For you cake baking pros out there- do you cool the cake in the pans
entirely or turn out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling?

I just baked a banana cake and let the two layers cool in the pan aprox
20 min, then turned out onto a rack. Now I find the tops have stuck to
the rack and left a nice gouge in each one. I can handle that since I'm
going to assemble with some sort of filling before frosting. I think I
can hide the gouges. But it got me to wondering if I'd forgotten some
rule of cake cooling....?

(and I know I goofed leaving them upside down on the rack as perhaps the
bottoms were sturdier)

Goomba

On Mar 30, 12:16*pm, Goomba > wrote:
> For you cake baking pros out there- do you cool the cake in the pans
> entirely or turn out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling?
>
> I just baked a banana cake and let the two layers cool in the pan aprox
> 20 min, then turned out onto a rack. Now I find the tops have stuck to
> the rack and left a nice gouge in each one. *I can handle that since I'm
> going to assemble with some sort of filling before frosting. I think I
> can hide the gouges. *But it got me to wondering if I'd forgotten some
> rule of cake cooling....?
>
> (and I know I goofed leaving them upside down on the rack as perhaps the
> bottoms were sturdier)
>
> Goomba

I usually let cool for about 10 minutes, but it also depends on the
cake. I used to work at a bakery that would take them out immediately
after pulling from the oven. BTW, you can always cut off the top to
make your layers more even for filling/icing...

Goomba wrote:
> For you cake baking pros out there- do you cool the cake in the pans
> entirely or turn out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling?
>
> I just baked a banana cake and let the two layers cool in the pan aprox
> 20 min, then turned out onto a rack. Now I find the tops have stuck to
> the rack and left a nice gouge in each one. I can handle that since I'm
> going to assemble with some sort of filling before frosting. I think I
> can hide the gouges. But it got me to wondering if I'd forgotten some
> rule of cake cooling....?
>

I turn them out onto the rack after 5-10 minutes or the bottom gets
soggy. The trick is to flip the pans onto a rack, then flip the cakes
onto another one or you will get stripes or squares pressed into the
tops, the same pattern as your cooling racks.

gloria p

gloria.p wrote:

> I turn them out onto the rack after 5-10 minutes or the bottom gets
> soggy. The trick is to flip the pans onto a rack, then flip the cakes
> onto another one or you will get stripes or squares pressed into the
> tops, the same pattern as your cooling racks.
>
> gloria p

Why yes I did! My goal was to bake these layers and freeze them so that
I could get the baking out of the way when I have company next week. I
want to make some desserts. But now I'm tempted to cut into and sample
one of these layers.

Just did. Delicious....but now I'll have to make another cake! LOL

In article >,
Goomba > wrote:

> For you cake baking pros out there- do you cool the cake in the pans
> entirely or turn out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling?
>
> I just baked a banana cake and let the two layers cool in the pan aprox
> 20 min, then turned out onto a rack. Now I find the tops have stuck to
> the rack and left a nice gouge in each one. I can handle that since I'm
> going to assemble with some sort of filling before frosting. I think I
> can hide the gouges. But it got me to wondering if I'd forgotten some
> rule of cake cooling....?
>
> (and I know I goofed leaving them upside down on the rack as perhaps the
> bottoms were sturdier)
>
> Goomba

If I'm going to take the cake out of the pan/s:
Cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes.
Invert on rack, place another rack on top (actually the bottom of the
layer), and flip it over. Now you're top side up.
If you have two layers, you need three racks. I have four.

When you assemble a layer cake, the bottom layer goes topside down onto
your serving plate, filling or frosting added, top layer goes on right
side up. Finish icing.

Wrapping the outside of the pan with dampened terrycloth toweling before
pouring the batter in will keep a hump from forming in the middle of the
layer.

--
Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.me.com/barbschaller
Angel Food Dessert, March 23, 2010

Melba's Jammin' wrote:

> Wrapping the outside of the pan with dampened terrycloth toweling before
> pouring the batter in will keep a hump from forming in the middle of the
> layer.
>
huh? I've never heard of such a thing! You bake it with a damp towel
around it...or what?

In article >,
Goomba > wrote:

> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>
> > Wrapping the outside of the pan with dampened terrycloth toweling before
> > pouring the batter in will keep a hump from forming in the middle of the
> > layer.
> >
> huh? I've never heard of such a thing! You bake it with a damp towel
> around it...or what?

Correct. I'm not surprised you've never heard of it but it's
information that serious cake decorators know about. :-) Google up
"cake cooling strips." Terry toweling is cheaper and works as well.

