I am going to make a 9" round 2-layer cake for almost the first time.
Is there a preferred way to place one layer on the other so it does
not edge out over one side? Once the bottom layer is covered with
frosting, it's hard to move the top layer if I don't get it centered
exactly. Any helpful tips would be appreciated.
thanks
betsy

"Betsy" > wrote in message
om...
> I am going to make a 9" round 2-layer cake for almost the first time.
> Is there a preferred way to place one layer on the other so it does
> not edge out over one side? Once the bottom layer is covered with
> frosting, it's hard to move the top layer if I don't get it centered
> exactly. Any helpful tips would be appreciated.
> thanks
> betsy

Just pick up the layer and set it on the bottom layer. If it is not
perfect, use a serrated knife to trim the overhang. A nine inch cake should
be easy to position. When you start stacking 12 inch or larger layers it can
get tricky.

"Vox Humana" > wrote in message
news
Betsy:
> > I am going to make a 9" round 2-layer cake
> > for almost the first time. Is there a preferred
> > way to place one layer on the other so it does
> > not edge out over one side? Once the bottom
> > layer is covered with frosting, it's hard to move
> > the top layer if I don't get it centered exactly.
> > Any helpful tips would be appreciated.

> Just pick up the layer and set it on the bottom layer.
> If it is not perfect, use a serrated knife to trim the
> overhang. A nine inch cake should be easy to position.
> When you start stacking 12 inch or larger layers it can
> get tricky.

I agree. Also, if your layers turn out with a distinct dome top, you
might want to trim the bottom layer (trimming off the dome with a
serrated knife), so the top layer sits flat upon it. And a 9" really
shouldn't be too difficult to position -- just keep your whole hand
under it for support, line up the edge and gently slide it off at an
angle, using your second hand to keep it from sliding off the bottom
layer. You may get a bit of filling on your supporting hand, but that
shouldn't be a disaster.

Good luck!
-j

I would suggest that you trim the dome off both layers with the serrated knife.
Put frosting on top the lower layer and then put the trimmed top of the other
layer next to the frosting. That way you will have a nice smooth flat top to
frost rather than a domed top. If you make crumbs of some of what you cut off
and mix it with frosting and "plaster" your cake you will fill in any space you
have between layers. Let it set for a few minutes to firm up and then frost
the cake all over with your frosting. A good way to smooth your frosting is to
let it firm up some on the cake and then take a wooden pizza roller, dip it in
cornstarch and roll it around your cake. This will get out many small
imperfections. Oleta

On 05 Dec 2004 03:42:54 GMT, (Cake Wmn) wrote:

>I would suggest that you trim the dome off both layers with the serrated knife.
>Put frosting on top the lower layer and then put the trimmed top of the other
>layer next to the frosting. That way you will have a nice smooth flat top to
>frost rather than a domed top.


To eliminate the problem without trimming, I always flip the layer
over and use the bottom for my top. That way, you aren't
continuously fighting excess crumb every where.

On Sun, 5 Dec 2004, Ida Slapter wrote:

> On 05 Dec 2004 03:42:54 GMT, (Cake Wmn) wrote:
>
> >I would suggest that you trim the dome off both layers with the
> >serrated knife. Put frosting on top the lower layer and then put the
> >trimmed top of the other layer next to the frosting. That way you will
> >have a nice smooth flat top to frost rather than a domed top.
>
> To eliminate the problem without trimming, I always flip the layer
> over and use the bottom for my top. That way, you aren't
> continuously fighting excess crumb every where.

First, you can reduce (possibly eliminate) the dome by using a thick
baking pan. The thinner the pan the more or a dome you will have. If you
look at the commercial cake pans you will see they are a very thick, heavy
metal.

Whether you trim the cake to make it level or not there is always a chance
for crumbs. For this reason I always like to put a thin, light layer of
frosting on the cake then chill it in the fridge. Once this coating has
been well chilled you can ice the rest of the cake with little or no
chance of crumbs.

