Learn how to bake flat cakes every single time! A simple tutorial on how to make sure your cakes come out nice and flat straight out of the oven.
Leveling cakes is my least favourite thing to do ever. I think I’ve done it a total of ONE time and quickly looked for alternatives.
Leveling a cake is something you should do if it bakes up domed. Which, let’s be honest here, almost every single cake does.
A domed cake looks something like this:
Source: https://www.americastestkitchen.com/
Delicious as it may be, it could be more aesthetically pleasing. Not to mention the uneven distribution of frosting! Those poor middle sections.
Why Do Cakes Dome?
When cakes go into the oven, the pans start to heat up quickly. This will make the sides and bottom of the cake cook faster and set which causes the uncooked middle to rise and dome because it has nowhere else to go.
It’s not easy to stack and frost a domed cake, so it should be leveled out prior to doing so.
To level a cake, you either get a huge frikken cake knife (which I bought specifically for this job and used ONCE) and go at it hoping you can cut off the dome evenly.
Or you can buy a cake leveler which does the job marginally better (I do use this to torte my cakes though – aka cut them in half horizontally).
Either option leaves you with a crap ton of cake crumbs all over everything. This also means wasted cake, and boo to that. Ok, I know you can always eat the scraps, but STILL.
A much better alternative is to not have to level the cake at all by having it come out perfectly flat and stackable. I have a couple of tricks I use to ensure I get flat cakes. They work for me every time!
Now, before we even get to level cakes, you want to make sure that your layers are the same height. You can eyeball this in your pans, or you can be anal (like me) and actually weigh the pans to ensure an even distribution of batter.
I fully embrace my craziness. I use this kitchen scale and I LOVE it.
Now… onto Flat Cakes!
HOW TO BAKE FLAT CAKES
Baking flat cakes comes down to one simple thing: using cake strips around your pans.
This is my go-to method. All you have to do is dampen them and wrap them around the bottom of your cake pans. Perfectly flat cakes every time!
How do cake strips work?
The cake strips insulate the outside of the pan and the moisture in the strips keeps the sides of the pan cooler so your cake bakes up more evenly. Without the strips, the outsides of the cakes cook and set faster causing the middle of the cake to dome.
I soak my strips in a bowl while I’m prepping my cake batter and then gently squeeze out the excess water before I wrap them around the pans. It’s important that they’re not sopping wet or they could cause the cake to become soggy.
Here’s a side-by-side shot of the cakes right out of the oven, only one using a cake strip.
You can see how nice and flat the cake on the right is. Not only is the one in the left domed it’s also a bit darker on the sides.
The one on the right is cooked more evenly throughout. I use these cake strips on all of my cakes and they help a LOT.
It’s important to note that using these strips will cause the cake to bake a bit slower and you’ll likely need to increase the baking time on a recipe. The baking times for my recipes all assume that baking strips are used.
Baking times vary as it is because every oven is different, so it’s important to use them only as a guideline and to know your oven.
If you only do one thing, use these strips!
I have the older model Wilton brand strips that I got at Michael’s 10+ years ago. These are ok, but pinning them on is a bit of a pain.
I found these Regency ones online that have velcro which seems like a much better option so if you’re in the market for some, I would get those!
DIY Cake Strips
If you don’t want to shell out the money for these you can easily make your own at home!
NOTE: If you’re using tea towels, make sure they are fully dampened and do not use them at oven temps over 350F. You can wrap them in tin foil to prevent browning/burning.
All you need to do is cut up and old tea towel into strips and pin them onto the cake pans. If you’re really crafty you can stitch some velcro into the strips and have your own easy-to-use version.
Tea Towel Trick
If the cakes are still a tiny bit domed after using the bake even strips, there’s another thing you can do as soon as they come out of the oven. Grab a (clean) tea towel and lightly press down on any domes.
Be careful, as the pans will be hot and there will be steam coming out as you press down on the cakes. Don’t press too hard or your cake will cave in!
NOTE: this method only works on small domes and only straight out of the oven.
Since I always use the cake strips, my domes are never really that high to begin with, but the tea towel technique helps with that last little bit.
I don’t know how well it would work on a cake with a large dome. By the time I was done taking pictures, the domed cake was starting to cool, so pressing down on it didn’t help too much.
I hope you found these tips helpful. Cake strips really are one of my very favourite tools/hacks in the baking kitchen. They make my life easier so I hope you give them a try!
Recipes you may like:
- Simple Vanilla Buttercream
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Classic Vanilla Cake
- Classic Chocolate Cake
- Classic White Cake
Quick links to help you bake flat cake layers:
- The secret to getting flat cake layers: Evenbake Strips
- My very favourite kitchen scale: Jennings Kitchen Scale
- The best aluminum cake pans: Fat Daddios
- If you need to level your cakes or cut them in half: Cake Leveler
How to Bake Flat Cakes
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup buttermilk or whole milk, room temperature
Vanilla Buttercream:
- 6 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla or flavouring of your choice
- 4 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Vanilla Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 8" cake rounds and line with parchment.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on med-high until pale and fluffy (approx 3mins). Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time fully incorporating after each addition. Add vanilla.
- Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of milk). Fully incorporating after each addition.
- Distribute batter evenly between the two pans. Place damp baking strips around the bottoms of the cake pans.
- Bake for 30-35mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
- Place cakes on a wire rack to cool for 10mins then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.
Vanilla Buttercream:
- Prepare a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Whip butter until creamy.
