Are Bake Even Strips Really Necessary?
Decorating By dandy207 Updated 17 Mar 2006 , 1:56pm by Molly2
I tried bake-even strips once and had a terrible experience! I've been told that I didn't get the strips wet enough. But while my cake layers were baking, this strange smell kept coming from the oven and when I was working with the cake, I could smell it in the cake! I ended up having to slice off the rounded area of one layer anyway and it did taste exactly like it smelled and it was for a Baby shower. I never want to take that risk again. Now I use the greased flower nail method. Works much better. However, many people love the strips. So..it could have just been a strange experience.
I love the strips except for the extra effort to put them on! They make your cakes raise more evenly and bake more quickly You don't get the hump in the middle! The strips do have to be WET! I have never had a problem. I fasten them w/tpins. Hope this answers your question.
Dug mine out of the cupboard last week and tried them again -- was amazed to see the difference in the quality of cake -- I didnt have to level anything off and also didnt through anything away --worked great and I will use always. Agree that it involves extra effort but in the end I saved time not levelling off cakes.
You just take your flower nail and grease and flower it as you would your cake pan and place it upside down in the middle of the cake pan before you put in your batter with the point facing up. After baking, flip over your cake and remove! You should have a level cake! I learned this trick from this site and it works as well as the strips for me and no strange smell. 
I tried the strips and didn't like them. I find better luck reducing the temp. to 325 degrees and when taking out of oven lightly press top of cake down with paper towel (keep oven mitt on). Much better for me.
Vicky
I agree with this exactly. With the strips, I found that my cakes were not crisp and they had a lot of crumbs. Not to mention that it took FOREVER to cook. Some people swear by them, like my Wilton Instructor, but I just didn't have good luck with them.
I don't use them, in the UK if we're baking a cake that will take a long time (such as a fruitcake), we cook at a low temperature and line the sides (inside and out), bottom and the top of the batter with baking paper to ensure even cooking and sides that don't dry out too much! This is what I do for big or fruit cakes. I used the flower nail in the 3D car pan and the mixture still didn't cook through in the middle (the deep part of the pan)!
I did buy them at the suggestion of my Wilton instructor. I tried them once and was so frustrated at trying to get the #@!%# things to stay on that I just said screw it and they've been in my kitchen closet ever since. I use the flower nail, too, when it comes to a bigger cake. But for an 8" or so I find that I don't need anything.
Cheers,
Darci
I use my strips or flour sack towels most every time I bake a cake. They do take a little effort, but I soak them while I'm mixing up my cake, stick them on the pans before I put the batter in and it really doesn't take much more time. I hardly ever have to cut any off of my cakes. I've never had a problem with them taking longer or not being done in the middle.
im just wondering wat exactly ur talking about when u say a flower nail? what is it, and what do u do with it to make ur cake flat and even?
thank 
you put one (or more) of the wilton flower nails (supposed to be used for making roses, etc.) flat part down in the middle of the pan. this helps distribute the heat quicker to the middle of the cake, causing the cake to cook more in the middle. i suppose by having the middle cook at the same rate as the edges there would be less of a bump or valley in the middle.
I have a question about the flower nail...You put the nail head down at the bottom of the pan then pour the batter??? I haven't tried this but I hate using the core. It is always hard to get the cake into the hole the core leaves. Could anyone explain the flower nail better? THanks. Vicky
I've never used the nail (I will try it) but I have used the baking strips I soak them while I'm mixing up my cake, and place them on the pans with safety pens it works great and not as hard to place on your pans, I like them it makes may cakes come out even when I first used them they did have a smell to them but the more I used them I don't smell them any more I soak my strips in hot water Good Luck!
Theresa
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