i am baking a small cake (as a topper) in a soup can. I have seen may folks here used flower nail as heating core, but i don't have one. What can I use as an alternative? I also have a 5" stainless steel container I can use to bake, if baking in that will make a difference.

In a narrow container, like a can, a heating core would probably not be necessary. The can has lots of exposure to heat. The core is more important with a larger cake, to be sure it gets done in the middle. Some bakers even like them in 10" rounds, and expecially in dense batters.

Thankyou JoAnnB