This tip is not new or earth-shattering (I saw it over on the Taste of Home forums), but I can't tell you how many years I baked cakes without knowing about it! Of course, you can also buy these nifty pre-made strips, but since I'm a cheapskate... this is a solution that works for me!!
It's a super easy {and cheap!} solution for baking cakes with level tops!!
Here's what you need:
- Baking pan (this works for rounds and squares!)
- Old towel(s)
- Safety pins
The length doesn't really matter. I have short ones (for small pans) and long ones (for large pans) and sometimes I end up pinning 2 together anyway, so it really doesn't matter!
Then you'll need to fold them in half length-wise. This gives you 2 layers of fabric for more insulation. Then wet your strips and wring them out. You want them saturated, but not dripping.
Now... just wrap it around your pan and pin it. Overlap is fine if your strip is too long! PS. I don't have pics of this because I didn't have enough hands to do it and take a pic at the same time. But I have found it works best if you pin it up and down (the pin up and down) instead of side-to-side... it holds better!
Remember, if you're trying to wrap a large pan, you may have to combine more than one strip.
Then fill your pan with batter... I usually fill mine just over halfway. If you missed it last week... be sure to line your pan with parchment too!
Then bake as usual. I generally lower the temp on my oven by about 25 degrees so the cake will bake a little slower and that also helps it bake evenly.
When you take it out... you get these gloriously level baked cakes...
Or from this angle..
Wondering if this works on a larger cake? It absolutely does! Here's a huge 14" square that I did a few months ago...
I also use a heating core for cakes larger than 10" (that's the gadget there on the right and why there's a filled hole in the middle of the cake) but the wet towels combined with the heating core gave me a perfectly level cake!
Isn't that amazing? Still looking for other tips to help you bake a level cake? Check out these posts:
Did I miss anything? If you have questions about how to make this cake, please leave them in the comments!!
Yaneri -Sweet Baker
Awesome Rose!! Thanks for the tips!! I enjoy your tutorials!!
Rose
You're welcome Yaneri!!
Kristen Miller
Hmmm...I love this technique! I even learned something. I haven't been making 4" strips and folding. Just doing a 2". It works fine that way too but I imagine the pinning is easier with more layers too. 🙂
Rose
I do have some that are only 2" wide and I use them when I have tons of baking to do, but I really like the wider ones better! Thanks, Kristen 🙂
Terry Carter
I have never heard of this in my lifetime. Ok, I don't make a lot of cakes, but I've watched people make cakes for years. Since I have some problems with fire in the kitchen, how concerned should I be that the rags will catch on fire? I'm a horrible cook.
Rose
LOL!! Too funny Terry! Well, I certainly won't guarantee that they'd never catch on fire, but I've been doing this for 2 years and I can say it's never happened to me!! Just thoroughly wet the towels and I don't think you'll have that problem!! =)
Michelle
Hi Rose, Thanks for the tutorial on making leveled cakes. I have one question. We're dipping the towel strips in what temp water? Hot? Or does it matter as long as it's wet?
Rose
I use cold water! Thanks for visiting 🙂
Pat
Good job
Jeanne Zamutt
I've used the towel strips before but used wooden clothespins (the type that pinch together) to hold the strips together.
Felicia
I am going to try this!!
Tasnim
Hi, I am sending a mail from South Africa 🙂 I love your site especially since I am also learning to bake from home - trial and error. Your tips help a lot. I have tried the towels and they work great except you must bake at least 15minutes longer otherwise the cake will sink in the middle. I also read that you can use a florist nail in the middle. Have not tried as yet. I don't understand how the heating core works and where do you put it?
Rose
Yes, you do have to bake a bit longer. The heating nail simply heats up and distributes heat from the middle of the cake outward - therefore cooking it more evenly and faster. I always put them in the center.