- Reduce speed to low and add in icing sugar 1 cup at a time until well blended. Increase speed to med and beat for 3 minutes.
- Add vanilla and 2 Tbsp cream and continue to whip on medium for 1 minute. Add more cream as needed until desired consistency is reached.
- Whip until the frosting is smooth and silky.
Assembly:
- Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Top with approximately 1 cup of buttercream. Repeat with remaining layer and crumb coat the cake. Chill for 20mins.
- Frost the top and sides of the cake and smooth with a bench scraper.
- Decorate as desired.
Recipes You May Like
Originally published Aug 2014
Colleen says
Hi, tried this and it came out great! Quick question, is it normal for it to effect baking time? I found that I had to cook the cakes an additional 10-15 minutes… Is that to be expected or am I doing something wrong?
For reference, these are the strips I bought: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QCTB5LW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Olivia says
Hi Colleen! Yes, it is, and I should mention that in my post actually. I find it to take about 5-10mins longer with the strips, though it depends on the oven, type of strips, and how damp they are.
Edy says
Well, it shouldn’t take any longer if you use them right. The recipe on the cake should cook the center of a domed cake, which means it should cook the rest too. If it takes longer, that means you have too much water in the cake strips.
Carolyn says
Thanks for the flat cake advise. How can I achieve the same with cupcakes?
Carolyn
Olivia says
Hi Carolyn! That’s a good question. I’m not an expert on cupcake baking but I would say a lower temp (325F) and not filling the liners too high would help. Are you on Facebook? You should join my baking group. This is a great question to ask them! https://www.facebook.com/groups/livforcakebakers/
Ambar Khan says
Hello,
Thanks for the info and your great recipes! I have a few questions I was hoping you might be able to answer:
I am sure it will depend on cake pan size, but wondering what is the estimate of the time a person should extend bake time by when using strips?
Any suggestions on avoiding cracks on top of the cake?
I have an electric oven with covered coils on the bottom, is there a specific position in the oven to place a cake while baking?
Thank you so much!!!!!
Olivia says
Hi Ambar! I find that cakes take about 5mins longer to bake with the strips +/-. It does depend on the oven too though. Cracks on top are usually caused by too high a baking temperature, but the strips should help with that too! My oven is electric too, I always recommend baking in the center of the oven.
Hannah says
Hey, quick question.
In order for the baking belt to work do you have to make your own cake from scratch, or can you use it for box cakes?
Olivia says
Hi Hannah! It would great on a box mix. The cake layers in the photos are using a modified box mix.
Trish says
Hi, I’m new to your page. I was wondering with the DIY cake strips, can you wrap the tea towel strips in foil?
Olivia says
Hi Trish! Yes, that would be fine.
Carolina says
Hi, Liv! I baked the Black Forest cake a few weeks ago. I greased the pan, lined some parchment paper, and put the wraps around the cake pan. When I went to check on the cake, the parchment had went INSIDE the cake, wrapping all around in different motions. I had to cut the cake in half and eat the other half which was all messed up due to the parchment paper.
Is it because the wraps allowed the air to circulate, which made the parchment stick away from the sides and into the cake batter itself? I’ve used the wraps many times, but this has never happened before.
Becky says
Your only supposed to put the parchment paper on the bottom of the pan . Set your pan on the parchment paper and trace your pan to get the correct size. Grease the inside bottom of your pan and insert your parchment paper. The grease holds it in place.
Olivia says
Hi Carolina! What Becky said. Did you put parchment on the sides too or only the bottom? If only the bottom then I think it happened because the batter is so thin that maybe it got under your parchment paper? Make sure the parchment paper sticks to the bottom of the pan so there is no way the cake batter can go under it.
Carolina says
Hi, Becky and Liv. Thanks for the tips! Yes, I had a momentary lapse of judgment and put the parchment on the sides and bottom. I will definitely remember next time to forgo the parchment on the sides! Again, thank you for your help, Becky and Liv!
Pam says
I love your cake recipes and your detailed directions. I have just read through all of the above comments. I think I have found some answers to my questions but not all. They are:
1. I baked a 6″ chocolate cake recipe and used the Wilton strips that I soaked and squeezed out.
When checking to see if they were done I used the toothpick and it came out clean. I usually also
like to press the middle and see if it springs back but the top of the cake surface was a bit like a
brownie texture so couldn’t press down on it. The toothpick came out clean and the cakes were
starting to get too dark so pulled them out. After cooling and removing from pans I discovered the
bottoms of each 4 layers were unbaked and gummy. I have a thermometer that I can monitor from
my counter outside the oven so I know my temperature was correct. The top and middle of the cakes
were a very good texture. The recipe did call for 5 eggs but not sure that would have anything to do
with what happened. I’ve only used the strips twice before. I didn’t want to bake much longer as the
cakes were turning too dark at that point. Do you have any idea what happened before I retry this
recipe?
2. When making a cake recipe that calls for 6″ pans but want to use my 7″ pans instead would I need to
bake them a shorter time or lower the temperature?
Thanks for any help!
Olivia says
Hi Pam! The baking strips should not cause the bottoms of the cakes to be gummy. I’d have to take a look at the recipe you used to see if anything stands out there – 5 eggs seems like a lot, but it depends on the other ingredients. Chocolate cakes are usually a very think liquidy batter but they should bake up totally fine. Did you bake it for around the recommended time? Also, how long did you cool the cakes in the pans? I cool for 10mins and then turn them out.
