I am in the middle of making a tiered 60th anniversary cake that I will deliver on Sunday morning. It will be four layers (6, 8, 10, and 12 inch cakes). I am making white sour cream cakes with lime curd, raspberry buttercream. and chocolate hazelnut filling. The problem I am having is getting the bottom 12 inch cake out of the pan and onto the bottom layer without it cracking. The first layer came out beautifully, and the second layer came out in three pieces. I put it together and did a crumb coat on it, but I feel it is too unstable to use. I was going to put some dowels to make it more stable for the 10 inch cake. Then I was going to use my hidden pillars to put the 8 inch and 6 inch cake on. What do you think? I'm thinking that baking two more 12 inch cakes might be a wise move, and let the teachers at my school eat the "broken" cake. I do this for a hobby, and I'm hoping to make it a "retirement job" when I retire from teaching. Please any suggestions would be helpful.

I would rather be safe than sorry.

Can you just bake the one? Save the other. Stick in freezer and ice some other day to take somewhere.

I made a wedding cake and one of my bottom layers cracked. I just used it as the top layer. I did a strong dam for the filliing, crumb coated, put in fridge and the next day I iced it. It was fine. I even did a simple syrup. I used wooden dowels also and I was fine. It is the picture of the wedding cake in my album. Good luck.

I'm with parable...but how did you prep your pan? Is it possible that you forgot to grease and flour the pan? I've done this a time or two when I'm being distracted by the "chicks". I use the baker's Joy cake release and it works great when I remember to use it

I'd just bake another one. We did this last week...one of my 12x18's cracked in half, and while I probably could have just used it anyway, I didn't want any issues so we just had to bite the bullet and eat the cracked cake ourselves!

Meh . . .happens. I'd use it. I have used them in the past.

Actually the cake came out of the pan alright, but it cracked when I tried to put in on the bottom layer. I tried to take the top layer off, but it started to rip the bottom layer. I also use Baker's Joy and also I put a circle of wax paper so I usually don't have a problem with getting it out of the pan. I'm not used to cake pans larger than 10 inch. There must be a technique to get it on top without cracking. Do you use a spatula or special cake lifting tool? Please let me know because I will need to use it tonight when I rebake this cake.

One of the layers to my topsy turvy cake broke in half last week and I used it as the middle layer (3 layers per tier) and used lots of BC to glue it back together. Maybe make a mortar using cake crumbs and the BC to make a stronger glue. Definitely dam it well and I'd think you'd be fine.

I would freeze it as long as possible, it will be much easier to handle when frozen, or very cold. I generally freeze any cake larger than 12 inches. You can freeze both layers, take them out of the freezer, fill, crumb coat, and then wrap in plastic wrap until thawed. When thawed take off plastic wrap and proceed as usual.

I pick up torted layers with a cardboard cake circle and slide the cake off onto the bottom layer.

aha! I think I follow you now...I use a large, flat (no raised sides) cookie sheet. I place the cookie sheet on top of the cake (still in the pan) and flip it over...I do this with cakes as large as 16" sometimes they hang over a little bit. then to get it onto the next layer, I slide it to the end , line it up with the cake on the bottom and slide it into place. Does this help with your dilemma?

I too use cake circles for this. I actually covered different sizes with contact paper and keep them especially for this purpose - otherwise, they'll look a little funny if the layer was warm. A large rectangle works well when I'm torting my sheet cakes as well. Best of luck....

that's a great idea cakerer, I never considered that I think I will "upgrade" my cookie sheets!

Just warm a little bit the button on the stove, and flipped over a cookie sheet.

Bummer I would bake another. I just did a cake for last Friday. The 10" cracked, I used it. I was carrying it out to be delivered. I stumbled a lil bit. The cracked piece decided it wanted to move. I salvaged everything, but I'll never do it again.

Mike

I am at home preparing to bake it again. I'm sure I can find some hungry teachers at my school to eat this cake. Plus my husband's workplace would love to eat it, too.!!!! Or may my new class (school starts Monday) would like a first day of school treat. I could feed a lot of children with a 12 inch cake!!!!
Thanks for the advice.

Just be sure to wait until the end of the day to give those kids sugar

Well, I didn't make a new 12 inch cake. It looked stable when I got home so I decided to put some dowels in it for reinforcement. The dowels were a little bit taller than the cake so the next layer wouldn't sit on the bottom cake. I hope they like it. It is a 4 tiered 60th anniversary cake with yellow roses (silk) on the 6 inch cake and yellow roses and irises on the 10 inch cake. I used Wilton's hidden pillars to separate the top 2 layers (6 and from the bottom 2 layers (10 and 12). I will post a picture later since I left my camera at school. Thanks for the help.

I will not take the chance with a cake that is to be sold as your reputation would be at stake. I will bake another cake and make sure I prepare the cake pan by greasing it, powdering it and don't forget to cut a piece of wax paper to the shape of the pan and place in it before dropping the mix. I guarantee you your cakes will never get stock again.

Here is the final cake that I delivered this morning. I didn't rebake the lower layer, but I really reinforced it so it wouldn't break apart. This is the first wedding/anniversary cake that I made for someone. The only other one was made for one of my cake decorating classes. I think this cake is so much better. Any comments or suggestions to improve it would be appreciated.

Beautiful cake and you can never tell you had any problems with it. Great job.

Congrats, your cake came out beautiful!