Paula
Rose,
I love your site! I just caught the baking and decorating bug last month after making Elmo cupcakes for my daughter's second birthday party. I've found your tips, recipes and tutorials extremeley helpful.You inspired me to make a pink ombre roses cake for my niece's 16th birthday party, and my family was wowed. I'll be trying buttercream ruffles this weekend. You make decorating cakes much less intimidating.
I have a question that you may have already addressed somewhere else, but this is new to me. Would you please give instructions on how to use the heating core in a large cake?
Thank you again for the tips and inspiration!
Paula
Rose
I place it in the center of the pan, spray it with non-stick cooking spray then put a little cake batter in it. Then I fill the pan around it as usual and bake as usual. When it's done, you take the core out, pop out the cake inside and use it to fill the hole where the core was. Easy-peasy!
Paula
That was very helpful! Thank you so much, Rose!
Kate Storjohann
Oh Rose! Why didn't I read this earlier!
I cut my strips and used them for the first time yesterday and the cakes turned out perfectly flat! Thank you for sharing this amazing tip!!!!!!
rita Micallef
Why do u use the towels thanks
Betty Critchlow
why do you line the bottom of a cake pan? thanks Betty
Marcia Mayfield
Hi, Betty. Lining the bottom of a cake pan makes it a little easier to get your cake out when done baking. A little baking spray on the parchment paper, the paper will pull right off when the layer is removed from the pan.
Betty Critchlow
ROSE, I thought you answered questions.
Marcia Mayfield
I have used this method for flat cakes for years, but with newspaper instead of towels. I take 2-3 sheets of newspaper, overlap and make a roll, then crease to the height i need. Wet the strip, fasten with a paperclip. Throw it away when done. Newspaper works just fine, but I am going to try with towel strips, those I could reuse.
Rose
WOW - newspaper, huh? I'd have never thought of that! Good thinkin'!
whitney jolivet
Oh wow, thank you for this tip, after baking my umpteeth domed cake that was all more dried shell than actual cake, i can't wait to try again - i can't believe how flat your cakes look - i just have to try it - thank you!!!
Rose
You're welcome! 🙂
Linda
Hello,
I see that you used and excellent aluminum pan. Can you use this technique on glass?
Thank you
Rose
I think it would work - just give it a try sometimes!
heather
Does this work with disposable baking pans?
Tobi
What do you do to fill the hole after using the heating core?
Tobi
I read through the comments and found the answer!!! Thanks!
Rose Atwater
🙂
Rebecca
Of course you will have an answer I had with baking a level cake! I should have came to you in the first place. I am looking forward recipes and ideas for the holiday. Thanks so much Rose, and Happy Baking!
Rose Atwater
Thank you Rebecca!
rashmi lakhiani
Hi, just want to know dat towel wont burt in oven....is it safe???
Rose Atwater
I've done this many, many times and never had any burn!
Janet Vinyard
Hi Rose, What an interesting post! I've never heard of this technique before but look forward to trying it! Thanks for sharing this! Blessings, Janet
Janie
can I make the 4" square pan as a 2" instead? I don't have a heating core and I have to make the cake now. the wedding cake is a square the pans are 4" deep, 12x12x4, 10x10x4, 8x8x4 and 6x6x4, how many boxes of care mix would I need to use for all these?
Marie
This is so smart! I never knew you could do this. Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday!
Lisa B.
This is a great tip! I never knew this! Thanks for sharing and linking up with us over at the Welcome Home Wednesdays Link Party!
Amanda
Thank you so much for the tip! Does this work on glass and pyrex pans too, or just the metal ones?
Rose
I haven't tried it on glass/Pyrex but I imagine it would work. The wet towels simply prevent the outside edges of the cake from getting too hot and cooking faster than the center of the cake - so it should work similarly.
Natalie
Curious if you place your pans on a cookie sheet when baking and if so, any tips on keeping them from warping while in the oven. Thanks!!
Rose
I don't place them on anything Natalie. I'm 100% dedicated to Magic Line pans and I have never had one warp.
terry
Do you know how to not end up with tunnels? I already rap the pan on the counter before it goes into the oven.
