I am sure this topic has been talked about many times but I couldn't find my answer yet and I have to start baking tomorrow night. So I was wondering if anyone has some advice on baking 2 flavors of cake in one pan side by side. My client wants a 12x18 sheet cake and she wants one half chocolate fudge and the other half butter recipe--both are mixes. I planned on pouring the batters in at the same time so they would eventually run together in the middle of the pan. I just wasn't sure about baking time and temp because it seems that the chocolate cake always bakes faster than the butter cake. Any suggestions would be helpful. I have never done a cake like this and I am worried that one of the cake flavors will turn out dry. I thought about Dr. the mix up so that one may take a little longer to bake then normal. I am not sure if that would work or not. Thanks for any advice you may have.

If you want a clean delineation between flavors, make a foil-covered cardboard dam to wedge into the middle of your pan, so you can pour in your batters and then just remove the dam.

The cakes will bake similarly, but what you will find is that the buttercake side will rise faster and thus will spill over the top of the chocolate cake a bit.

To be on the safe side, you should bake at 325 and preferably use Bake Even Strips. Those things work wonders. You could also place 3 inverted flower nails in the pan, but the Bake Even Strips work much better.

Happy baking!

I do basically what PP does - I don't use cardboard though to make the divider, I just fold up some aluminum foil to use as the seperator, after the batter is poured, I remove it. One side will cook faster - but it hasn't been a problem for me. When it comes out of the oven, I put a clean towel on it and a cookie sheet - then weigh it down to make sure it is level. I have 2 of them on my counter right now!

Thanks for your helpful suggestions! I will definately use them. I'm actually getting ready to start the baking process right now. I hope it all works out

you don't really need a divider. just prop the end of the cake pan up a little and pour 1 batter, then remove prop and pour 2nd batter and they will flow to the middle

loucinda - thanks for the idea for leveling! i make checkerboard cakes alot and that would work wonders.

I do a lot 1/2 and 1/2 sheet cakes, just baked one this evening. I use a cake cardbord circle that I cut in half for my divider. I just cover it up with foil and set it in the middle. Now you do have to hold it but my bolws have handles which make this much easier. I usually pour in the white cake first then the choc. I alwasy mix up my white cake first then I dont have to wash my beater. Sandy

I just start pouring from both bowls directly in the middle of the pan to go ahead and make a clean line. I make about a 1 inch marbled swirl area in the middle because the cakes would separate once baked. Just go for it. It took the stress out of it for me.

Im going to try that next time. Thanks for the tip. Sandy