My cakes always turn out looking like a relief map or something...how do I bake a cake and have the top smooth, level, and flat?
I can do it with drywall mud and bodo, but not with a friggin' cake! Help me out here!
2006-10-27 11:03:08 · 14 answers · asked by a kinder, gentler me 7 in Food & Drink ➔ Cooking & Recipes
For real...this is for my daughters birthday...
2006-10-27 11:03:42 · update #1
I have tried the suggestions that others have given: where you turn the cake upside down so that what was the bottom is now on top. While that can make an acceptable flat, even, surface, the cake can still end up lop-sided because of what was on top (and is now facing down) was un-even.
I've also tried using a bread knife or other serated edged knife to make it level, but this was disastrous. Crumbs everywhere. And while it may be "flat" it was still un-even.
My advice is to get a cake leveler. These are like large wire cheese slicer (or imagine the same cutting concept of an egg slicer). The difference is that you can adjust the wire to be height you desire. See the link for an example from Wilton. I'm sure other stores that carry bakewares will have something similar (e.g., Williams-Sonoma, Sur La Table). They're NOT expensive.
2006-10-27 11:14:36 · answer #1 · answered by Ojai Girl 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I don;'t think that I have ever seen so many responses to a question of this type before. I am neither a cake baker or a cake eater, but should the situation ever arise and I need to know, Well now I know. You know , though, the only thing that was not mentioned was build up the edges with frosting and taper off in the middle. Sort of like muddin' a drywall corner...Make your own flat top with icing.
2006-10-27 11:25:33 · answer #2 · answered by Al s 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When you're using round cake pans, you remove the cakes once they've cooled and put them together, top to top, so that way the flat part that was on the bottom becomes the new top. Nice and flat, perfect for frosting.
If you're baking a cake in a 9x13 pan, once you've poured in battered, drop it lightly a few times from a few inches onto a flat surface to help pop any bubbles. Still, it will be kind curvy. The best cure? Lots and lots of frosting :)
2006-10-27 11:07:14 · answer #3 · answered by Pewds Fan 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Use a square or rectangle pan and smooth the batter down, prior to baking the cake. Or bake it and cut the top off, in a flat cut method, such as using a cake splitter.
2006-10-27 14:57:03 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The trick is to flip the cake upside down so that the not so even part is on the bottom and the nice flat surface that was at the bottom of your cake pan is now on top, this works especially well when frosting the cake.
2006-10-27 11:04:58 · answer #5 · answered by burnquist11 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
in case you serve your cake on a plate (which has a rounded bottom, then position the first rounded layer with the rounded aspect down and the 2d layer with the rounded aspect up - then that's going to likely be ok. once you've a third layer, then decrease the rounded authentic off the middle layer and your situation is solved. Now in case you serve it on a flat plate, the bottom 2 rounded tops elect to go back off - use a serrated knife for that. keep the rounded tops and make a Trifle with them - they're remarkable for that. you could freeze the rounded tops to apply later. in case you elect a flat authentic, then all 3 rounded tops are bumped off. searching on your decorations, the rounded authentic gained't intervene sometimes. yet in a special way round it - intending to shop it from rounding contained in the first position, is to wrap aluminum foil around the exterior of the pan - that's going to slow the heating of the exterior of the cake and allow it to upward push alongside with the middle. They promote particular belongings you could placed round your cake pan - only for that purpose. do not have one myself yet i have study them. wish that enables.
2016-10-16 06:41:29 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with turning the cake upside-down.
You could also try slicing the top off with a stretch of dental floss, in a sawing motion.
2006-10-27 12:08:12 · answer #7 · answered by JubJub 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
bake the cake as normal, then when you take it out of the pan, turn it upside down, so the flat part tht was in the pan is on top. If its uneven/lopsided, prop it up underneath with extra icing.
2006-10-27 11:05:31 · answer #8 · answered by Rum_Punch_Girlie 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
about 20-25 min in2 baking u have to turn the pan/pans so that the side that was facing the bk of the oven is now facing the front and vice versa...that way it will bake evenly
2006-10-27 11:12:33 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
After you bake the cake, flip it upside down.
2006-10-27 11:04:55 · answer #10 · answered by redwidow 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