When I bake my cakes they always end up with "slanted" sides - instead of going straight up. Am I doing something wrong or am I just missing a big step that everyone else knows about. When I stack and ice the cake it looks like it bows inward in the middle (looking from the side). Do I just need to trim the cakes? If so, whats the best way to do so? I know this might be a stupid question but I'm just curious.
Thanks!
I can't answer your question because it happens to me too, but I can tell you how I overcome it...I crumbcoat all my cakes with thinned BC icing, and fill in where it bows inward with the icing. Blob the crumcoat icing on the seam all the way around and then smooth it with the spatula. Refrigerate to firm up and then regular ice. You'll never know the difference.
I am not sure if you are saying that the cakes are totally slanted or if your cake is falling in the middle. If they are totally slanted then that may have something to do with your floor. Your oven may be sitting in an area where your floor is kind of slanted. If this is what you are talking about then half way through baking you should turn your cake around so that it can bake even (can you tell this is also my problem 
) If they still are kind of slanted afterwards you can just trim them. I use the Wilton cake trimmer, it is wonderful.
Now if your cake is falling in the middle than you may need to use some bake even strips around your pan to help your cakes bake evenly. Or you may need to use an oven thermometer and make sure your oven is baking at the correct temperature (can you tell this was also a problem for me 
)
HTH
Ok, I use the wilton pans, and I think I know what you're talking about. My sheet cakes and square cakes get that little slant. But I take a long ruler and a nice knife and set the ruler on top of the cake, close to the edge and cut off the sides. Try you're hardest not to take too much cake, but the when someone eats the corner piece, especially, it's not rock hard from baking. Sometimes mine are semi hard, etc. and this gives me a nice straight edge to work with. Then crumb coat, let that set and apply the final coat of icing. Hope this helps.
It's the actual side of the cake. Like the side of the cake is pulling away from the side of the pan. A single layer actually looks like a mad hatter cake or a flower pot - slanted, all the way around. Sorry, but that's the only way I can think of to describe it. The cake itself bakes pretty level, and I use wilton pans.
Is it all of your cakes or just certain recipes? I was using a particular recipe for awhile and this always happened. Then I also noticed that while the cakes werent dry, they were crumbly and wouldnt stay together. I was embarrassed that I used it a couple of times on customers before noticing 
! Anyway I stopped using that recipe and it never happens now.
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