When I bake a 11X15 CAKE do I just use the heating core? Or do I need a bunch of baking stips or both?
thanks

I just use a flower nail in the center as a heating core and bake at 325.

For an 11x15 I use heating strips and no core. I use convection, but mine bake great every time. I do use a 2 flower nails for the 12x18 and 6" and 8". I use the strips for everything... core or not!

Lisa,
You use 1 flower nail in the center of larger cakes and bakes evenly? I love the idea, b/c I'm not really a fan of the heating core, but if you say the flower nail works, I am definately trying it!!

I also use flower nails, so much easier to use than a heating core.
This is what I do..
1. Pour batter into prepared pan
2. Grease flower nail with cake release and spray with pam, make sure it is well covered, all the way up to the tip.
3. Insert flower nail into the middle of the pan, push it through the batter all the way until it touches the bottom of the pan.
4. Place pan in preheated oven and bake according to instructions.

Then when you turn you cake over, you only have a little tiny hole from your flower nail, which people will most likely not notice; instead of a big hole that you have to plug up from using a heating core.

Oops... only one flower nail for the 6 and the 8. I love them because I hated having a big hole in the middle of my cake. Who ever came up with using flower nails is so smart!

I'll have to try the flower nail... I've never done that before... I've always used the heat strips and lowered the temperature in the oven

thanks for the advice.

I've used the flower nail instead of the heating core. I have no problem with my cakes. I do lower the oven temp about 4-5 degrees.

And my cakes come out great. For the nail, I just leave mine in the cake until it is time to flip the cake out of the pan and then just pull the nail out.

I have the heating core and haven't used it yet. I don't use those heat strips, I honestly don't think they work well. When I was taking the Wilton classes, I was hearing some horror stories about them, and decided to not use them.

take care......