And for your second question, all you need to do is reduce the baking time 🙂 By how much will depend on the specific recipe and some trial and error. I hope that helps!
Dez says
Hello! I came on here to read comments to see if this had happened to anyone else because it happened to me as well. I made a 4 layer cake and ended up throwing most of it away. I tried the strips again and this time I made sure to wring out the excess water and instead of 325, I baked my cakes at 350. It did still take a few extra minutes to bake but they cooked perfectly! I baked four 6 inch round strawberry cakes at 350 for apx. 27 minutes and they turned out beautifully after I made these adjustments. Hopefully this helps someone!
Olivia says
Thanks so much for your input, Dez!
Jen says
Hi Liv!
I saw on a different website that you can wrap damp paper towels in aluminum foil and wrap that around a cake pan as a DIY cake strip. Can I use this method on a silicone cake pan? Can I use regular cake strips on a silicone cake pan?
Olivia says
Hi Jen! I haven’t tried the strips on silicone pans and not sure if they’ll have the same effect as they do on metal but it can’t hurt to give it a try!
Monique Escudier says
Hi thanks for the tip I have the wilton cake strips and my cakes are cracking on the top…Do you know how I can prevent this from happening please? Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Monique! Cracking on top is usually due to too high heat. I would buy an inexpensive oven thermometer and see if your oven runs a bit on the hotter side.
Daisy Shabat says
Hi, I used the Michael strips and for some reason my cake didn’t bake right. I made this cake earlier on in the week without the strips and it tasted delicious. When I used the strips the cake took about 40 min to bake and it still looked little undercooked when I took it out. Do you know why this happened? does the cake need more baking time when using the strips?
Olivia says
Hi Daisy! With the strips sometimes it takes a little bit longer to bake the cakes. The sides will not be as brown or brown at all since the strips keep the temperature of the sides down.
Ami says
Hi,
This has helped me a lot. I baked your caramel cake and white chocolate cake for my daughter’s bday. Planning to have a three layer cake with two caramel layers and white chocolate layer in the middle. The tip on pressing the cake after taking from oven helped to get a flat caramel cake. The white chocolate one didn’t dome at all though. If not for this tip, i would have to go through the painstaking step of trimming it.
Olivia says
Hi Ami! So glad you found this helpful! Thanks for the feedback 🙂
Marni Greenspoon says
I have started using those baking strips after seeing them recommended elsewhere. But all the ones I’ve seen are for 8 and 9 inch pans. What about 4 and 6 in pans?
Olivia says
Hi Marni! It’s a shame the velcro isn’t a bit longer on the Regency ones. For smaller pans I use my old Wilton ones that I had to pin on. You can try these newer ones from Wilton that look like they are adjustable: https://amzn.to/2TITyxW
Brenda says
Thank you so much! I did not know these cake strips existed! Huge help!!
Olivia says
So glad you found them useful Brenda!
Deborah says
Mine still dome but I found a great alternative. Take the dome, crumble it and bake in low temp oven to dry, use as texture in cake layer or put on ice cream. Mmmmmmmm.
Olivia says
Hi Deborah! I love this idea! Thanks for the tip 🙂
Brittany says
I also save it to make cake pops my kids love it
Candis says
This is a great idea. I’ve done it many times. I mix it into the frosting and use it to add another texture when layering cakes.
Bhartley says
It worked, it really worked. I made my own strips using a row grain 2” ribbons and sewed a piece of towel to it. I attached a Velcro end and it worked just great on a 9” cake pan.. Great Projest today and made a Eggnog cake with left over Christmas eggnog. Snowed in today so it was fun day in the kitchen.
Olivia says
So glad to hear it worked out for you!
Elena says
What is the brand of the Velcro you used? I am afraid that it will melt in the oven if I use the Velcro I find in Ac Moore or Michaels. Thanks
Ebony says
Would the regency cake strips work on a 6″ pan as well? On Amazon it says for 9 and 8″ pans only…
Olivia says
Hi Ebony! Unfortunately, the velcro isn’t long enough to work for 6″ pans. I wish it was. You could still use them and pin them on, or get these ones from Wilton: https://amzn.to/2QMSIC6
Karen says
If you need to make the strip shorter, you can always sew on more velcro or use the the velcro strap comes in the box from Witon. Hope this helps
Karen.
Olivia says
Thanks so much for the tip Karen!
Shauna says
Hello Ladies, a quick and easy way to shorten any baking strip without velcro or pinning is to use a small binder clip. They work like a charm and hold the strips in place. When I bake multiple cakes, I take a few old wash clothes, cut them in half but leaving the two piece attached at the very end. Just wet it and wring it out and wrap it around the cake pan. It works just as good at the baking strips.
Olivia says
Thanks for the tip, Shauna!
Amanda says
I bought two cake levelers after viewing this post. They worked great for leveling, but I had an odd result with 1/2 of the layers I made. I’m wondering if you can tell me if this was an inadvertent result of using them…
My cake cooked and was level, but it baked away from the pan. Like somehow it decreased in circumference when baking. Do you know why this would happen? It didn’t happen with all, just a couple of the layers I used. Any advice would be appreciated.
Olivia says
Hi Amanda! Were all the cake layers from the same batch of batter? That can sometimes happen with overmixing.
Monica DeBiase says
I also have the older Wilton Bake-even Strips and as you say, pinning them is a pain. Instead of pinning, I tie the damp strip with a damp length of baker’s twine, wrapping the twine all the way around. Works like a charm and I no longer prick my thumbs with the pins.