--
Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.me.com/barbschaller
Angel Food Dessert, March 23, 2010

On Mar 30, 6:31*pm, Melba's Jammin' >
wrote:
> In article >,
>
> *Goomba > wrote:
> > For you cake baking pros out there- do you cool the cake in the pans
> > entirely or turn out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling?
>
> > I just baked a banana cake and let the two layers cool in the pan aprox
> > 20 min, then turned out onto a rack. Now I find the tops have stuck to
> > the rack and left a nice gouge in each one. *I can handle that since I'm
> > going to assemble with some sort of filling before frosting. I think I
> > can hide the gouges. *But it got me to wondering if I'd forgotten some
> > rule of cake cooling....?
>
> > (and I know I goofed leaving them upside down on the rack as perhaps the
> > bottoms were sturdier)
>
> > Goomba
>
> If I'm going to take the cake out of the pan/s:
> Cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes.
> Invert on rack, place another rack on top (actually the bottom of the
> layer), and flip it over. *Now you're top side up. *
> If you have two layers, you need three racks. *I have four.
>
> When you assemble a layer cake, the bottom layer goes topside down onto
> your serving plate, filling or frosting added, top layer goes on right
> side up. *Finish icing. *
>
> Wrapping the outside of the pan with dampened terrycloth toweling before
> pouring the batter in will keep a hump from forming in the middle of the
> layer.
>
> --
> Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJhttp://web.me.com/barbschaller
> Angel Food Dessert, March 23, 2010

How do you keep the ends attached to each other? Safety pins? Just
curious, not trying to be a wise behind.

In article
>,
Kalmia > wrote:

> On Mar 30, 6:31*pm, Melba's Jammin' >
> wrote:
> > In article >,
> >
> > *Goomba > wrote:
> > > For you cake baking pros out there- do you cool the cake in the pans
> > > entirely or turn out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling?
> >
> > > I just baked a banana cake and let the two layers cool in the pan aprox
> > > 20 min, then turned out onto a rack. Now I find the tops have stuck to
> > > the rack and left a nice gouge in each one. *I can handle that since I'm
> > > going to assemble with some sort of filling before frosting. I think I
> > > can hide the gouges. *But it got me to wondering if I'd forgotten some
> > > rule of cake cooling....?
> >
> > > (and I know I goofed leaving them upside down on the rack as perhaps the
> > > bottoms were sturdier)
> >
> > > Goomba
> >
> > If I'm going to take the cake out of the pan/s:
> > Cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes.
> > Invert on rack, place another rack on top (actually the bottom of the
> > layer), and flip it over. *Now you're top side up. *
> > If you have two layers, you need three racks. *I have four.
> >
> > When you assemble a layer cake, the bottom layer goes topside down onto
> > your serving plate, filling or frosting added, top layer goes on right
> > side up. *Finish icing. *
> >
> > Wrapping the outside of the pan with dampened terrycloth toweling before
> > pouring the batter in will keep a hump from forming in the middle of the
> > layer.
> >
> > --
> > Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJhttp://web.me.com/barbschaller
> > Angel Food Dessert, March 23, 2010
>
> How do you keep the ends attached to each other? Safety pins? Just
> curious, not trying to be a wise behind.

No problem. I forgot to include that info. I used T-pins.


--
Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.me.com/barbschaller
Angel Food Dessert, March 23, 2010

"Goomba" > wrote in message
...
> For you cake baking pros out there- do you cool the cake in the pans
> entirely or turn out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling?
>
> I just baked a banana cake and let the two layers cool in the pan aprox 20
> min, then turned out onto a rack. Now I find the tops have stuck to the
> rack and left a nice gouge in each one. I can handle that since I'm going
> to assemble with some sort of filling before frosting. I think I can hide
> the gouges. But it got me to wondering if I'd forgotten some rule of cake
> cooling....?
>
> (and I know I goofed leaving them upside down on the rack as perhaps the
> bottoms were sturdier)
>

I've never had that happen! Not sure what I'd do, but as you said, you'd
put the tops together and the bottoms would be the flat edges to the bottom
of the layer cake and the top. You can always trim to make them fit flat.

One thing I learned when I used to do cakes was to turn the cakes onto a
baking sheet after the first half hour of cooling and freeze them while
still a little warm. This led to very moist cakes and easier to trim the
layers and put together. Also held back some of the crumbs to make for a
smooth frosted cake.

I don't think you plan to decorate the banana cake, but piping icing borders
really cleans up any "mistakes".