AHi everyone,

This may sound very elementary but when is the best time to level and torte your cakes? Befor or after you chill/freeze them?

Thanks y'all, DeeDee

I always freeze mine. After I take them out and they start to thaw just enough to get my knife through them, I tort and fill.  It makes it so much easier to work with.  Then, I'll let them sit and continue to thaw and settle before I ice them.

AThank you so much! I'm having a hard tone getting and even level on my cakes.

I usually torte and level my cakes before tightly wrapping and freezing.  That way, the crumbs are away when it is time to start assembling and decorating.   Also, always trying to get as much done ahead of time as possible.    The really truly best thing you can do to get perfectly torted and leveled cakes, is get an Agbay.  Pricey, but  worth every penny.  Will elevate your baking to a new "level". 

Yortma,

Thanks for the tip. I work a full time gig and I'm trying to finds ways to do better prep work for my cake. Do you see an difference in the icing when it thaws?

DeeDee

I freeze my cakes unfrosted.  I also prepare my buttercream in advance and freeze it as well. But I actually assemble everything  as close as possible to the deadline.    I have read on CC that you can freeze a frosted cake, but I have never done that.  

I have the greatest tip ever for getting a level cake when you torte. My sister taught me this. So simple!

I used to have the problem of not slicing through the cake evenly when I went to torte the layer. Now, when I slice through the cake (sometimes very uneven!), before I take the newly sliced layers apart, I make a swipe of frosting on the side of the cake, from top to bottom. Basically this marks the sides so that when I put them back together, the layer is still perfectly level on top. Does that make sense?

Yes it does make sense! thanks, I'll have to try it.

I have two methods for quick and even slicing-

1- For fine layers I have a 1 1/2" wide bread knife, I lay the blunt end on the board so it's flat against the side of the sponge with the blade facing up, then I create a shallow cut into the sponge with the actual blade by pushing the blade into the side while raising the blunt edge of the knife up and then I roll the blade across the sponge while continually checking with the blunt edge that it still meets the board at the same height all the way around. Then after the whole sponge is cut shallowly I use the same knife (as it's quite long but any bread knife would do as long as it was longer than the cakes diameter) and following the grooves I just made I slip the knife through making sure the knife tip is extruded through the other side of the sponge- if you can't see it you can be almost sure that your sponge wont be even.

Does that make sense? It's easier to show than describe lol.

2- I use a ruler and measure the sides of the sponge marking with a knife the height I want to slice, then after that has been done all the way around I use a piece of cotton or nylon thread and place this around the sponge in the grooves, once it is secured in the grooves (so it won't slip) I pull both ends as if tightening them and voila- even slice!

Oh and I do this with cooled down sponge, not frozen :)

LOL Good tip!

HI the second method makes more sense to me. I think I'll try that first.. LOL thanks so you for your advice!

This thread had a great idea for torting cakes evenly.  

http://cakecentral.com/t/757778/good-idea#post_7389327

Thanks Kathleen!! Those ring are a great idea!

DeeDee

AI also use a cotton thread to cut my layers evenly!