Techniques For Horizontally Cutting Laters In Half.
Decorating By sweetaudrey Updated 16 Mar 2011 , 7:56am by sweetaudrey
I know there are alot of experienced people on here so I'd love advice from everyone on this topic. Those of you who have been cutting cake layers in half for years, how can I do this to achieve the most even cut? Any advice?? Thanks!
i use a Wilton cake leveler. it's not expensive and it's super easy
http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?sku=415-815
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oLhbNjMNWM&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
check that vid out, Very helpful 
X
The Agbay is definitely the best and most expensive solution. One option without the Agbay is mentioned above. Use the cake pan as your guide. If your cake rises over the pan, run your bread knife flat against the pan to level the cake. Ill do this after the cake has cooled in the pan for several minutes. To torte that layer into thinner layers (say in two), remove the cake from the pan and let cool. Then add cake circles to the inside of your pan to reach the desired height of the second layer. Then place the cake back in the pan (on top of the cake circles) and use the pan again as the guide to run your knife through the cake to
Split it in two.
Just a note, cake circles that are 8 inches are slightly too big for an 8 inch cake pan so use slightly smaller cake circles than your pans.
Both Wilton levelers are crap.
The Agbay, however, is totally, absolutely, completely wonderful. It will provide you with a lifetime of evenly torted cakes.
Expensive? When you factor in the stress it eliminates from your caking life, not expensive at all.
but i never even thought of the cake circle idea!!! Thanks!!
I'm old school I guess. I just use my knife freehand. Take seconds and there's nothing extra to clean.
The Agbay is neat and I know it works lovely, but I can do what I need with a knife and my hands.
I'm old school I guess. I just use my knife freehand. Take seconds and there's nothing extra to clean.
The Agbay is neat and I know it works lovely, but I can do what I need with a knife and my hands.
This is what I have been doing and I've seemed to be pretty successful at doing so. However, I sometimes have trouble with cakes depending on their density...not a huge amount of trouble...but this is why I was wondering if anyone has an knife and hand techniques they use so that I do not have to spend money on a leveler when I honestly couldn't afford one.
I sort of scor around the cake as I go around and then go in for the cut. So you line the knife up nice and level and press in and slice... then turn the cake and press in and slice... and when you have made it all the way around you can start to slice deeper. so long as you keep the knife pressing on the surface you already cut it will stay level.
If that makes sense... LOL. It's late and I am in the middle of 2 carved cakes and probably not in and shape to give directions.
I sort of scor around the cake as I go around and then go in for the cut. So you line the knife up nice and level and press in and slice... then turn the cake and press in and slice... and when you have made it all the way around you can start to slice deeper. so long as you keep the knife pressing on the surface you already cut it will stay level.
If that makes sense... LOL. It's late and I am in the middle of 2 carved cakes and probably not in and shape to give directions.
Well thank you! I've been doing something similar, but a little different so I'll have to try your way and see if I get even better results! Thanks again!
I sort of scor around the cake as I go around and then go in for the cut. So you line the knife up nice and level and press in and slice... then turn the cake and press in and slice... and when you have made it all the way around you can start to slice deeper. so long as you keep the knife pressing on the surface you already cut it will stay level.
If that makes sense... LOL. It's late and I am in the middle of 2 carved cakes and probably not in and shape to give directions.
This is how I do it! One time on a Bobby Flay throw down, they showed a baker who torted his carrot cake layers into 3 very slim slices....so of course I had to try it! I did it by hand, veeeery sloooowly and it actually turned out pretty good!
I take hold a ruler up to the side of the cake and then insert a toothpick halfway into the cake at the point I want to cut. I repeat this about six times going around the cake then use these as my guides as I cut the cake with a breadknife. This give me confidence that I'm making a straight cut and is a lot cheaper (if a slower) than an agbay.
Tip: You MUST count the number of toothpicks you put into the cake and the number you take out. It's possible for the knife to push the toothpick further into the cake, and you would not want it to end up in the finished product.
I sort of scor around the cake as I go around and then go in for the cut. So you line the knife up nice and level and press in and slice... then turn the cake and press in and slice... and when you have made it all the way around you can start to slice deeper. so long as you keep the knife pressing on the surface you already cut it will stay level.
If that makes sense... LOL. It's late and I am in the middle of 2 carved cakes and probably not in and shape to give directions.
I have been using the exact same method & have succeeded in nice even cuts.. however, I have just invested in the Agbay as I am now starting to receive quite a few wedding cakes in the coming months and my worst fear is stuffing up during the torting and having to waste time and ingredients by having to rebake. When under the pressure to do a next to perfect wedding cake, ANYTHING can go wrong. If I can purchase a tool that eliminates just one major stuff up.. by heck I'm getting it! I brought the basic model that I can add another blade to later if I wish.. I got it internationaly imported to Australia and had it in my hand within less than five days after ordering. Fantastic service.
My main business is wedding cakes... if you do it enough you just get quick and good at it I guess. I have no fears when splitting layers. It's great to have the Agbay if you want/can afford the expense though.
Me... I'll stick with my knife and save my money for more fun cake toys... LOL.
My main business is wedding cakes... if you do it enough you just get quick and good at it I guess. I have no fears when splitting layers. It's great to have the Agbay if you want/can afford the expense though.
Me... I'll stick with my knife and save my money for more fun cake toys... LOL.
That's deffinitely more of my angle....fun cake toys!! 
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%