How To Bake Large Cakes Evenly? Heating Core?
Decorating By BellaDonna Updated 3 Apr 2006 , 11:45pm by bodaisy
I am about to untake baking my first large cake. It will be a 4 tier wedding cake. The bottom layer is 12". I did a test run on the bottom layer the other day to see how much batter I would need and how long it would take to cook. The outside of the cake got "very" brown. The outside edges of the cake was slightly drier than the center. My oven is not the best. I just read an article on this site about "collaring". It mentioned using a "heating core". What is it and should I use one on my 12" cake? Are there other options that others may have used that work as well?
Thank you!
I preheat the oven at least 45 miinutes and use an oven thermometer. I have heard of people using a rose nail to help them evenly. I use the strips around my cakes most of the time. Lately, I put a pan of water in the oven while it is preheating. That seems to work pretty well for me. As soon as the cake comes out I put a plain linen towel over it and pat it down gently to get the cake even. This won't work though if the cake is overdone.
I've been using the flower nail in place of the heating core. I've never used the heating core but everyone said that the flower nail works just as well. And the bake even strips are pretty good, alittle costly though. Someone else had posted on here that they bought a set of dish towels that they use just for that, in place of using bake even strips, and that they work wonderful for helping the cake bake even and level. I need to get around to trying that one myself still, I have a really hard time getting those strips to stay around my pans!! 
Strips? Are those, those silver things I see in the baking section? If so, what are they for? And putting a pan of water in the oven during pre-heat, does that help to keep moisture in the oven or something? I'm sorry if my questions are "dumb". I offered to make the wedding cake for my daughter's wedding (they are on a tight budget) and I just want to do the best job that I can for her.
Thanks again!
Yes, the bake even strips are the silver ones in the baking isle. You pin them around your cake pan after soaking them a bit to get them damp. Their to help your cake bake more even and moist. Also, it was suggested to turn down the oven temp 25 degrees from the normal baking time. I did that to, and it did help! But like I said, I'm going to try the damp dish towels next time, the bake even strips are more expensive, and I really have trouble pinning them on and keeping them there! Like Crimsicle said, the towels are cheap lol, compared to the bake even strips anyway!
For those who don't have magicake strips you could make your own with paper towel, aluminum foil and large paper clips. I got this from the "Gourmet" cookbook. I suppose if you're only going to use the strips once this would be okay. But if you're an avid baker it would be a good investment to buy the strips. For a 6, 9, & 12" round you need: 19" of foil for 6", 9"- 29" of foil, 12"-38" of foil. To make strips dampen length of paper towel (two connected sheets are enough; they should be moist but not dripping) and fold into strip 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide. Align one long side of the paper towel strip with one long side of the shortest sheet of foil, and fold the foil over it twice, trimming the excess width of foil sheet. After wrapping it snuggly around the side of the pan, fasten it with a paper clip. You're gonna need more paper towel with the bigger pans. Hope this works for you.
The flower nails work fine for me. Just don't forget to spray it with no stick spray!!
I've never heard of the foil and paper towel one. That's a great tip to, every little trick of the trade helps Thanks!
So when you say "invert" the flower nail, do you mean flat side down? I think that's what you mean but I want to make sure.
Yep, that's what it means. Just spray it, put it in the batter upside down, so that the flat round part will be touching the bottom of the pan in the middle of the batter. Then when you cool your cake and turn it out of the pan, the flat part of the flower nail will be right there for you to pull out. 
Thanks everyone for your help. Once I have made the cake I will post a photo 
Well, maybe I'll post a photo. Depends on if it is a complete debacle or not! 
I am curious. Regarding using the flower nail for baking larger cakes, is one nail in the center usually enough? Is there a large enough pan that two or more should be used? Heck, should one be used no matter how small the pan is?
Thanks in advance!
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