Hi, I'm a complete novice. I have a child with food allergies, which means I have to bake for every birthday (hers and others). She's having a birthday party soon and I'm tying to figure out the best way to fill a half sheet cake:

1. Torte the cake and have thinner layers, with the filling in between?

2. Bake two half sheet cakes and stack for thicker layers, with the filling in between?

Also, I'm doing a pineapple filling, using preserves. Should I:

A. Line the cake with a thin layer of frosting first

B. Mix the preserves with frosting

C. Just put the preserves straight on the cake?

For a novice you say you are I suggest baking 2 layers for ease of handling  - they can each be thin or smaller like two 9x13s   That will give you close to the same #  of servings   The lgr thin ones might be a bit of a problem handling if you haven’t done so before   As for filling you can use

Well darn hit wrong key:(   Use the filling as you wish   I’ve used it straight & mixed w/b’cream - guess it depends how “strong ‘ you want it to taste   I never did put b’cream on before adding but I know some people  - depends on how “runny” your filling is  but make it very thin like smear on then scrape it almost all off :)   Oh & make a dam of b/c around  the edge 1st  to hold it from leaking out   

 Need more information don’t hesitate to post   If you can’t get it to post here as an answer just start a new post  w/ reference to this one   We all understand