I'm making a birthday cake right now for my husband and I'm not sure what to do. I am making an 8" two layer cake and because I only have 1 round pan I can't bake the layers at the same time. The first cake is almost done but it is not flat so I can put the other cake on top. Is there anyway to make it flat? I am pulling it out of the oven right now. It is suppose to cool in the pan for 15min and then I need to start the next layer. Please help!!! I'm going to wait until I get some advise from you wonderfully helpful moms. Thanks in advance.
Once it cools and you remove it from the pan, just take a bread knife, or such, lay the blade flat on the top and then move it to the other side. cutting of the non-flat piece.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpyAuV3jNIc
M.
Don't panic...they are never flat when the come out of the oven. You have two options. First, take the first layer and flip it over so that the top is now the bottom. That way when you stack them you are putting the second layer on top of the flat bottom of the first layer. Second option, take a long bread knife and slice off a little bit of the top of the first layer to make it flat. I'd go with the first one, it's easier and then you don't run the risk of butchering the first layer! ;)
You can just use a bread knife to cut the top to make it flat and then just put the other one on top, then frost. Just make sure that it's cooled before you cut it.
Cut the hump off after it has cooled completely.
They are never straight! I always flip the first one upside down so the humped part is on the bottom. Then I frost the flat part and put the next layer rounded-side-up. Always turns out fine!
Good luck! And Happy Birthday to your husband!
Hi C.
You can,using a sharp knife just cut off a section at the top to make it flat.
It will be covered with whatever icing you are using so it won't be noticed.
On the other hand ,a two layered cake doesn't need to be completely flat, just put the the biggest one on top.
Good for you making your hubbys cake,homemade are the best, my son and I made my hubbys. Its wasn't picture perfect but tasted fab.
Enjoy
B.
Take out the O. that's done & put it UPSIDE DOWN on a cooling rack.
Then bake the next O.,
Frost the top of the bottom layer.
Remove layer #2, cool it, flip it over & put it on top. (Both layers will be upside down.)
just flip it over - the bottom will be flat. Layer the cake with the two bottoms in the middle
I've done the layered cakes before, also with the round cakes, having simliar problems. Just place the first one down, cover the top with frosting, place the second on top, add some frosting for filling/evening in the middle of the 2 cakes as needed Then, put the rest of the frosting on. Once you get it all the way frosted, it will be just fine!!
You slice off the top "puffy" layer of the first cake, thats going to be either covered in frosting OR covered by the second cake :-) NO ONE will be the wiser !!! GOOD LUCK
Dear C.-
I used to LOVE it when the kids were younger and had a cake like that...I would just say "the kids helped"...lol
Now that they are older...the 'truth' is out...
You got some great tips! Good luck!
Michele/cat
i usually just frost it once it is cool to make it level...
yep! I make 2 layer cakes all the time. Let the cake cool, or even put it in the freezer for a few minutes, then take it out of the pan. put it on a flat surface and take some dental floss, and cut it flat with the floss.
For future reference - there is wrap you can buy for the outside of the pan. You can buy it with the cake decorations at a hobby store. You soak it in water, wrap it around the outside of the pan, pin it and bake the cake with the wrap around it. It is made of heavy canvas with a reflective coating that goes to the outside. It helps the edges of the cake to not bake as fast, and they rise more evenly!
I'm sure that I'm way to late - but you have to trim it to be flat and brush off the crumbs before you ice.
As others have said, level it by cutting the domes off. Make the domed sides the middle where the frosting goes, then the top of your cake is flat. Another mama mentioned the wraps around the sides, and that does help. Another option is to invest in some airbake cake pans, however, those only come in 9" round sizes and I like using an 8" pan so you get a taller cake, thus I use the wet wraps (made by the Wilton Co.) on my 8" pans.
And C., put aside a few extra $$ or go to a thrift store and find yourself a second 8" pan. It will save on cooking time and energy expended to cook both layers at once. Happy baking!!
Don't panic. Bake the other one and perhaps it too will be crooked which isn't half bad. You just place one crooked side on top of one straight side and it looks like a straight cake. Perfectly normal. Besides some of the best cakes I have ever eaten looked rather odd.
Wish hubby a happy birthday from all of us on Mamapedia, relax and have fun. Besides you can always just toss the cake and opt to put frosting on you with a candle "whereever" and let the fun begin. (I'm still a newly wed and my kids are teens). Again have fun and relax. It will be fine.
