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.
Betsy:
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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