I just took a 12" white cake out of the oven. I'm doing a four tier wedding cake this weekend. I've had no problems with the other layers, 14", 10" and 8". I cooled it about 15 mins. then inverted it onto my cooling racks, and when I looked at it a few minutes later, it had split into three quarters right around where my nail was! Has anyone had this happen? What do you think caused this? I am afraid to try and put it back together and use, I don't want to risk any problems for this wedding cake, should I rebake? How do I avoid this happening again?
Any tips?
Sweetcakes23
I agree, always flip twice so it cools on the flat bottom. I've let cakes cool on the hump before and had the same problem. 
Sorry about your broken cake. I say rebake and save the broken cake for cake balls! Yummy!
Thanks guys! No, I didn't level them, I've always done that after they were frozen and i was going to ice them. I let them thaw a bit, then level. I thought they would cut without crumbling better that way.
That makes so much sense to turn them onto the flat side rather than the domed side, Duh! Sometimes I just don't think! I guess I've just been lucky with the other layers...I will take your advice. I am in the process of rebaking right now.
But, if I level them in the pan, while hot, won't they crumble? What do you use to cut with? The leveler? Or a long knife?
Sweetcakes
Leisa97 Thanks, I just read your response about the Wilton leveler.
I would let them cool for about 10-15 minutes before leveling them in the pan. Then you can just flip them out on your racks to continue the cooling. I use the big Wilton leveler. In fact, this is the only way I can really get that thing to work properly.
I hate to tell you this but sounds like you need to rebake. It's not going to be stable enough. Sounds like to me you have tow issues I don't think you waited long enogh to let cake cool down plus not leveling it I think was a major factor.
when u take this one out of the oven take large coling rack and press down on the cakes...this will get rid of the dome and then you can flip it over to cool it
I never take my cakes out of the pans right after baking. I let them cool in the pans, then wrap the pan in aluminum foil, and stick in the freezer. When I am ready to ice the cake, I take it out of the freezer, unwrap immediately, let thaw for about 10 minutes, then run bottom of pan over hot stove burner for a few seconds to loosen the bottom of the cake, run a flat metal spatula around the outer edges of the cake to loosen them from the pan, and flip the cake out onto the counter. Then there is never an issue of soft cake cracking or breaking.
I guess all of us have gone through similar situations. This is how I do with my cakes. Immediately after I take the cake out of the oven, using a clean kitchen towel I press -Yes! - press over it. (this will flat /even the cake) about then I position the rack over the cake and flip it over to let it cool out for about 15 minutes (do not pull the pan yet) once the cake cooled off I use the fine tip of a kitchen knife very carefully I insert it around the cake then back to the rack (remember the flipping technique) let it stand for another 5 minutes and SLOWLY try to take the pan off it (I do it in the kitchen sink to avoid crums all over). After this, I cover it with a cake dome and put in the freezer until it gets a little hard so it can be wrapped without it crumbling. Remember that hot cakes are very fragile that's why I handle my cakes while they're hard to avoid them to crack/crumbling. HTH 
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%