--
Send e-mail to: darrell dot grainger at utoronto dot ca

On 6 Dec 2004 16:44:56 GMT
(".") wrote:

> On Sun, 5 Dec 2004, Ida Slapter wrote:
>
> > On 05 Dec 2004 03:42:54 GMT, (Cake Wmn) wrote:
> >
> > >I would suggest that you trim the dome off both layers with the
> > >serrated knife. Put frosting on top the lower layer and then put the
> > >trimmed top of the other layer next to the frosting. That way you
> > >will have a nice smooth flat top to frost rather than a domed top.
> >
> > To eliminate the problem without trimming, I always flip the layer
> > over and use the bottom for my top. That way, you aren't
> > continuously fighting excess crumb every where.
>
> First, you can reduce (possibly eliminate) the dome by using a thick
> baking pan. The thinner the pan the more or a dome you will have. If you
> look at the commercial cake pans you will see they are a very thick,
> heavy metal.


I'm always in favor of heavy metal, but to some extent you can minimize
the dome effect by pushing the batter away from the middle of the pan
before baking.

It's not that you're totally preventing the dome - but when you pour the
batter into the center of the pan the liquid forms a curved shape. It's not
so thick that you can sculpt with it, obviously, but it does support some
small amount of shape. I've successfully made nearly flat cakes by pushing
the batter out to the edges of the pan directly before putting the pan in
the oven.

Of course, I was using my heavier aluminum pans, but they're only a
little more than half as thick as the pro stuff.

"Eric Jorgensen" > wrote in message
news:20041206104730.6b2760f8@wafer...
> On 6 Dec 2004 16:44:56 GMT
> (".") wrote:
>
> > On Sun, 5 Dec 2004, Ida Slapter wrote:
> >
> > > On 05 Dec 2004 03:42:54 GMT, (Cake Wmn) wrote:
> > >
> > > >I would suggest that you trim the dome off both layers with the
> > > >serrated knife. Put frosting on top the lower layer and then put the
> > > >trimmed top of the other layer next to the frosting. That way you
> > > >will have a nice smooth flat top to frost rather than a domed top.
> > >
> > > To eliminate the problem without trimming, I always flip the layer
> > > over and use the bottom for my top. That way, you aren't
> > > continuously fighting excess crumb every where.
> >
> > First, you can reduce (possibly eliminate) the dome by using a thick
> > baking pan. The thinner the pan the more or a dome you will have. If you
> > look at the commercial cake pans you will see they are a very thick,
> > heavy metal.
>
>
> I'm always in favor of heavy metal, but to some extent you can minimize
> the dome effect by pushing the batter away from the middle of the pan
> before baking.
>
> It's not that you're totally preventing the dome - but when you pour
the
> batter into the center of the pan the liquid forms a curved shape. It's
not
> so thick that you can sculpt with it, obviously, but it does support some
> small amount of shape. I've successfully made nearly flat cakes by pushing
> the batter out to the edges of the pan directly before putting the pan in
> the oven.
>
> Of course, I was using my heavier aluminum pans, but they're only a
> little more than half as thick as the pro stuff.

Domed cakes are also a sign that your oven is too hot and/or that the cake
is being baked too high in the oven. Cakes should be baked in the middle of
the oven.

On Mon, 6 Dec 2004, Eric Jorgensen wrote:

> On 6 Dec 2004 16:44:56 GMT
> (".") wrote:
>
> > On Sun, 5 Dec 2004, Ida Slapter wrote:
> >
> > > On 05 Dec 2004 03:42:54 GMT, (Cake Wmn) wrote:
> > >
> > > >I would suggest that you trim the dome off both layers with the
> > > >serrated knife. Put frosting on top the lower layer and then put the
> > > >trimmed top of the other layer next to the frosting. That way you
> > > >will have a nice smooth flat top to frost rather than a domed top.
> > >
> > > To eliminate the problem without trimming, I always flip the layer
> > > over and use the bottom for my top. That way, you aren't
> > > continuously fighting excess crumb every where.
> >
> > First, you can reduce (possibly eliminate) the dome by using a thick
> > baking pan. The thinner the pan the more or a dome you will have. If you
> > look at the commercial cake pans you will see they are a very thick,
> > heavy metal.
>
> I'm always in favor of heavy metal, but to some extent you can minimize
> the dome effect by pushing the batter away from the middle of the pan
> before baking.
>
> It's not that you're totally preventing the dome - but when you pour the
> batter into the center of the pan the liquid forms a curved shape. It's not
> so thick that you can sculpt with it, obviously, but it does support some
> small amount of shape. I've successfully made nearly flat cakes by pushing
> the batter out to the edges of the pan directly before putting the pan in
> the oven.

