I am doing a 3 tier wedding cake... 14in, 10 in, and 6 in...
Should I use a heating core on the 14 and 10 ? I have never used one before..how do I use it
I wouldn't use a heating core, just an inverted flower nail. Just grease it like you do the rest of the pan, put it in the bottom of the pan in the middle and pour the batter in around it. For the 14" some may suggest using 2. I don't know. I've never baked one that big.
Ali
I must be a complete BEGGINER because for all of my big cakes (12 x 18, 11 x 15, etc.) I use like 4 nails. i usually space them out to help the cake cook all around just to be on the safe side. You could use as many as you like. I have NEVER used a heating core and don't think I ever will. Just use the nails. They are easier and you are not left with a huge hole in your cake. Hope this helps!
I must be a complete BEGGINER because for all of my big cakes (12 x 18, 11 x 15, etc.) I use like 4 nails. i usually space them out to help the cake cook all around just to be on the safe side. You could use as many as you like. I have NEVER used a heating core and don't think I ever will. Just use the nails. They are easier and you are not left with a huge hole in your cake. Hope this helps!
I also seem to go over board with nails. However it has worked for me. Personally anything over an 8" I put at least one in. I did an 11x15 this weekend and I used 3 in it. I may be going overboard but they turn out fairly level for me.
Leily
I have a wedding cake to do next weekend and was very concerned about using a heating core because it will be displayed on the tall tier stand. I never would have thought of using the flower nails as such. I think I'll give it a try! I can't stand the thought of having to core a cake that already has a big hole in it!
Now I know that I'm a beginner, how do you use the flower nail in the cake batter to keep the cake level? I've never heard of that before. I haven't used the heating core yet either. I have used the baking strips but they can be a pain . . . especially with odd shaped pans.
Thanks!
I recently baked a cake in a large ravioli can (see the house picture in my photos - it's the bottom half of the turret section). I put an extra long flower nail in the center of the can (on the bottom), then poured the cake batter over it. I baked it at 325 (lower than the recipe), for additional time.
I also used the nail technique on one of the houses. It definitely cooked more evenly than the other one, so the anectodal evidence at least suggests it works well. And since the nail head is on the bottom of your cake, it comes out easily and leaves just a tiny hole in your cake.
It came out perfect. Just be sure you grease/flour your nail(s) well before you pour the batter over them. I used homemade cake release and just painted it on.
Good luck!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I just love the results with the flower nails used a heating cores! I am working on a wedding cake for Saturday and yet another layer is in the oven as I'm writing this. I tried the 14" layer with 3 flower nails and I've never seen a prettier cake (...without icing!) Thanks for the great idea!!!!!!!!!!! 
is the inverted flower nail to help it bake evenly (flat)?? Or is it just to get it to cook thouroughly??
Both for me. I use them ALL THE TIME ON 8" rounds or bigger. The cakes seem to be more level and I put more nails in the pan depending on the size. I like to make sure that my cakes are COMPLETELY done. I don't want to under-estimate my baking times. You should try it. It works great. If you decide to try it, let us know how it works for you.
This is late but if you use the heater core sold by Wilton be sure and grease it well inside and out.
Any ideas if the nails would work for silicon or glass pans?
I'm guessing that the nails help by picking up heat from the pan onto the nail head, then moving the heat up the nail spike. Silicon doesn't conduct heat nearly as well as aluminum, so I'm curious.
If only I would have remembered this post before baking my cakes last night.... My square pans are glass/silicon, and they didn't cook too evenly. It would have been so easy to try it if on;y I remembered.
I've got a question about heating cores. I love to bake in my Teddy Bear Stand up pan, but hate that big hole in the middle of the cake. Any suggestions on what I could use that would give the same
baking results without the huge hole???
Cindy6250 grease and flour the inside of the core. And then put batter in it. Treat it as if it were a cake itself. I do it all the time
I have done that, but the cake looks a little funky when you cut into it.....thought there might be come kind of wire or something that would work and make it less likely that the cake will fall apart when taken out of the pan.......That ain't fun at all!!
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