A Few Questions About Baking, Leveling And Torting...
Decorating By HPChick33 Updated 13 Nov 2009 , 10:00am by deliciously_decadent
Hi everyone! I have a few questions...
1. How do I avoid the hard, crunchy sides? I use Wilton's Bake Wasy spray. Should I change it up or am I using too much?
2. When do you level your cakes? Right away or do you let them cool? If so, how long should I let them sit?
3. When do you torte your cakes? When you fill them, do you refrigerate and ice the next day, or let them sit out (assuming filling is non-perishable)?
THANK YOU for taking the time to read this and for your advice!
I'm not familiar with Wilton's, but try baker's Joy. I'm sure its also cheaper. I don't have crusty sides, so I'm not sure what is causing it. But you might be right to change your product. I level when they are COOL. You let them sit tell they are cool...I don't know how long that will take with your cake. You also torte when they are cool. I fill & crumb coat when they are cool. But in fridge to get more cool & then frost up again for a nice outside. And this can all happen in the same day if you start early in the day. It's all about the cool, ya know.
I use Wilton's bake-even strips around my pans when I bake to avoid the crunchy sides. They also help the cake to bake level (no domed tops), so I haven't had to level a cake since I started using them. Bonus! They're pretty easy to find at Michaels, and not too expensive.
I tend to let the cakes sit for a while (an hour or so, covered in plastic wrap) before I torte and fill them. Once that's done, I freeze them before I frost. Totally personal preference, I just find it easier to get icing on smoothly if the cake is cold.
HTH! 
Hi everyone! I have a few questions...
1. How do I avoid the hard, crunchy sides? I use Wilton's Bake Wasy spray. Should I change it up or am I using too much?
it might not be the spray you could be baking at too high of a temp. try 325 and use baking strips
2. When do you level your cakes? Right away or do you let them cool? If so, how long should I let them sit?
Let the cake completely cool before that or else they will break up it should be at least a couple of hours
3. When do you torte your cakes? When you fill them, do you refrigerate and ice the next day, or let them sit out (assuming filling is non-perishable)?
I don't think that refrigeration is needed but make sure you put a thin layer of filling if you are using strawberry to make sure that the cake doesn't slide. As far as icing them I am not sure on that but if it is a tiered cake i would definitely let the cake settle before putting a final coat of icing on it.
THANK YOU for taking the time to read this and for your advice!
HTH
Hi everyone! I have a few questions...
1. How do I avoid the hard, crunchy sides? I use Wilton's Bake Wasy spray. Should I change it up or am I using too much?
2. When do you level your cakes? Right away or do you let them cool? If so, how long should I let them sit?
3. When do you torte your cakes? When you fill them, do you refrigerate and ice the next day, or let them sit out (assuming filling is non-perishable)?
THANK YOU for taking the time to read this and for your advice!
1.This could be because your cakes are getting overdone on the outside before they are done one the inside. Does this happen with all sizes or only the larger ones?? Try using a heating core or flower nail
2.Sometimes I level them when I am ready to fill, and sometime once they are cool. If I wait to level, I freeze them once they are completely cool and then thaw out (but not completely) before leveling. I find them easier to cut when they are a little frozen. If I cut once they are cooled I wait untill they are cool completely to the touch, this can take several hours. Don't cut them hot or you will have a huge crumbly mess on your hands!
3.Same as above for torting. Once filled, I let them sit a day to allow the icing/ cake to settle. I find the the fridge dries cakes out a bit, you can let it sit out! Unless I am decorating the next day, sometimes I will cover it and put it in the fridge
Hope that helps!
1. How do I avoid the hard, crunchy sides? I use Wilton's Bake Wasy spray. Should I change it up or am I using too much?
Answer: Sounds like you are over baking the cake. You might cut down slightly on the spray but I think you are letting it bake too long.
2. When do you level your cakes? Right away or do you let them cool? If so, how long should I let them sit?
Answer: When you take the cake out of the oven place a solid something on it - like a covered cake board or cookie sheet; press down firmly. This should level the cake completely as long as it has baked up as high as the sides of the pan. If it is not that tall you need to add more batter to the pan.
3. When do you torte your cakes? When you fill them, do you refrigerate and ice the next day, or let them sit out (assuming filling is non-perishable)?
Answer: Let the cake cool completely before torting. Many times I bake ahead and freeze the cake so torting will be after it thaws and I'm ready to work on it.
Many people say to fill, crumb coat and let it sit as much as overnight but in a bakery it's almost impossible to do that! If you make *sure* the cake is level and once filled press on the top to 'seat' the two layers together there should be no problems w/that dreaded 'ring around the cake'
Refrigerating a cake makes it dry out faster. Try not to unless the filling requires it.
linda mclure suggests wrapping a damp towel around the outside of the pan when baking to avoid the edges getting done too quickly. i know someone who does this and said it worked.
too much sugar in the cake batter can also cause a crisp crust.
i let my cakes cool in the tin overbight, covered in a clean tea twoel (cloth) this trap the steam and softens the cake, once cold turn out, tort and fill, if you do not plan on torting and filling wrap in plastic wrap to avoid drying out
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