I always have problems with my cakes being level when I ice and decorate. I did find that when I was leveling on my kitchen counters it was the counters that were unlevel so I moved to the table but I seem to still have a problem leveling the cake for that perfect striaght line. I have a fondant cake due this week with no accents just straight fondant . If this comes out unlevel I will just cry . Are there any tips to making the cake straight because if not I am just going to do topsy turvy cakes from now on 
You can just put a weight on the cake when it comes out of the oven use a large cutting board (with wax paper between the hot cake and the cutting board) then weigh the cutting board down with a couple of books or large cans......makes the cake completely level without haveing to trim it. (I also bake at 325 - most of my cakes are nice and level right from the oven)
i just bought a wilton leveler, the small one, and it works for me... i was able to level my cake in no time... i just refrigerated the cake whole day then cut using the leveler and viola... i was able to torte 4 layers from a 3 inch high cake and able to remove the dome it formed when baking.
I do use the meathods of leveling with the wilton large leveler using baking strips and pushing down small humps it just always never fails that I see the cake as level ice and then assemble but the cake always looks off . I just did not know if it was something I am doing wrong . I will purchase a small level maybe its me thats off 
I used to always have problems levelling my cakes. Then someone shared a brillant tip that has forever changed my leveling problem.
Make sure you fill your cake pan at least 3/4 full if not a little more. The when it comes out of the oven, in the pan and still hot place a cake board ontop of the cake and push down ever so gently on the cake. I push enough that my cake board is level with the side of the pan. Remove and viola a flat top cake. Then just flip it out for cooling and trim off any excess cake around the edges. I tell you i used to have major amounts of cake scraps before trying to level my cakes and now I'm lucky if i have any. My DH complains because he used to get all the scraps. This technique saved me lots of time and frustration. HTH.
The cake recipe I use bakes rather flat so I rarely have to trim and level . I do tort and maybe my torting layers are unlevel due to the amount of filling. Its strange it looks even when its not iced but once the icing is on the whole thing seems slanted I am going to try the upside-down icing method on this cake I just hope the fondant will adhere and not push out to much icing.
I level my cakes in the pan. I have a very long bread knife that will reach all the way across the 14 inch pan and then for the 16's I use the Wilton large leveler. you have to use both hands and push down on the ends with your thumbs because it does ride up in the cake. There is a thread on the site that tells you how to modify it to make it sturdier.
There is one other thing you might need to check. If you are dowelling your cake do you cut each one for the hole you put it in? I used to do that and then it dawned on me that it would be better to put the dowel in the center and cut all the other dowels for that tier the exact same lenght as the center one. That way they are all the same length which makes your tiers sit level on each other. I hope that makes sense.
Jibbies
I have been very fortunate that my cakes rarely come out of the oven with any big humps...but when there are any I just use a knife and eyeball it (after the cake has cooled). This method has worked for me so far without any issues.
For tiered cakes, I also cut my dowels the same length first, and that helps a great deal too! 
I think you may have solved your own problem - you mention that the cake is level before filling and icing. Sounds like the issue is your filling and/or icing.
You have to make sure your filling is level before adding the next cake layer. Same thing w/ the icing. I use a bench scraper on the sides and also on top to scrape off excess and level out the cake. Or, sometimes I have to add icing to the top in spots so that it's level.
Maybe that helps? Good luck!
There are some awesome suggestions in this thread!
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-592998-leveling.html
I think what I will do is measure the amount of filling to insure that I am getting the correct amount in each level . I am trying out the WASC recipe this time to so hoepfully with all the new changes this will be a success if not I will be back on telling you guys all the mistakes I made . I am heading to walmart tonight to find a long knive
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