Some of you have mentioned that you over-fill your pan with cake batter so that when it comes out of the oven you can cut off the hump and use the pan to guide you for an even cut.

My question is, by how much do you over-fill? I have tried it a couple of times and I still haven't gotten the cake to rise high enough over the pan to be able to cut it evenly.

TIA

Lainee

what sized pan are you using? you may not be using enough batter..

I fill mine to the brim with mixture, then they rise a little beyond that if a heavy cake and I have a nice tall cake. It is a little trial and error, to figure out how much mix, sometimes if a recipe tells amounts for many sizes, then I use the next size up mix and that works well.

If you are going to overfill your cake pans be sure to collar your pans (line the sides with parchment paper at least 1/2 - 1 inch or more above the rim of the pan). Also, if you want to prevent from having the dome you could use the bake even strips. I use them all the time and they work great!


Lazy_Susan

I'm one who deliberately overfills. I've never been very scientific about it - maybe 3/4 of the way full? Maybe a little more?

I think it's doubly important when overfilling to use a heat core of some sort, too. I've never collared.

So, then do you just wait for it to cool and then just cut it?

I'm thinking this might be the perfect way to get 2 inch layers for each level of my Rubik's cube.

Doesn't the heating core leave a big hole in teh cake? I don't get that at all.

you could use an inverted flower nail as a core, it works wonderfully!

I've never heard of intentially overfilling the pan. one the occasion that I have done it quite by accident I think to myslef "dummy".

I may have to give this a try sometime. THanks for the topic.

Bump...looking for suggestions on exactly how to level it once it's baked. Thanks!

Thanks for the bump karen - I've got the same question.

If you leave the cake in the pan to cool before leveling it - don't you risk it sticking in the pan? I guess my question would be, when do you do what?

I bake and cool my cake as normal (take it out of the pan after about 10 minutes to cool on a cooling rack) but I set aside the pan. After it's cool, I put the cake back in the pan, level it, and then go from there (but that's just me). Hope this makes sense?

It's clear to me. I've got a cake to bake tonight. I think i'll try this method. It's a 9 x 13 pan, with really high sides though. I'm doing the enhansed cake recipe - so hopefully there will be enough batter for it. I might make 2 mixes to be on the safe side.

Thanks again!

I just think it is easier to use the cake leveler. You don't waste the extra ingredients (when I have extra batter I use it to bake a smaller layer and freeze it).

I do overfill on purpose. I fill to about 3/4 full. I don't use a baking core.
I use DH mixes. 1 1/3 box for a 9x13 pan or if you're using Wilton 9x13 pan maybe 1 2/3 mixes. Two mixes for the 11x15 pan and three mixes for the 12x18 pan.
For round pans double layer----
6" 1 mix
8" 1 1/2 mix
10" 2 mixes
12" 3 mixes
14" 4 mixes
16" 5 mixes
I bake at 325 degrees. Let the cake sit in the pan for about 5 - 10 minutes (you'll see it settle and go down) and then I level with a long knife along the top edge of the pan. Fill in any low spot along edge if necessary and then fill over on my cake board. I then wrap in plastic wrap and let it sweat.
I might have as much as a full batch(box) of cake trimmings left at the end of a wedding cake but I have beatiful full 2 " layers of cake.

I dont overfill. I do however level mine right out of the oven while still in the pan using the edge of the pan as a guide and cover with a paper towel to cool.