Extremely new in cake decorating. I am making a 12" round two layer cake. Is it necessary to use a heating core? Is there any way around it if so? Any suggestions?

You can use flower nails also. Or Bake Even Strips. I don't use either, although I'm going to purchase a heating core soon to see if it makes any difference. I didn't like the flower nails or bake even strips, but some people swear by them.

I use flower nails for any cake 12" or larger. I actually have never baked them without it so I can't say if it really makes too much of a difference but the cakes seem to bake really evenly

I hate the heating core because it is so big. I use a flower nail. After you pour your batter in your pan, spray a flower nail (like you use to make a rose) with pam and put it face DOWN in the center of your batter. After you bake and cool, place your wire rack on the cake making sure that the flower nail is pokin through one of the holes on your rack and flip over. The hole in the cake will be way smaller than a heating core. I use a nail for everything bigger than an 8". HTH.

Upside-down flower nails. For a 12 inch layer, I use 3 nails, prepared with cake release. Place them in a triangle pattern near the center of the pan and pour in your batter. You can even place them after you've put your batter in the pan. I also wrap the pans in wet bake-even strips, to keep the sides of the cake from over-cooking before the center has a chance to bake (learned that the hard way!) HTH

I've never used flower nails or heating cores. Never saw a need. I just grease-only-no-flour my pans, using the baking strips, and they turn out fine. Doesn't matter how large the cake is. I did this for 16" rounds and even with the 14x22 sheet pan.

Never used a heating core, only baking strips on a 16" square.

I went into my local supply shop and asked if they had any flower nails, but they had no idea of what i ment even after trying to explain it. is it due to me being in the uk? are they only available in the U.S? what should i be asking/looking for? im still very new to this but i cant belive they couldnt help me, they are not very friendly in there either! im getting very frustrated with trying to buy the things i need! help please?

Is there a website or somewhere on cakecentral that gives reliable baking times, cups of batter needed and oven temp. guide.

Here's a flower nail, maybe take in the picture

About how many flower nails would I need for a 12" round?

For years I have used just the baking strips, but had never heard of using heating cores or flower nails until I joined CC. (I LOVE THIS PLACE!) I had left over batter today - so just for giggles, I thought I'd do a "test" to see if there was any difference using the strips and flower nails. I baked three 4" rounds.

The first one had the baking strip AND flower nail. It cooked perfectly level.

The second had just the baking strip - it crowned about 1/2"

And the third had neither - the darned thing could have been made into Mt. Everest ... it crowned about 2 inched in the center. My husband was so amazed he even took pictures of them! (He thought I was a genius until I told him I learned from all of you!)

Maybe it's just me - but I sure can see the difference. Indydebi - you're my HERO! (If I don't flour a pan, they don't come out in one piece!)