I live in high altitude and constantly battle the dip in the center of the cake (yes, I add flour and use flower nails). I thought I might try the Wilton cake strips. The cake turned out terribly! There was a hard crust on top of the cake and the cake was so moist it fell flat after 45 minutes of baking an 8"! What in the world happened? Does anybody like these/use these?

i to live at/with high altitude. I've mostly baked cakes from boxed mixes or doctored mixes. But i have had better luck with using the strips then without using them.

I absolutely love those strips, like a miracle worker for my cakes. I just finished baking 2 with them a few minutes ago. no bulge on top, perfect light brown color. I do have to keep checking my oven to make sure it stays between 325 and 350 and adjust it along the way, that would be the only thing I can think of. Oh, I also do not live in high altitude.

i use the wasc recipe on this site, and i just lightly run my fingers over the strips, i don't ring it out. i've also found it works better if you let them soak 10 min or so.

Oh yes, I let them soak at least 1/2 hour before I use them, that appears to make a big difference, then I do use a little bit of pressure to get the excess out.

I can't bake a cake without them. Nice level tops! Keep my oven at 350, some people lower the temp to 325. Sounds like you have a different problem though, as the strips slow the baking down, to keep the center from crowning. Yours sound like they are not baking enough.

I also love the strips. It's like night and day when I don't use them. I don't live in a high altitude location, though.

I also use the WASC recipe and the bake even strips. I run them under the faucet for a minute or so until I feel they are wet enough, and then run them through my fingers (but not lightly). Mine are damp when I attach them to my cake pans. I'm amazed on how beautiful my cakes look. Nice golden color, basically flat...couldn't ask for more. I live pretty close to sea level.

Hmmm...maybe I'll give it another shot tomorrow. It sounds like it works for you guys. I wonder what in the world I did wrong?! I did use the Darn Good Chocolate cake recipe from this site and it is very dense. I wonder if that made a difference?

Should I expect to get a hard crust on top, or was that just part of my wacky first attempt?

Mine do not crust on top. They are a nice golden brown. Maybe it is the recipe? Either way, good luck! I hope they work for you becuase they can be so helpful when they work right!

I never get a hard crust on top. As a matter of fact, the top is very moist.

Okay, so yeah, it's just me. Thanks for all the advice. I really appreciate it!

Maybe it's not you, could it possibly be your oven?

I have used the bake-even strips on every cake I have ever baked since I first bought them, about 2400 in 21 years. The only time I have ever had a problem was when I used a strip that was too long and wrapped it around the pan twice. It was a WASC, the top was hard and crusty, but I finally gave up. That cake never got done on the sides. Gooey and yucky. I mixed another batch and baked a new one, using a shorter strip. Baked perfectly that time.

I'm wondering if it could be your recipe. Have you tried a cake made straight from the box. How do those cook for yo?

I always use the strips & the cakes are perfectly even. I actually soak my strips overnight so they really absorb the water & just lightly run my thumb down the center before applying them to the pan.