Good Evening all...

couple questions:

1. I've heard you all talk about those baking core things that you use to get even baking in a larger cake....can those be used on a sheet cake? And what if I don't have one and need one for a last minute cake (neighbor's brother running off to get married in a few days!) and they want a sheet cake. I won't have time to order one and Micheal's doesn't carry them. Is there anything else I can use???? If so, what and how?

2. What size cake would you recommend to serve 25 or so people?

Thank!

When I do sheet cakes I use four upside down flower nails. I fill my pan and insert the upside down flower nail into the very bottom of the batter, head down against the pan. Works fine for me....

1/4 of sheet is enoguh for 25 people and you can usse a can open from both sizes as a core

I just use flower nails instead of a core. I use 2 of them for a 12 x 18 cake and they come out great. They also don't leave giant holes in the cake. Not sure of the servings on that size cake, but there are some good serving quantity guides on here and online. I'm pretty sure a single layer 9 x 13 serves about 18 cut in party size slices 2 x 3 x 2. I' try to attach the guide I have.

you can use a flower nail or even two in a sheet cake, place in the bottom of your cake pan, with the nail sticking up. I always wrap the nail in foil because I am not sure if the nail is stainless steel or not. If you use two nails place them two or three inches apart in the middle of the pan.

A 9 x 13 would serve 24 2 x2 pieces, pretty small, in my opinion when you have as small a number as 25, it is more informal and people tend to eat more cake, or want larger pieces. I would go with an 11 x 15, or even a 9 x 13 two layer.

Flower nails are definitely the way to go. I bought a heating core and used it once -- that was enough for me.

I appreciate all of your suggestions. I'm so relieved!!!
Thank you, Thank you, thank you!!!

one last dingy question


am I to understand that a 1/2 sheet cake is thee 11X15 size??? Or a step bigger 12X18?

Hello All,

All of your comments have really helped me. I just got a 12x18 cake pan with the heating cores, and I was thinking what do I do with these? When I found out what they were for, I was thinking, won't they leave big holes in my cake? I do have one question. When I take the flower nails out, do I just feel the holes with icing when I ice the cake? Also, isn't a full sheet cake 2 12x18 cakes put together? How many cake mixes do you use for a 12x18 pan? Thank you all for your responses.

The flower nails will leave holes so small you practically won't even be able to see them. No need to fill them with icing, you can ice right over them.

Use 3 cake mixes in a 12x18 cake pan. Full sheet cake is 2 12x 18 or some say 2 11x15. I use 2 12x18 and trim off some of the edges.

I saw on Duncan Hines where they say that 13 1/2 cups of batter go in a 12x18 cake. That is 2 1/2 boxes of cake mix (1 box is 5 1/2 cups per Duncan Hines). I am assuming that you guys use all of the cake mix. Is this correct?