Cakes Coming Out In Diameters!!!!!! Help!!!
Decorating By IDoCakesinTX Updated 5 Sep 2009 , 2:15pm by IDoCakesinTX
Here's the problem:
same pan
same recipe
same oven temp......
When I stack my cakes (usually 3 layers)....they are not matching up. I know it has a little to do w/ shrinkage from the pan....I don't level my cakes b/c until I have a decent leveler such as agbay...I'm just not brave enough.
This has been/is an ongoing problem for me. Does this make sense? I didn't take a pic and I already carved down the sides b/c no amount of BC would fix this problem.
I feel like I make great cakes and my skills are improving, but from day 1 this has been a problem. I'm ready to get past this!!!
I have had that happen before, usually with the bigger ones. I think it's because I don't follow a set time for all the layers, just check them when I smell cake, and overbaking can make a layer shrink.
Shaving down the sides is exactly the way to fix it, when it does happen.
Something to check--do you always stack the layers with the same side up (e.g., the side that was up in the pan or the side that was against the bottom of the pan)? If so, your pans may not have straight sides, and instead have the bottom a little smaller than the top. This will mean that when you stack, the upper layer will always be a wee bit smaller than the top of the lower layer.
This is especially true with pans that are made to allow for two pans of the same size to nest for storage.
Something to check--do you always stack the layers with the same side up (e.g., the side that was up in the pan or the side that was against the bottom of the pan)? If so, your pans may not have straight sides, and instead have the bottom a little smaller than the top. This will mean that when you stack, the upper layer will always be a wee bit smaller than the top of the lower layer.
This is especially true with pans that are made to allow for two pans of the same size to nest for storage.
Ohh, that's a good point.
I figured out one day why I hated 8" cakes. It was because my pans were 8" on bottom and 9" on top. I threw them out that day 
I use Fat Daddios & run into this problem too. Mine are slightly smaller at the top of the cake. It's like from the middle of the layer up they shrink, but from the middle of the layer to the bottom of the pan they don't. It's maybe 1/8" shrinkage, which I would prefer, but I usually have to trim down the bottom 1/2 of the layer
Yeah, I can't get them right now though. I must say I've had it happen in the 1 ML I do own, but don't know if square makes a difference.
(Oh, I do bake at 325)
Thanks for all your replies gals.
I have all magic line except for this ONE pan 
So, I think that plays a part for sure...it's Wilton 
I baked at 320 for all the layers, but the time was prob. different.
I'll KUP on my progress.....(sigh).....hopefully I'll get my agbay and magic line missing pans from Santa this year 
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