Olivia says
Great idea, thanks Monica!
VHG says
Hi! Thank you for the advice I will definitely give it a try. How do you take the bread out from the mold so perfect?
Olivia says
Hi there! I’m not sure what you mean exactly. I grease and flour the sides and line with parchment, then cool in the pans for only 10mins and turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack. I hope that helps!
nancy says
hi Olivia, thank you so much, i’m going to try all of this, it looks promising 🙂
when you are using a deep pan, one strip is enough?
Olivia says
Hi Nancy! I only ever use one strip and place it along the bottom of the pan where the cake batter is.
Erica Marie says
I’m wondering the same. My cake pans are 4” tall, so when I tried my strips (I have the old ones,too) they still domed. I believe it’s because the strips are not coving the entire pan.
Donna says
Simpler solution is to flip the layer onto parchment paper (upside down) as it comes out of the oven and allow to cool. My dad was a baker for over 50 years and that is what he always did and what he taught me to do.
Olivia says
A lot of cakes are too fragile to flip out of the pans right away and need to cool in the pans for 10mins. Once they cool for that long I don’t think this method would work. Though it’s similar to my other tip about gently pressing down on amy domes!
Marilyn says
So, after you flip the cakes upside down on parchment paper and cool, then what?
Thanks for your response 😀
Sarah Grech says
Do you mean flipping the cake over while it is still in the pan and leaving it to cool upside down?
Neil Morris says
The problem with inverting the layers immediately upon removal is that what you are actually doing is compressing the dome, which results in a more dense cake.
By using the strips, you are allowing the edges to rise more, which results in higher sides, and a lower middle, i.e. flat, which means lighter, taller, AND level layers, especially beneficial if you’re planning to cut the layers in half horizontally, for a four layer cake.
Kerry says
I set a metal flower nail in the center of pan before pouring in the batter (point side up). It acts like a core that bakes from the center and the cakes comes out almost completely level
Olivia says
Great tip Kerry! I’ve tried this way too.
Stacy Randell says
Can you show me what a flower nail looks like?
Olivia says
Hi Stacy! Here you go: https://amzn.to/2NArDza
Kristi says
Hi Olivia. I too was taught to use the strips on the outside of my pans (my teacher taught us to make our own out of towels, and I still use them today..26 years later!) My question to use is along with using the strips, I was taught to lower the temperature to 325° and bake it longer. What do you think of that??
Olivia says
Hi Kristi! I find that by adding the strips I already have to bake them longer, so I wouldn’t also lower the temp. The lower temp might help with flat tops though if you don’t have strips to begin with 🙂
Margie says
I also turn oven to 350. Makes flat, more moist cake.
Olivia says
Hi Margie! Do you mean 325? I’ve heard that turning the oven temp down a bit can help too.
Selina says
Hi Olivia,
I am using a non-wilton version of the cake strips that I got off Amazon. They work fairly well, but as you show in your pictures, the outside of the cake doesnt form a golden ‘crust’ when using the strips, meaning that they don’t look as good if they’re not being iced (for a naked wedding cake for example). I also find it more difficult to put buttercream on as it’s not as ‘solid’! I was wondering if you know any way of still getting that a golden edge with the strips? like taking them off 5-10 mins before the end of cooking for example?
Thank you for your help!
Olivia says
Hi Selina! You could try baking the cakes a little bit longer, but also make sure the strips aren’t sopping wet — squeeze out any excess water. I worry that if you try to take the strips off while the cakes are baking, you might cause them to collapse from either temp changes or jostling.
Meliisa says
I wonder if putting cake pans in freezer or fridge before pouring batter in would help at all, even just a little bit. Also I guess your best bet is to just bake at a lower temperature like 325 degrees for a bit longer.
Eloisa Reyes says
Hi Olivia! I absolutely adore your cakes. Im starting my own baking at home business. I really need your help regarding recipes for all cake sizes. How can i make a 2-6 inch batch into a 2-8 or 2-10 inch batch? How does that work? Can you help me out please?
Olivia says
Hi Eloisa! You can check this site for pan size conversions: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html
Joleisa says
Such a genius idea! I’ve always heard of it but never really practised it. Must get me some. Your photographs convinced me that this trick really does work. I’m in the Uk so would love to check if Amazon here sell them. Thanks so much for sharing and all the best with your blog.
Olivia says
I hope you do try these Joleisa! They are a lifesaver 🙂
Liz says
Lakeland has them in the UK.
Georgia says
How deep are the tins that you use to bake your 6″cakes? I’m looking to buy some new tins and have heard that you achieve a more even bake when using deeper tins that are less full. Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Georgia! My cake pans are 2″ deep but I wish they were 3″ as some of my recipes bake right to the top!
Shannon Craig says
If my pans are 3” deep and the cake strips are only 1-1/2”, will tat affect the cake rise at all?.
Olivia says
Hi Shannon! I’m not sure actually, I would place them near the bottom of the pan where the cake batter is. Maybe closer to the middle if the cake batter goes more than half way up the pan.
Shannon C says
Thank you! I made your milk and cookies cake today. Didn’t have the strips so my edge are a lot more golden than the tops however I used your press down method and it worked great!
