I'm going to be baking my first sheet cake and i wanted to know do i need to put in a heating core or flower nail? and will a double batch of batter (for a normal 2 teir 8inch round) be enough to fill the pan? and i've heard chocolate cakes don't hold up as well, will it crack in that big of a pan. I'm going to be trying a new chocolate recipe from scratch i just wanted to know if it would be better to work with something that i've tried or should it be ok to use chocolate (asuming the recipe is actually good ) Ok thats alot and i hope someone can help me. Thanks

I ditto that !! I make a standard recipe of the WASC (2 cake mixes) and it fills my 11x15 perfect. I too fill my cake pans more than normal to level them easier. I use 1 flower nail in mine for even baking. I also bake chocolate all the time without a problem..

yes i'm planning on using the 12x18 thank you so much. and would you recommend using like 2 1/2 mixes, i can always make a small cake for the house .

I always line the bottom of my pans with wax paper....grease the pan good and add the waxed paper...When the cakes are done I use a towel to flip the cakes out of the pan and then back over to botton side down....let them cool and you will be amazed how the paper helps hold the cake together. I put the top of the cake down on the board, it's usually sticker, and just remove the waxed paper before frosting. If you split the layer, and feel that the top piece is to flimsey then just cut it (the top half if the split cake) in half, when you ice it the cut won't show. I don't use the flower nail...but I do wrap my pans with a damp strip. They rise pretty even.... either way works good.

For the 12x18,, I use 3 mixes. I never use flower nails or heating cores, just baking strips and reduce the oven temp.

I'm with Deb I use 3 mixes , I use Duncan Hines Chocolate Fudge and do the temp at 325 for about an hour. Everybody raves over that cake it's the texture of a fine resturant cake.

debster, thanks for the reminder of what brand since some brands yield more and less than others. I use Betty Crocker.

Thanks ladies i never even thought about dropping the temp and cooking longer, great idea! i will deffinatly use the bake even strips. i just love you gals, you always have such great advice!

I use the wilton cake batter guide as a guide for filling my pans, its always been reliable for me, just search " cake batter amounts" and it will show up