I have never had to use a heating core (the largest I have made was a 13X18 and a 12X12) - I bake my cakes at 325 and also have two pampered chef stones on the bottom shelf of the oven...seems to work fine.
However, I do know sometimes you do need one and you can always use a metal rose nail. It won't leave a big hold and it is easy to use. In really large cakes you can use 2 rose nails.
you fill the heating core halfway with batter either before or after you put it in the unbaked cake (make sure you grease and flour both inside and out). I pop it out as soon as I take the cake out and place the cake that baked into the core right into the hold left by the core - sometimes you need to but a bit off if it rose higher than the level of your cake. But since they cool together, you don't have trouble with it coming apart. VERY Easy.
Grease a flower nail, and you're set. It's quick and easy, and works every time. Not a big fan of the heating core.
Angie
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