Yep - definitely put a little more (dense) batter than it calls for to make sure the pan fills out all the way. And hope with all you've got that his head doesn't fall off! I ended up having to leave the heating core in the cake to serve it. Good luck with your bear!
I've been making this cute bear for years now. I always use a standard BC devils food cake mix. (I don't add anything special) I make sure he is greased and floured good. Clamp him together fill till just before the mix fills his feet. Put him on a cookie sheet & bake about 325 till done. (Do not use heating cone, he will be to top heavy).
When you take the bear out of the oven let him rest for about 5 minutes - then take the clamps off while bear is laying on his back. Remove the back and leave it off for about 5 minutes then put back on & turn him over & remove front - let that cool for a good 20 minutes or longer and then replace front and turn over till completely cool. Sometimes I will let him lay on his front over night. Make sure the bottom is flat and set him up - he's ready to decorate.
Good Luck! Hope this helps - Let me know if you have any other questions!
Thanks for the hint!! I was wondernig if I could omit that core, since it seems to take up half the insides!
I am going to do a practice bear and see how he does. The final bear has to be placed on a round cake. I probalby need to put a stack through him to have him stand up? I was going to just place him with the usual tiered type support system.
That is excellent advice lisa. I had to re-do my stand-up frog or rather (sit-up frog) cake a few times before I realized that his head would stop falling off if there was NO heating core. And it definitely helps to use a cake mix besides chocolate if you can. 
I have used this cake pan as well and the only thing I did was add 2 extra tablespoons of flour to the mix to make it more dense. I didn't have any problems with breakage or sticking. I used the core (although like was mentioned before, it takes up half his insides). I made mine look like Stitch from the kids cartoon show Lilo and Stitch. Good luck with your bear!
I use the little bear a lot as an accent on my cakes-just to show you how small he is-this is an 11 x 15 sheet.
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/49732/baby_shower_cake_for_Regan_aga.jpg
If you leave out the heating core when you bake your big bear, you will get more than 12 servings. It's a little ackward to cut that cake but we got close to 20 servings out of it when I made it.
Hope that helps!!
Cindy
Yeah, how Do you cut it? Its gotta be scary for kids to see the head cut off! hahahaha!
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%