Marie says
Use 2 one above the other they fit perfectly on the 3″ pans
Anuja Khemka says
Which strips do you use for 6″ cake pans? The ones you mentioned here are for 8-9″ cake pans
Olivia says
Hi Anuja! I have super old ones from Wilton that you had to pin on. You can try their newer version here (I haven’t tried them myself): http://amzn.to/2FLU4oa
Patricia says
These are the MOST genius things ever! I advise anyone who is contemplating the purchase of these to buy them now, rather than wait. You won’t be disappointed as they are so easy to use and you’ll get amazing results every time! Thank you so much for suggesting them, Olivia!
Olivia says
Hi Patricia!! They are amazing, right?? Thank you so much, I’m so glad you found them as helpful as I do 🙂 xo
shirleyShirley boyer says
Wi want to say I was years ago to cut a strip of cloth ( I uses whit flsnnel) and wet it and put around cake always have a level cake that way . Like the idea of Velcro to fasten 👨👦👦👨👦👦👨👦hate the pinning also thanks5
2
Olivia says
Hi Shirley! The velcro makes it SO easy.
Norelle says
I have 2 Wilton strips (purple ones) but every time I use them, the cakes were underbaked. The instructions on the strips says to just follow the baking instructions on the recipe.
I do get beautiful, levelled cakes, but the insides were still underbaked even though toothpick came out clean.
Olivia says
Hi Norelle! How do you mean the insides are still underbaked? Does the cake collapse or is it soggy? The strips help to promote even baking. You could try leaving them in for a few mins longer!
Barbara says
I learned this trick as a Wilton decorating instructor. I cook my cakes at 325 instead of the recommended 350 on cake mix boxes and I end up cooking the cake about 10 minutes longer. I check for doneness every five minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. This cooks the cake slower and I never have a hump on my cakes. The hump comes from the cake cooking from the outside in thereby creating a hump. If you cook it slower it will cook more evenly and will be super moist .
Olivia says
Hi Barbara! Thanks for the tip — I have noticed that if I cook my cakes on a lower temp, they rise more evenly too 🙂
Jacquelyn Harris says
HI! I am about to make a 16″ Round cake… Where can I buy cake strips large enough for this? Or do you recommend something else? I’ve read some people use wet tea towels or inverted flower pin.
Thank you for your help!
Olivia says
Hi Jacquelyn! Hmm, I’m not sure I’ve seen ones that large, but you can totally make your own from an old kitchen towel and just safety pin it on 🙂 The flower pin would be a good idea too for such a large size. I would use both.
Jennifer King says
The way the strips are made, you could at two together quite easily!
Jennifer King says
*attach, not at! Lol
Olivia says
Good tip Jennifer!!
Denyse says
The wilton purple one are the best. You can add as many as needed to get a larger size. They do not use pins or velcro. They have like belt loops to hold strips in place.
Anna Templeton says
Hello,
I have made many, many cakes and used the towel strip method. It works.
The thing I have a problem with is getting the icing even between the layers. Yours are so perfect. How do you do that?
Thank you.
Olivia says
Hi Anna! You mean having the same amount of icing in each layer? Honestly, I eyeball it and then stick a clean offset spatula into each iced layer to see how deep the frosting goes and try to match that height for all layers (not sure if that makes sense). An easier way to do it though would be to use a cookie scoop to scoop the frosting so you know exactly how much is on each layer. I hope that helps!
Melanie says
I cannot wait to purchase these strips and try them out. Thank you for sharing!
Olivia says
I hope you love them as much as I do!!
Marion says
Simply fantastic advice! Triedt he strip of damp towel pnned aroun pan and was amazed at how well it worked.
Olivia says
Yay! So happy to hear that. I love this trick!
Christina Mouyal says
Hi Olivia
I am from Copenhagen Denmark, I have seen your blog and would very much like to try it 🙂
But do you know, where to buy them elsewhere than the US?
Kind regards
Christina
Olivia says
Hi Christina! You can get them on Amazon UK (http://amzn.to/2xe1C24) but they are a bit pricey. The Wilton brand ones are also available and maybe at a slightly better price (http://amzn.to/2wbMDkB). Otherwise you can check some specialty cooking/baking shops if you have any nearby, or just make a DIY version using old tea towels 🙂
Kristin says
First off, weighing out cake pans may seem anal to some, but it’s just common sense to me, if one wants the layers to be an even height. I have the Wilton bake strips and agree that they help create even layers. Unfortunately I only have 2 strips, so today, when I was making a triple layer carrot cake, I tried out your towel pressing technique. It was amazing how well it evened the cake out. Thanks for the tip!
Olivia says
Hi Kristin! Haha, I’m so happy to know that I’m not the only one that thinks weighing cake batter makes sense! Glad the towel trick worked for you!
JC says
I weigh out the batter too. If someone doesn’t like it then they don’t have to eat my evenly layered cake. 😉
Candice says
I’ve literally never thought to weigh, and I’m always so irritated when my layers aren’t even! Definitely going to weigh them from now on!
Elizabeth says
The temperature of your batter makes a difference too. According to one of the Cake Boss’s books he said it is very important that the batter isn’t too cold or too warm going into the oven. So for example make sure your eggs/butter are a room temperature before you start to bake with them. My Mum always left her eggs out of the fridge for a while before she baked with them.
Olivia says
Hi Elizabeth! Yes, that’s very important — all ingredients should be at room temperature before making the cake batter!
Kathy says
I was amazed at how well this worked. Only problem I found was sides bit crumby. Am planning on making a naked cake and would like the sides a little darker, any tips please.
