Bake flat cake layers, perfect for stacking, that are also extra soft, tender, moist and flavorful with my best cake baking tips and tricks!
These go-to cake hacks give you professional, tall layer cakes, that are easy to stack and frost and most importantly, taste out of this world.
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1. #1 Flat Cake Hack: Bake Even Strips
My number 1 secret tip for baking cakes is to use bake even strips (https://amzn.to/2OzBiF0) for perfect, flat cake layers. When you bake with them, the cakes come out flat and level on top, perfect for stacking or frosting those professional crisp edges easily.
To use the bake even strips, first fit them to the size of your pan. Then, soak the strips in cold water, until they are saturated. Wring out any excess water, wrap them around the outside of the pan and pull to tighten them.
The cool, wet fabric cake strips insulate the outside of the cake pan, so that the outside of the cake doesn't bake faster than the inside, and it all bakes flat and evenly with sides that are nice and light and soft.
Without them, the hot sides of the pan, bake the edges of the batter first, so the sides of the cake come out dark and over-baked and the cake domes in the middle. Then, you have to cut off the domed top of the cake with a knife, which can be messy, and a total waste of time, and waste of cake!
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2. Grease the Pans (duh!)
You're going to want to make sure you grease your pans so the cake doesn't stick when you remove it from the pan. I like to use Bake Easy spray or Cake Release (https://amzn.to/2VCd0yK), which is a great, easy alternative to greasing and flouring pans. For extra security, you can also line your pans with parchment.
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3. Biggest Baking Mistake: Measure Your Flour
You also want to make sure you measure your flour properly! By scooping the flour into your measuring cup, straight from the bag, the flour becomes packed into the cup and will result in too much flour in your recipe. Too much flour will result in a tough, dense and dry baked goods and the cake will dome up. This is one of the most common baking mistake.
It's always best to weigh out your flour using a kitchen scale for accuracy!
If you don't have a scale, the next best method to get a more accurate measure is the "Fluff, Spoon & Level" Method. First Fluff up the flour in its bag or container, with a spoon or scoop to loosen and aerate it. Spoon the flour, gently, into your measuring cup until it is completely full and overflowing. (Do not pack it down or shake it, as this will compact too much flour into your cup than desired.) Last, level it off, by dragging the a flat edge across the top edge of the measuring cup (back of a butter knife, metal spatula, etc.). Repeat if necessary. Add to your recipe as directed.
Before baking the cakes, make sure you have the same amount of batter in each pan, so they come out the same size, for even layer. You can eyeball it, or weigh each pan after the batter is in them. For thick, tall cakes, I like to use three 6-inch cake pans that are 3-inches deep: https://amzn.to/2v4yXKeIt's always best to weigh out your flour using a kitchen scale for accuracy!
If you don't have a scale, the next best method to get a more accurate measure is the "Fluff, Spoon & Level" Method. First Fluff up the flour in its bag or container, with a spoon or scoop to loosen and aerate it. Spoon the flour, gently, into your measuring cup until it is completely full and overflowing. (Do not pack it down or shake it, as this will compact too much flour into your cup than desired.) Last, level it off, by dragging the a flat edge across the top edge of the measuring cup (back of a butter knife, metal spatula, etc.). Repeat if necessary. Add to your recipe as directed.
5. In the Oven
To avoid uneven baking, do not bake with more than 2-3 pans in the oven at a time. Keep pans on the middle of the center rack, at least an inch away from each other and the sides of the oven, to ensure even circulation of hot air around the pans. If you need 2 racks, keep the pans staggered instead of directly above one another. Once in the oven, do not open the oven door within the first half of the baking time. Opening the oven door releases the hot air and will cause oven temperature to fluctuate. This can compromise the structure of your baked goods and cause them to sink in the middle. If you have hot spots in your oven, you can rotate the pans halfway through baking.
If you guys give any of these tips a try, make sure to go follow me on social media @TheLindsayAnn and tag me in a picture, so I can go like all of your recreations, or share this video with somebody who you know would like these cake hacks!
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- Bake Easy spray or Cake Release: https://amzn.to/3fzcgpe
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- Pure vanilla extract: https://amzn.to/2LPUkc0 OR Vanilla bean paste: https://amzn.to/2M6Vcpq
- Bake even strips: https://amzn.to/2OzBiF0
- 6" pans: https://amzn.to/3g29M1Q
- turntable, cake scraper, off-set spatula, piping tips: https://amzn.to/2AtiQuT
- more supplies: https://www.amazon.com/shop/thelindsayann