to fill it anyway...I won't have to try cutting such large pieces One more question....last night, when I took it out of the pan, some pieces stuck to the pan...how long do you guys wait until you take it out? I think I waited about 15 minutes. Also, I used Wilton Cake release and a little flour on the bottom.

mine are trimmed and on the cooling rack within 2 minutes of coming out of the oven.

Not to hijack the thread but I would like to know what everyone considers a 1/4 sheet, a half sheet and a whole sheet and how many a one layer serves of each. I thought I knew but have gotten conflicting info. Thanks!

I always use parchment paper for the bottom of the pans. I do at times have a problem with the sides sticking. I use the Wilton cake release but still have the problem. I also use Wilton pans if that makes a difference. Does anyone have suggestions for keeping the sides from sticking?

What do you mean "trimmed?" suzyq0204 - I've never tried the parchment paper, but have thought about it. Could you make the parchment paper go up the sides?

Stephi!.... I never tried the parchement on the sides. Not sure how you would keep in place. Has anyone else tried this? As far as trimming the cake.... IndyDebbie wrote about that. I would say the trimming is leveling the cake while still in the pan so the it is even all the way across.

Thanks Debi, I knew you would come through for me!! LOL

I always just spray the sides of my pans with the flour/grease spray then put either parchment paper or wax paper in the bottom of all my pans. I never had any problems with my cakes not coming out clean. I do let them sit about 5 or more minutes to cool, the rule used to be in 4-H just until the sides pull away from the pan its ready to come out. In my world I have 3 sizes of sheet cakes, sm, med and lg. which are 9x13, 11x15 and 12x18 these are the only sheet cake pans I seem to need. Sandy

If you need any help with your sheet cakes just pm me, Ill try and help.

Just wanted to say that I used the flower nail idea, and it worked great. The pictures are posted if you want to see.

Yes the upside flower nail does work great and when I do the bigger sheet cakes I use 2 in mine. At least you are getting double duty out of the flower nails...ha!

The reason Iv switched from parchment paper in the bottoms of my pans to wax paper is because of cost. The left over wax paper that I trim off goes into my little squares I keep cut to make flowers.

If you let your cake sit out for a few minute ( 5 or so) the sides of your cake should pull away from your pan if its done. Im thinking about trying baking a cake without spraying the sides and see if that works. I do not spray the bottoms if I put in the paper, I found that sometimes that kept the paper from coming out well. Sandy

You know Iv been ask that before on here and it doesn't. My mom used it on all her cakes when I was a child ( longer than I want to remember-ha!) and it always worked then. Sandy

Thanks for the info...something new to consider

I know that when I made candy clay, the directions I followed said to use wax paper...the heat from the clay melted the wax and I spent forever shaving off the outside layers of wax away from the clay blob so I didn't waste the whole thing!