Olivia says
Hi Kathy! Hmm, that’s a tough one when using the strips. I would say to bake longer or at a higher temp, but then you risk overbaking it or causing it to dome 🙁 You could try either of those, or just resort to a non-strip method for a naked cake as the sides would definitely look better darker in that case!
Michelle says
Hi Olivia! I’m new to layer-cake baking and really appreciate the tips in this post. I was wondering if you have the cake pan sitting directly on the oven rack, and if so, is it PK that the even-bake strips touch the rack? Or, do you recommend placing the cake pans on top of a cookie sheet?
Thank you!!
Olivia says
Hi Michelle! I have done it both ways but most often I place the cake pans directly on the racks. It’s totally ok if they touch! 🙂
Madeline del Valle says
To cut my cakes in half I just make a slit with a knife and use that as a reference point. Then with a string I surround the whole circumference of the cake making sure it’s even all around. Have to make sure both ends meet at the opposite side of the slit. Kind of like crossing both ends of the string. Then, I pull gently, but firmly and wala!! Perfect halves. Never fails. Must do it with a cake that is cool so as not to burn your fingers.
Olivia says
That is a great tip! Thank you Madeline 🙂
Julie Quarles says
Could you use dental floss?
Olivia says
Hi Julie! To cut the cakes in half? I’ve never tried, but I know people have had success with that method. Just make sure it’s unwaxed and unflavoured 🙂
Candice says
Oh… Wow… I think I’m gonna love Olivia and all of you commenters too! Just found this blog today.
Joe Larrea says
Love you. Love your blog. And especially love the creativity in your recipes! (Piña Colada cake in progress for Easter…’cause nothing says Easter like pineapple, coconut, and rum!)
I have a couple general questions for you:
1. Convection vs. Conventional. Thoughts?
2. I notice that for ingredients such as flour you only list the volumetric measurements and not the weight. Clearly, I’m rather ‘particular’ (read anal) about my measurements and usually use a scale to weigh things like flour. What are your conversions (volume to weight) for these?
Thanks in advance!
Olivia says
Lol! Piña Colada cake is perfect for Easter! Who’s gonna say no to that? 😉
Great questions, by the way. My thought’s are as follows…
1. I haven’t had much success, personally, baking with a convection oven. It’s *supposed* to be better and cook more evenly, but everything always turned out overbaked even if I decreased the temperature. Though now that I think of it… I should really try that setting in the oven I have now… it’s older and bakes super unevenly. I will give it a go and see if I have better luck.
2. I totally get it, I prefer more precise measurements as well and use a scale often. I find that most people don’t have a scale though, so I try to cater to my audience 🙂 I use this site most often for conversions. You select each ingredient on the right, and then input the amount in cups, etc.
http://www.traditionaloven.com/conversions_of_measures/flour_volume_weight.html
I hope that helps!!
Janet says
How do you make flavored cakes? I’m going to attempt my daughter birthday cake and will be sure to try all these tips to have it come out semi perfect! Thank you
Olivia says
Hi Janet! What kind of flavour were you looking for? I have a bunch of different recipes:
http://livforcake.com/category/cakes
Connie says
Please describe the water bath method
For a regular yellow cake.
Olivia says
Hi Connie, I haven’t tried the water bath method, so can’t speak to it. There are some comments on this post about it though.
Emma says
Wow this is so cool. I know it is off topic, but what kind of cake is that??
Olivia says
Hi Emma! Here’s the recipe I used. It’s a simple doctored-up cake mix:
http://livforcake.com/2014/10/almost-scratch-cake.html
Alice Teunis says
I took a cake decorating class through our local school community education back in the 70’s and learned this method of using the towel. She called it “diapering the pan”. I didn’t know there were actually strips you can buy out now. I don’t do cakes very often any more.
Olivia says
Hi Alice! I have heard about the towel method too. Works great!
Shilpa says
Thanx Olivia your tip really worked.
Olivia says
Glad to hear it Shilpa!
Jo Williams Australia says
to make your own cake strips just use al-foil and damp paper towels. lay alength of al-foil on a bench, put paper towels same length on al-foil, dampen, fold over in half, fold edges all the way around and place around cake tin. secure with a bull clip. use the same method to make a mat under the cake tin(just place on oven rack) so the bottom doesn’t burn. may take a little longer to bake,but the cake will be even and moist. haven’t tried it on a shaped pan but imagine the al-foil would be easily moulded (scrunched) to fit snuggly. this is cheap and you can throw it out in recycle when they start to look old(grubby). this method has not failed me yet.
Olivia says
Thanks so much for this tip Jo! I’ll have to give it a try 🙂
Franca Mancuso Jackson says
Good Day, Olivia
It’s really nice reading your blog, have to make a wedding cake for August. Have you ever make cakes with sheet cakes bought the stacker just wondering if I should risk it. Do you have a good chocolate cake recipe, I use the one bowel recipe tried other but not happy with them.
Olivia says
Hi Franca! I don’t think I totally understand your question about the sheet cakes, but I’ve never made one before. This is my favourite chocolate cake recipe:
http://livforcake.com/2015/08/mocha-chocolate-cake.html
Trish Gunn says
2 questions. 1. Cake mixes come in different weight. How many ounces? 2. The pressing of the center with the towel: I found that it caused a ridge on the side of the cake. In other words the cake was not even on the sides. I have not tried it with your recipe so perhaps yours is different. I was just wondering if you have ever encountered this issue.
