Okay, I know this is a super hot topic but for the life of me I can't get mine to bake without being rounded. If it was slightly rounded, I wouldn't mind but it's really rounded and I feel I'm losing valuable height to my cakes.

I will fill my pans between 1/2 to 2/3 full. I use the bake even strips. I bake with WASC and other recipes. I grease and flour the bottoms and sides. I preheat and bake at 325. My oven is baking correctly and is brand new so it bakes more evenly than my last one. It doesn't matter what size pan I use, it is always rounded (6"-8"-9"). I use a mix of pans (Wilton, Wilton Preferred, and Fat Daddio).

Can anyone offer some advice??? or new input???

TIA

Tia,

If you have checked the temp in the oven with an independent oven thermometer, and it is at the correct temp, and use the baking strips then I'm clueless... The only thing that I can think of by what you said is possibly flouring the pans? I have read that it inhibits the cake moving up the side of the pan...? I just use the pan grease that has the flour mixed in... I know some strickly use grease...

Sorry...but, this at least gives you a Bump for those that know a WHOLE lot more than me...lol

Good luck!
Pat

I've just greased the sides before and the cake stuck horribly. Maybe it was just a bad baking day. I know Indydebi just greases and her cakes rise above the pans. Maybe I should try this again. I could just flour the base so it won't stick there.

Thanks again.

The pan grease that I use is equal portions:

Oil
Shortening
Flour

I use 1:1:1 - put it in your mixer and let it fly. It looks kinda like frosting, but since I started using it nothing has ever stuck, and with the baking strips, 324 degrees, and the flower nail I don't have any problems. Can't really hurt to give it a try.

Pat

I read on this site that someone starts out their oven at 300 degrees F for 20 minutes and then raises the temperature to 325 degrees F... so I tried it on several of my cakes. Works like a charm! You do not have to fool with those baking strips, etc. The cakes are much more level and when I use my cake level, I barely get any off that is too high. Try it! It worked for me!

Thanks you guys. I started to mix up the special grease but decided not to (I think I got lazy ) but maybe I should try that again. This baking at 300 degrees sounds really interesting. I'm definitely going to try everything and see what happens. I'll let you know what I find out!

lutie - I want to try that temp trick. Do you just grease the bottom when you do that?

this happens to me too. it's frustrating because i have tried the strips, i have tried varying the temp throughout the baking process and i still get domes. sometimes i just wanna cry.

I take a clean kitchen towel and press the cake flat right as it comes out of the oven. Works like a charm, rarely do I have to do any leveling.

Only down side, no scraps for me to munch or or make cake balls with.

yep i do what hamie does.

Oboemommy, I grease with my homemade cake relief (same recipe as plbennet_ and ALWAYS use parchment paper... never have had my cakes stick... ever! I put a tiny bit of grease on top of my parchment so that the cake will not peel off ... it happened one time and after I put a little cake relief on the paper, it never did it again.

Oops! I forgot to tell you that I always use a heating core in the middle of my cakes... I did not spend all the money on the Wilton one, but I use a flower nail and/or one of my tall metal round cookie cutters... I just put a little oil on them and stick it in the middle.

Wow it actually worked! I used the homemade cake relief (posted above) and a lower temp for the first 20 minutes. I also used flower nails (but was doing that before.) I also filled the pans 2/3 full instead of my usual 1/2 (I tried WASC so I had PLENTY of batter lol). End result: 2 flat cakes that were actually 2in high. Imagine that!

The cake is for a church picnic. I just have to figure out how I want to decorate it.

Yoo Hoo!!!!! Way to go! See, I told you it would work! It is like when you recommend a restaurant to someone and they go and love it... your greatest fear is that on the particular night they go, it stinks! I am so happy this worked for you... it has never failed me, either.

This was happening to me too, until I realized that I wasn't soaking my baking strips long enough......once I started leaving them in the water AT LEAST 30 minutes, my problem went away. Hope that helps!

I've tried putting the flower nail upside down in my pan and when I took the cake out of the oven it had fallen over and I had to dig it out of the cake. Do you use the nail in only the large cakes (12" and over) or for all of them? Also, do you put the nail in after you've poured in the batter or before? I'm going to try the lower temp idea also.

I do the same as hamie, pushing down the cake top, except I use my cooling rack so I don't dent the middle of the cake more than I should. It sounds like your cake sides are not even baking all the way up though, even when you fill 2/3 full? I have filled as high as 3/4, but I always get over-flow if I do that, or at least extremely long baking. This sounds stupid, but when you're using the bake even strips, are you wetting them? I soak mine & squeeze the water through them thoroughly. I only use them if I'm short on batter though... so I really think you may be having another issue. I would check the internal temp as someone else suggested - or maybe reduce your heat by 25-degrees & see if that helps? Good luck!

I just greased my pans after reading that here. Boy, did I regret it! Never again. I nearly had to remake ever cake. I don't know how I managed to make those cakes work. since then, I have managed by not using only grease. Now I use parchment on the bottom and good ol' grease and flour on the sides. I changed to parchment because the wax paper was sticking.

I love the idea about starting out at 300 degrees for 20 minutes - THANKS! I'm also going to whip up some pan grease. I love CakeCentral!!

keepsake, I line the bottoms of all my pans with parchment. I poke the flower nail through the parchment from the bottom. It helps keep it in place. Don't forget to grease it.

Thanks, beachcakes, that makes a lot of sense. I already grease and line the pan, but now I'll try adding the flower nail before lining.

i line my tins, a bit of a pain?-yes but it does work, no sticking, even rise.

I baked a cake today with the homemade grease, soaked the baking strips and at 300 degrees for 20 minutes. I was shocked how well it worked! I actually had 2 cakes at 2" height. I've never had that before! Thanks for all your help everyone!!

And just for the record it's cake "release".

I baked a couple of cakes this weekend and tried starting with the lower temperature first, and they cooked level even without the flower nail. Thanks so much for sharing that tip.

Thanks Leahs! I knew that but, goofy me, I couldn't remember what it was called for the life of me! It's just been one of those days. Been working outside today in the 90 degree heat and it's been one frustration after another. I was too tired to think.

Same as Hamie. I use the kitchen towel press immediately after baking, as well as parchment paper. But my aunt taught me to use a pan of the same size and use that to press down the cake after baking.

I will have to use the lower temp for 20 minutes. Thanks