Having a stress out I have a dolly varden cake to do this week. Thought I would bake the chocolate cake, freeze it before taking it out a day or two later to decorate. Well last night cake one I greased the tin with canola spray. I always use this spray for greasing pans and have done the same thing with the Dolly Varden tin before with no probs. Anyway, everything seemed fine until I tried to remove from tin. Thought I had left it long enough to cool but unfortunately some cake remained stuck and so the whole thing was beyond salvaging.

So second attempt, this time thought I would canola spray it and then dust with flour just to make doubly sure it didnt stick. Anyway, cake didnt go so well sunk in the middle a bit but thought it would still be OK. Anyway, left it a bit longer this time to ensure it wasnt due to my removing it too early that it was sticking and sure enough. Stuck again, ruining cake. Seems to be pretty much sticking and breaking off in the exact same place each time. Its stressing me out!

Havent done my birthday shout for workmates from June (I know I am slack) so figured those first two will be destined to be cake balls. However, now I am super stressed about my third attempt. It is a different brand of canola oil so thought maybe it was that? I have only used the tin once before and it worked fine so hoping its not a tin problem? Any ideas? I figure I will just try and grease with plain old butter for this attempt but any advice would be appreciated because it may be just something I am doing wrong.

First of all, don't grease with butter only. Oil or solid shortening and flour should work.

Does the pan come with a center pin or heating core to help heat distribute evenly?

If not, you can fashion one from a long, thick nail, cooking twine and bulldog clips. Wrap the nail securely in foil. Wet the twine, then tie it around the top of the nail. After pouring your batter into the tin, suspend the nail into the batter and secure the loose ends of the twine tightly on the edge of the pan with the bulldog clips.

If the cake tends to sink and you can't use a heating core, just bake a small cake in the tin and supplement with regular round layers in graduated sizes. You can trim to the shape you want.

It has an attached rod through the middle for even cooking. The last time I cooked a cake in it it was a dense vanilla cake. Could it be the type of cake I am baking as well - as in too moist or soft????

I really think these pans are hit or miss. Sometimes I get a nice tall cake and sometimes I get a sunken rock-hard blob.

That's why I now just bake a small cake so I have that perfect taper to start, then finish with regular round tiers. Not only is it less stressful baking, but the cake is also easier to fill.