Olivia says
Hi Trish! I think cake mixes are about 18oz? I can’t be totally sure and I don’t have one in my pantry currently. I’m not totally sure what you mean about the ridge… I’ve never had that issue :(. But honestly, there is very little pressing that I have to do since I use the strips. Did you press down while the cake was still hot?
Kristi says
If you’re mashing a single layer cake, all you have to do is turn the cake upside down so the dome is on the bottom. I’ve never had a problem. When i make a multi-layered cake, I’ll have to give the strip a try. Where can I buy them?
Olivia says
Hi Kristi! You can find them here: Regency Evenbake Cake Strips
Kelly Maynor says
I have always followed my grandmothers way which was to start with a cold oven so the batter heats evenly in the pan, no domes. But I think I might invest in some of those strips for when I don’t have time for the oven to cool. Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Kelly! Interesting! I haven’t ever heard of doing that. Thanks for the tip 🙂
Sharon says
I use cooking spray with flour in it to coat my pans. But I Only spray the bottom inside the pan not the sides. Then I distribute the cake mix evenly in the pan, making sure it is touching the sides. After the cake is done the sides will be stuck to the pan, so I run a sharp knife around the cake to separate it from the side of the pan. It comes out flat on top every time!
Olivia says
Good tip! Thanks Sharon.
Samantha says
Wow! I really want to try these cake strips out, such a great idea!
Olivia says
They work SO well!!
Casey says
I use the bake even strip and still get a domed top. What am I doing wrong? The excess is great to eat but I would like it to actually be used in the cake layer.
Olivia says
Hi Casey! I’m not sure… the strips always work perfectly for me. Are you soaking them well in cold water? Only other thing I can think of is that your oven runs a bit too hot and is causing the dome even with the strips!
Connie says
it would be so simple to get these and be done with all my domed cake nightmares!! but i also feel like im cheating if i do this 🙁
Olivia says
What?! Why are you cheating? This way you don’t lose any cake! 😉
Barbara says
I always cook my cakes at a lower temperature and I always get level cakes. 325 for an extra 10 minutes. This requires a slower cook time and forces the cake to bake more evenly. And they are so moist.
Olivia says
Perfect, thanks for the tip Barbara!!
Leslie says
Thank you!!!
Olivia says
Glad to help!
Vilya says
I have 10 inch layer tins, but the strips I have are for 9 ” pans. Can I cut up the extra pair I have, put some Velcro on them and use them for the 10″ tins??
Olivia says
Hi Yilya, yes, that should work fine as long as the strip is touching the cake pan all around.
Cindy B says
I grab enough paper towels to wrap around the cake pans. Fold them until they are about 1″ wide. Wet them then press against the outside of the pan. Paper burns at 451 F, so baking cakes at 350 F is safe. The results are the same. No pins or Velcro needed
Olivia says
Awesome, great tip Cindy! Thanks! 😀
Jessica says
Where can you buy the cake pan strips and what are they called?
Olivia says
Hi Jessica, you can get them here.
Kirsten says
i do the strips (old towel) but I also throw a handful or two of ice cubes into the bottom of the oven. Similar to a water bath but a fraction of the effort. The combo works great! I will try you tip of pushing down with a clean towel the next time I end up with a small dome. Thanks!
Olivia says
Interesting tip about the ice cubes! I may have to try that. Thanks Kristen!
Cindy says
Put the ice cubes into a container first. They can warp the metal of oven bottom.
Karen says
Will this work on 13″ a 9″ cake pans too? My 13 a 9 cakes always seem to hump up in the middle too 🙁
Olivia says
It should! As long as your strips can go all the way around… Another tip with sheet cakes is to use a flower nail or heating core type thing. Before pouring the cake batter into the pan, place these “nails” pointy end up in a couple of places (evenly spaced) in the pan. This will help draw heat around these nails and even out the baking. Hope that helps! Let me know how it turns out :).
Sharon @ What The Fork Food Blog says
Wow, great tips! I also hate leveling cakes, I always seem to make them uneven haha. Now time to get my hands on some of those strips!
Olivia says
Thanks Sharon! I hope you try them, they are so helpful!
Alice says
as long as I have kids at home, I’m going to use a cake leveler 🙂 Its an easy to use tool and they love the crumbs and bits of cake to munch on. But it was really neat that you weigh your cakes! That is a crazy that I can embrace! 🙂 What a fun idea for getting evenly baked cakes!
Olivia says
I totally support eating cake scraps whenever possible :)!
Sue says
My friend freezes her cake scraps and uses them instead of bread in bread pudding. Delicious!
Olivia says
That is a great way to use up the scraps for sure!! Thanks Sue 🙂
Kathryn says
Whenever I have them they are frozen, giving me a quick Go-To for cake pops
Geoffrey says
I’ve always suffered from domed-cake-syndrome until I tried your method. Those even bake strips were the best 20 bucks I ever spent on supplies hehe. Thank you for this article — you’re pretty much my new hero!
Olivia says
I’m so happy to hear this!! Thank you Geoffrey!
allie @ Through Her Looking Glass says
Dear Olivia, your flat top cakes are gorgeous. I have those very strips. But know what my problem is? I forget to use them. Like all the time. I am going to have to tie a string around my finger next time I am mixing up cake batter. Thanks for all the great and delicious tips!
Olivia says
You know, sometimes I take the strips out, soak them, then forget to put them on the pans!! My new method is to place them on the stove top so that I can see them before putting the pans in the oven :).
