I had heard a long time ago that you could make your own bake even strips by wrapping wet paper towel in tin foil and wrapping around the outside of your cake pan, but I didn't think it would work. I am in the midst of making a 2-layer 11 x 15 chocolate cake for my sons christening and so I thought I would give it a try. OMG!!! It really worked!!! I have never had such a level cake!!! I am floored! I don't even need to level it at all!! Just thought I would mention it to others that may not know! All you do is moisten paper towels (I used the heavy Scott paper towels but I don't think it matters) and then fold them into a 1 1/2" strip. Then wrap it up in heavy duty tin foil (again, I don't know that it has to be heavy duty, but that is what I used) Then I just wrapped them around the outside of my cake pan and folded the top of the foil just around the top of my pan to secure it. No pins needed!!! AMAZING!!!
GREAT!! Thanks for sharing. I will have to give it a try.
I am definately going to try that. I know my mom used to use bath towels ripped into strips, wet down and then pinned on the pans.
I am definately going to try that. I know my mom used to use bath towels ripped into strips, wet down and then pinned on the pans.
This is what I've done in the past, but I've gotten lazy lately. 
Need to try this with the foil & paper towels! Thanks for sharing! 
Hmmmmm, interesting.
I have never used real bake even strips, just the wet towel strips affixed with safety pins. It works so well for my rounds, but not so well for my 13x9 - the strips just wanted to sag and fall off. I'll have to try this because it seems that the foil would help it all stand up and stay put!
Thanks!
Stacy
I'm puzzled now, because I thought it was the moist heat that helped the cake bake more level, but when you wrap the towels in foil, you no longer have the moisture, right?
Yeah right sort of , What the wet towels do is delay the hot of the oven from reaching the cake. This way the center cooks first, instead of last. The foil is doing the same thing, but it is getting hotter than a wet towel would be getting. Your still deflecting the heat somewhat.
Mike
When doing a sheet size, 9x13" for example, when I remove the cake from the oven I place a folded clean kitchen towel over the cake and gently press down to remove the hump. So far it has worked well.
I will try this trick on rounds though....when I press the steam out of them I'm afraid I'll gum up the body of the cake, since they are less thick as a sheet cake.
Thanks for the tip!!!
I havent had much luck with the bake-even strips. Still get a dome. Cant wait to try this!
Oooh, good to know. I will have to try this on my sheet cakes. I feel like I'm always wasting so much cake through leveling. Thanks for the tip!
Coooool. I wonder - when using the damp towels (fabric, not paper), would it work to use the metal clasp thingies used for ace bandages?
Those would probably work! I have a few spare metal clasps around here somewhere. Those would probably work on the baking strips too. As I recall the metal teeth on those clasps are pretty sharp and should be able to grab onto a baking strip.
i must try wrapping the wet paper towels around my pans and see how it works!
great tip!
oh...when using the wet strips, do you bake at your regular temperature or do you lower it?
I have often had trouble pinning the Wilton strips to my pans and then having them stay. I am going to have to try the foil method! Thanks for sharing the tip.
I have the same problem with the Wilton Strips. I'll have to try the paper towel/foil method next time. Thanks for sharing.
That is so wonderful to know.. I have been using the strips and it works fine ,, but I will definitely try this.. thank you very much for posting and sharing this very useful information. 
When you use wet towel strips are they soaking wet or just damp?
You want them to be wet, but not soaking...wring them out so that they are not dripping.
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