I want to apply syrups to a cake I am making and then torte them. Do I apply the syrup while the cake is hot and then torte once cooled? Or do I allow the cakes to cool, torte and then add the syrup to the layers? I have heard adding syrup when the cake is cooled will cause the cake to be soggy. Thanks for your suggestions!

I've done it both ways. Cake should not get soggy if you are careful not to pour the syrup on but brush or spray it on instead.

I bake, cool (usually overnight), torte, and add the simple syrup (warmed) to the layers as I am stacking them with filling. The cake should not get soggy unless you add a LOT (and I am not stingy with it). As the cake sits, the syrup with trickle through and make it more evenly moist than wet top-dry bottom.

I do as KoryAK does.

Syrups should be an integral part of the recipe. In other words, the syrup should be part of the recipe, used on a cake where its addition will complete a perfectly balanced cake and compliment the texture because it is a planned addition.

Not all cakes can handle syrup well and not all syrups are created equal.

If the syrup is added just because the cake is dry or overbaked, it will just taste like a dry, overbaked cake with syrup. If the cake gets gummy, the texture, or crumb, was not created to withstand a syrup.

Finally, simple syrup can be water with sugar, or it can be taken to a confection level, turning the resulting syrup into a thick syrup that will not soak the cake.

On the few cake of mine that use simple syrup to add the depth of another flavor only, I use the confection method.

I'll share my syrup recipe (method) in a pm.