Laura @MotherWouldKnow says
I have been known to use toothpicks to shave off the bump, but the strips are so much easier.Great tutorial.
Olivia says
Thanks Laura! Hopefully this saves some time too :).
Lorena says
This is absolutely brilliant!! I’ve never heard of those or seen any of those strips before and truly wondered if the professionals really use levellers to cut their pieces because as you say there are soooo many crumbles left and it never looks as beautiful as your flat cake. Absolutely love, love, love this post. Thanks for sharing!
Olivia says
Thank you so much Lorena! xo
lindsay says
one day we will meet and you will teach all your tricks! i’ve made a wedding cake once and it took like 3 days to perfect. UN REAL you are
Olivia says
You are TOO sweet. How fun would that day be?? Cooking, baking, eating. Perfect.
Lara says
I have the bake even strips and the pins bend and are really annoying and pretty useless after a few times. . I’m wondering if attaching some Velcro would work or whether the water would eventually stop them sticking together? Great idea and worth trying. Never heard of Regency strips here in the UK.
Olivia says
I know! My pins bend too, it’s so annoying. But I have 4 strips like that and they *do* work so I can’t justify spending the money on new ones. I think attaching velcro would be a great idea! I don’t think the water would stop them from sticking :).
It looks like Wilton maybe has a velcro version now? I can’t totally tell with these but they are available in the UK :).
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bake-Even-Strip-Set-6-Piece/dp/B00C1LU8SA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1439052931&sr=8-1&keywords=bake+even+strips
Cindy says
I found the pins bend also. Then tried metal clips like those used for paper, the ones that bend up and down It works but i have to remember they are hot coming out of the oven
Olivia says
Ohh good tip! Thanks Cindy!
Baytown Cakes says
Both of your ideas are great. My trick is to invert the cake onto my cooling rack immediately out of the oven…leave the pan over the cake. Place a pot holder on top of the pan and press down. Because the cake is still warm it flattens perfectly and always to the height of the pan which is what I want. And it works for all cake/pan sizes.
Olivia says
Great tip! Thank you!
Marilyn says
I find also lowering the temp to 325 bakes the cake evenly too. Have to bake a little longer but worth it!
Olivia says
Thanks for the tip Marilyn! Will try that.
Amanda says
I’ve always wondered about those bake even stripes. I think I might try them now. Thanks for sharing!
Olivia says
They are awesome!!
Misti says
Can you please give Me the recipe you used to produce these cakes and what size pan the recipe will fit so I can Alter to different sizes thank you
Olivia says
Hi Misti, for this post I used my Almost Scratch Cake recipe here: http://livforcake.com/2014/10/almost-scratch-cake.html It will work in 8″ or 9″ pans.
Misti says
Thankyou, would you reccommend this type of recipe for a topsy turvy cake ? Is it good to carve with and for staking would I need to use towels, could u also advise on how to change to different flavours eg, chocolate many thanks
Olivia says
Hi Misti! This cake should do well with stacking as it bakes up pretty dense. It was my go-to recipe back in my cake decorating days and I had no issues. You should use dowels when stacking for sure as it will need some support. I didn’t ever try carving it though, so can’t comment on that.
As for different flavours, just use a different cake mix and you’re set :).
linda says
I’ve been using this method for over 35 years & it works everytime! Only, I have never bought those strips, I use paper towels instead. All you have to do is take a length of towels to fit around the pan, roll them up, dampen them & wrap around pans. The wet towels stick to the pans.
Olivia says
Great tip Linda! I never thought of using paper towels, I’d be too worried they would burn. Hah.
mimi says
Thanks for the info! My first time hearing about these strips. I wonder if putting the cake in a water bath will yeild similar results?
Livforcake says
These strips are amazing! I’m not sure how a water bath would work… I’ve used it for cheesecakes before, but not regular cake. I might experiment one day! 🙂
Tammy says
YES! A water bath works just as well. I have and use the strips on my round cakes, but i use the watr bath method on my rectangular shaped cakes and my shaped cakes by putting them in a larger pan. It works great!
Olivia says
Thanks for the tip Tammy!! Will have to try this out :D.
Nancy M says
What is a water bath? I have the strips, but they don’t work around oddly-shaped pans 🙁
Olivia says
Hi Nancy, I’ve never tried a water bath on regular cakes (just cheesecakes), but it looks something like this:
http://i2.wp.com/erincooks.com/images/dscake/dscake8.jpg
Jean says
can u explain what a water bath is
Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Jean! Please see comment above with link to a picture of what it looks like.
Nissa says
So brilliant! I love that you baked a cake with the strip and without to show the difference. Very neat!
livforcake says
Thanks Nissa! I thought it would be good to show the difference. But now I have a domed cake in the freezer! 🙂
TAMMI says
You can also place a flower nail, pointed side towards the ceiling, into your pan prior to putting your batter in and bake as normal.
Olivia says
Hi Tammi! Good tip, I’ve tried the flower nail too, but find the strips work best overall. The flower nails are super handy especially if you’re doing a sheet cake since the surface area is larger.
Linda says
Flower nail???
Olivia says
Hi Linda! This (http://amzn.to/2BBgrgF) is a flower nail. You place it upside-down in the middle of your cake pan and pour the batter around it. It acts as a central heating core to help even out the baking of the cake.
margaret says
A metal cookie cutter works too – you just cover up any marks with frosting!