the chart on the buttercream says u should use a heating core when baking a 12" cake i never used one, but i read that if u cut a can on both ends u can put that in the pan before putting in the batter do i need either?

I don't know about a can, but I have read alot on here about using an upside-down rose nail stuck in the center of the batter. Also, some ppl just push the cake down when they take it out of the oven- I really like that tip and it works great. HTH!!

I use one or more upside down (greased) metal flower nails in most of my pans over 10" (although I will use one in my 8" pan that's 3" high. For a 14" pan, I use three of them. I also use bake even strips. I find the hole made by a flower nail is much easier to disguise than the one made by a heating core.

thanks bakermom3107,and tracy1970, i think i`ll use the rose nail

after reading posts here on CC i started using a rose nail & baking strips and couldnt be happier. my wilton teacher showed us the heat core and i was a bit put off by the idea of a whopping big hole in the middle of my cake (yes you fill this hole with the cake that bakes inside the core but its still a hole for me) so i'll keep using the nail

I haven't used a heating core yet (I use the inverted flower nail method), but I was told by an instructor that when you do use the heating core, to spray it with cooking spray, put it in the center of your pan, fill your pan 2/3 full then fill the heating core too with batter. When the cake is done, you can take the cake out of the heating core and use that to plug the hole that was left in the bigger cake. I haven't had to bake a cake larger than 10" yet, so I just use the flower nails for now.

I'm a WMI and always teach the flower nail technique. Sure is easier to cover.

thanks guys, this is my first 3 teir cake, (ever) that i`ll be making soon, and you tips have helped me a lot, im scared and excited at the same time i hope that it comes out the way i picture it