OK... I'm tackling my first LARGE cake. The base layer of my wedding cake will be 16" square and I'm affraid of it not baking evenly. I've seen "heat cores" at our local cake shop but not sure how they work.
I would appreciate any tips or pointers from you experts! I'm getting very nervous!
Use several flower nails put flat side down on the base of your pan in/near the centre, spray them with cake release and they will only leave you with a small hole instead of a large one that you have to faff about refilling!
The most common way its seems on here for making sure the cake gets done is using an upside down flower nail. You spray it with cooking spray then place it in the center of the cake pan. Some people pour the batter after placing the nail. I pour then place the nail. As far as the heating core, I've never used one. I've used the Bake Even Strips but I haven't experience any difference using them and not using them. On a 16" square I would place two nails in the cake. One on each side of the cake.
Good luck!
I've used both the nail and the heating core - ready to ditch the heating core!! I just spray the nail with the Pam baking spray that has flour in it. I'd also use 2 nails.
I'm another flower nail fan. I used it for a 16 inch square cake and it turned out beautifully.
Angie
I too use flower nails. It works beautifully, and is soooo easy! I think it is a good idea also to lower the oven temp just a bit - I almost always bake at 325 anyway because it seems the cakes don't have as big a "hump" at a slightly lower temp. Good luck! 
I tried the flower nail, and it didn't do it for me. I still had a gummy center. So, I emptied out a salsa can and opened the bottom as well...creating a metal cylinder. (It's hard to find cans you can open at both ends these days!). Just grease and flour that and then insert it in the center of your cake. Not only is my cake done all the way through now....it is EVEN!!!! EVEN! For some reason, I don't get a huge hump anymore. You'll get a little cake "plug" when it's done, but it just fits right back in the cake, and ices perfectly, and no-one's the wiser. I put a heat core in pretty much everything nowadays.
I use the flower nail too, and it works great! But, there is one thing that I can't seem to avoid......HARD CRUSTY EDGES. I don't know what to do, does anybody have any advice????? Help! It makes it harder to level my cake becuae the leveler gets hung up on the CRUSTY EDGES!!!!!!!!
Thanks
Connie
I tried the flower nail, and it didn't do it for me. I still had a gummy center. So, I emptied out a salsa can and opened the bottom as well...creating a metal cylinder. (It's hard to find cans you can open at both ends these days!).
The can of salsa you are talking about, is the small one, right?
I use the heating core when I use pans bigger than 10, especially if they are 3 inches and I don't find it that much of a trouble.
It works for me. 
I tried the flower nail, and it didn't do it for me. I still had a gummy center. So, I emptied out a salsa can and opened the bottom as well...creating a metal cylinder. (It's hard to find cans you can open at both ends these days!).
The can of salsa you are talking about, is the small one, right?
I use the heating core when I use pans bigger than 10, especially if they are 3 inches and I don't find it that much of a trouble.
It works for me.
I use the Ateco heating core nails and really prefer them over using flower nails as they are totally flat. The salsa can does sound interesting though.
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