I have a naked cake coming up and want the edges of the cake to be paler. Do the baking strips help at all or does the cake come out the same color on the edges as they always do? I use fat daddy pans and ateco. Both are heavy duty. Thanks in advance... :)

I think they help just a tad but I still shave the sides if I want them to not have that golden brown crust.

In my opinion, yes.  They help keep the edges from getting over-baked.  I use Magic Line pans and the baking strips and it definitely helps with the color.  I baked a 9" square the other day, and on one pan I didn't have the strip tight enough so it was touching all around.  That cake was much darker on the edges than the other one.

Can I ask what you mean by 'baking strips'?   I am making a naked cake and want pale edges as well.  I'm worried about shaving, because it can all go horribly wrong (like a hair cut).  LOL   For those of you who do shave the sides of cakes that are too brown, what kind of knife do you use?  Any tips would be appreciated!!  :) 

https://www.google.com/search?q=bake-even+strips&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

Fat Daddio's pans are anonized aluminum....your call always come out with a darker brown crust than they would with a shiny finished pan like a Magic Line. 

Stay away from those Wilton ones...a waste of money!

 I use Magi-Cake Strips.  You can by them precut, but I prefer to buy the roll, cut my own to size and staple them together.  I right which size pan they fit on them with a permanent marker.

https://www.magi-cake.com/

Darn it!  I "WRITE" the size "ON" them!  LOL

Jeff Arnett: how to you secure them so they don't slip off the pans?

I like the idea of buying that long strip, as I could cut strips to fit big sheet cake pans.

@JulieM --

Bake Even Strips and Flower Nail on larger cakes --Photo tutorial

http://www.wilton.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=8&threadid=148262&FTVAR_MSGDBTABLE= 

This hobby baker thinks the Bake Even Strips do make the outside edges lighter and "more presentable".  The pans used in the tutorial above are the Wilton pans, which are aluminum.

The hexagon 12"x2" cakes shown in the photo tutorial are a white almond sour cream colored with Wilton coloring gel.  If these colored layers were  being used as naked cakes, the edges would absolutely have to be shaved to show the color.

I think it also depends on the recipe.  I haven't tried a naked cake yet, but I've wondered how the "pro" decorators get such perfect cakes and HOW do they keep the edges from drying out????

Thank you so much everyone!  I have made several naked cakes, and my brides always love them, but the edges are brown.  For the first time, I had a bride who specifically did NOT want brown edges.  So that is why I asked.  I had never used the bake even strips.  I will definitely invest in those.  Thank you Jeff_Arnet for the recommendation to magi-cake.  I will look at those.  Apti, to answer your question - I chill my tiers well before transporting to the wedding.  I keep them wrapped in plastic wrap until I assemble.  I try to assemble the cake on site and within an hour or so of the reception.  No one has complained of it being dry.  It is usually covered in fruit and the juice from that and frosting between the layers helps with moisture as well.  

This is how I secure the bake even strips.  I got this idea from someone on CC a while back.  If your bride does not want brown edges, I think you will probably have to trim.  I would freeze the cakes (which I almost always do anyway)  and remove a thin layer before fully thawed.  Or if you have the time and inclination to experiment, maybe placing your cake pan in a larger pan with water (ala baking cheesecake) would slow down cooking the edges even further to prevent browning.  I've never tried it myself, but I will.  If I try in the next few days I'll let you know!

http://www.cakecentral.com/gallery/i/3343752/securing-even-bake-strips

T

I have used the Wilton ones for years with no issue.n they come with pins to secure them.

Before I start measuring out everything, I always fill a bowl with hot water and soak the strips so they are totally saturated.  I don't wring them out either.  I let the excess water drip for a couple of seconds then wrap them soaking wet around the pan.

I tried the water bath idea and wow!!  it made a tremendous difference in the edges, and the cake also baked up more levelly.  (see link for photos).  I made 7" cakes with Fat Daddio pans.  Lined with parchment and the edges coated with homemade cake release.  I placed one 7 " pan in a 10" pan filled about halfway with warm water.  (if I filled it further the cake started to float!).  the other was wrapped in bake even strips as usual.  This is Beyond Buttercream's white cake recipe,  325 degree convection oven.  I baked them at the same time, and the water bath cake only took 5 minutes longer, 45 mins.  Cooled and removed from pans after 10 minutes.  The edges are fully cooked and not sticky at all.  Might be something to try if you don't want browned edges or don't want to carve.  

HTHhttp://www.cakecentral.com/gallery/i/3343765/less-browned-edges

Here is the link again

http://www.cakecentral.com/gallery/i/3343765/less-browned-edges

Wow, is right  yortma!  What a great experiment.  Thanks so much for trying this and for posting the pictures.  Without the pics, I'm not sure I'd think there would be that much difference.

I always use a water bath for cheesecakes even if the recipe doesn't call for it....looks like I'll be doing this now as well.

Thanks again - that is very helpful.

Good Grief, Yortma!  Seriously....that is unbelievable. 

wow.......................

I wrap the strip material around the pan, adding an additional inch.  I then use a heavy stapler t staple the strips together.  I write on the side of the strip with a permanent marker what size pan it fits.

The older silver/gray wilton strips worked well...but those newer purple ones are a waste of money!

I do have the old silver strips, maybe that's why they work so well.

Good to see you back on the forum, Jeff!

I actually drop in often and read....just sometimes I don't have enough time to comment....