HELP!!! I don't know what I was thinking...but I volunteered to make a wedding cake for my friends who are getting married in 2 weeks. I have been making practice cakes but have run into a serious problem. I've been using boxed cake mixes around the house for practice, and the cake pans are 8", 10", and 14". In the 10 & 14 inch pans, using multiple boxes has been a disaster. They don't cook even, even with my bake even strips and heating core. Does ANYONE have a good recipe in large quantity for a strawberry cake and french vanilla cake, as these are the 2 flavors the bride has requested. Bottom tier is FV, next 2 will be strawberry. ANY help is appreciated, this is my very first wedding cake!

First things first: Hi and welcome to CC! And take a deep breath!! You can do this.

Box mixes are predictable and your best bet at this stage. That said I used doctored box mixes for everything. You just have to get used to your pans, oven, etc. My suggestions are:
-Get an oven thermometer. It will be your best friend. You oven is probably off and you just don't know it yet. The proper temp will help greatly.
-Use a greased and floured flower nail in your 8 and 10in pans, use 2 in the 14 in.
-Collar your pans (tutorial on home page) Makes for nice high tiers!
-Measure your batter when filling the pans. That way you know you have the correct amounts. You can find a chart on here or in the wilton yearbooks
-Make sure you are baking long enough. My 14 in cakes take about 1 hr
20mins (sometimes a little more) at least at 325 degrees
-When cakes are completely cool, wrap in plastic wrap overnight. Any crusty/hard areas will soften up.

You can do this! Just takes planning and patience. Get everything you'll need tomake your icing measured out the day before you'll make it. Bake on Wed or Thurs., decorate on Friday, deliver on Sat.

Good luck!

d

Dodi - that was such a sweet, calming response!! Plus, great info.

OP - follow Dodi's tips and you should produce a lovely cake.

Joan

Aawww, Joan thank you!

There are many doctored box recipes in the recipe section. Cruise through them and pick the ones that suit you. I baked white and chocolate scratch cakes last night. They taste good but didn't turn out like I expected so I'm guessing everyone is right about the box cakes being predictable.

You can do it. Just make a plan.

Dodibug. I'm glad you said how long it took to bake your 14in. It took me about that long also. 1hour 40min.(maybe a little longer) I read treads where people say they only bake a 14 in. for 40-45 min. I wonder are they using a confection oven. I did my first wedding cake last month and used DH golden butter recipe with the extender. I had those same sizes only I used 3 in. pans. My advise would to be just take your time and you'll do just fine.

Thank you so much everyone. Honestly, I had no idea that larger cakes take over an hour to bake. I was frustrated when it wasn't done in 45 mins and thought I had screwed it up. Guess I need more patience...I'll post a picture when it's done. Thanks again, ya'll are great!

Can't wait to see it!

You grease and flour the nail and then flat side down place it in the center of the pan then pour the batter in and it helps to heat/cook the center of the cake more thoroughly.