Good tip. I never thought about it but I just realized that I do push the
batter into the corners and make the centre a little lower.

Still, I've used really cheap mold pans that are literally 1mm thick
aluminum. The cake REALLY domed a lot. Normally I use pans that are 1/4"
thick.

--
Send e-mail to: darrell dot grainger at utoronto dot ca

On Mon, 6 Dec 2004, Vox Humana wrote:

>
> "Eric Jorgensen" > wrote in message
> news:20041206104730.6b2760f8@wafer...
> > On 6 Dec 2004 16:44:56 GMT
> > (".") wrote:
> >
> > > On Sun, 5 Dec 2004, Ida Slapter wrote:
> > >
> > > > On 05 Dec 2004 03:42:54 GMT, (Cake Wmn) wrote:
> > > >
> > > > >I would suggest that you trim the dome off both layers with the
> > > > >serrated knife. Put frosting on top the lower layer and then put the
> > > > >trimmed top of the other layer next to the frosting. That way you
> > > > >will have a nice smooth flat top to frost rather than a domed top.
> > > >
> > > > To eliminate the problem without trimming, I always flip the layer
> > > > over and use the bottom for my top. That way, you aren't
> > > > continuously fighting excess crumb every where.
> > >
> > > First, you can reduce (possibly eliminate) the dome by using a thick
> > > baking pan. The thinner the pan the more or a dome you will have. If you
> > > look at the commercial cake pans you will see they are a very thick,
> > > heavy metal.
> >
> >
> > I'm always in favor of heavy metal, but to some extent you can minimize
> > the dome effect by pushing the batter away from the middle of the pan
> > before baking.
> >
> > It's not that you're totally preventing the dome - but when you pour
> the
> > batter into the center of the pan the liquid forms a curved shape. It's
> not
> > so thick that you can sculpt with it, obviously, but it does support some
> > small amount of shape. I've successfully made nearly flat cakes by pushing
> > the batter out to the edges of the pan directly before putting the pan in
> > the oven.
> >
> > Of course, I was using my heavier aluminum pans, but they're only a
> > little more than half as thick as the pro stuff.
>
> Domed cakes are also a sign that your oven is too hot and/or that the cake
> is being baked too high in the oven. Cakes should be baked in the middle of
> the oven.

I'm guessing that the oven is hotter at the top (heat rises) and that is
why you should not have your cake too high in the oven. Would too low burn
the bottom? I've never put my cake too high in the oven but I have put it
at the lowest level and got a slightly burnt bottom.

--
Send e-mail to: darrell dot grainger at utoronto dot ca

""."" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 6 Dec 2004, Vox Humana wrote:

> I'm guessing that the oven is hotter at the top (heat rises) and that is
> why you should not have your cake too high in the oven. Would too low burn
> the bottom? I've never put my cake too high in the oven but I have put it
> at the lowest level and got a slightly burnt bottom.
>

Yes, the oven is hotter at the top. I suppose that too low could be a
problem also. That is why the top of the cake pan should be in the center
of the oven. Ovens don't all work the same way, so it is hard to be
specific. Many ovens are not properly calibrated and bake much hotter or
cooler that the set temperature. Ovens can also have wide swings in
temperature. For instance, you might have the oven set at 350 and it could
drift down to 275F and then heat up to 400F in a single cycle.