Rose
I'm sorry - I don't know.
Les
Be careful to not overmix your batter. Doing so causes tunnelling. 🙂
Carolynne
A crepe bandage works well too. Come in ready sized rolls so just cut and soak.
Kimberly Lipari
Rose, thanks for all of your great advise!! I was playing around with this and found that using the metal binder clips from office supply stores actually worked better for me than the safety pins or the wooden clothes pins I saw someone else suggest in an earlier comment.
Rebecca Ballesteros
That's what I use. Much easirr.
Ademidun
I just came across it now and I hope it isn't too late. Does this method work for any type of pan. I mean my pan is different from urs here. I stay in Nigeria. Thanks
Katie
This is such a smart idea. How many cakes can you put in the oven at one time, say if you did 6" cakes?
Rose
I have 2 ovens. My bigger oven would probably hold (8) 6" cakes. The smaller one would maybe hold (5) 6" cakes.
Vandana
Hi Rose
That unbelievable!
Will towels not catch fire ?
Rose
Nope! I've done it many, many times and never had a problem!
Jay Mallott
Just come across this, never heard of it before, will try it out on my next sponge cake. Thanks for your post. Does it work for rich fruit cakes too? I've always wrapped the outside of my tins with layers of dry brown paper or newspaper, tied on with string; levelled the cake mixture as best I can & created a shallow dip in the centre then brushed the whole cake mixture surface with cold water. All this to prevent the cake from burning/drying out too quickly due to the long baking time required. My cakes turn out fairly level, but not always, so intrigued to know if this would work for rich fruit cakes. Thanks.
Rose
Hi Jay! I've never made a fruit cake so I can't say if it'd work or not. Sorry!
Aliza
Nice tip! Certainly would save me a lot of scrapes going to husband and kids.
My question is - even though the level is overall flat, it's still not perfect and has some bumps and lumps however small which would interfer with a perfect wedding cake for example. Do you cut that tope off and what meathod do you prefer?
Rose
If it's pretty close to level, I do not trim it any farther. I've stacked up to 6 tiers and not had any problems with small irregularities.
Marcia Neves
Hi Rose,
Thanks for all the great baking tips. I have a question regarding the empty can? Can I possibly use a Tomato paste can, one end removed, prepared as stated , in place of the heating core? It is just a metal container to conduct heat, correct?
Marcia
Ronna Finer-Berman
Hi Rose,
How could I attach wet strips to an unusual shaped bundt pan?
I’ve been trying to bake a cake in a star shaped pan. It keeps rising in a dome.
Any ideas?
Rose
OOoh - not sure on that one! Sorry 🙁
Mary
could you please send mi step by step ideas.
thank you .
Mary
Julie
Tried this trick today, and it did the trick! Level cakes yeyyyy!
Rose
Awesome!
Marisa Goves
I would like to know what type of towel to use please I think this is a great idea to try as I am so fed up with my cakes rising in the middle making a hill top effect
Rose
I just used a cheap bath towel. Nothing in particular.
Amy F
Oh please help me!! I am trying to find out if I can do this level cake in Pyrex same as metal pan???? I get it to lower the oven temp for the glass but have you tried this with glass cookware??
Mary
I have a number 5 cake pan for my grandsons 5th Birthday. How would you wrap that?
Rose
I'd probably put it on a cake board and wrap it tight with plastic wrap.
Ana
Hi!
I've tried this with trowels but it turned the center of the cake undercooked. I've used it with a 6" and 8" pan. Don't know why ...
Saira
Can i use oil instead of butter
Amber
I make the chocolate cake recipe on the Hershey's cocoa can...I make one every week....I tried the wrapped wet towel strip I love that the cakes FINALLY turn out level but usually the two cakes bake in 28 minutes on 350
well I kept checking the cakes and it was like they were brownie like in texture...40 minutes still that texture...very flat about 1inch tall...same pans 9inch...I have a piece every night...what do you suggest...I didn't make the icing...I'm thinking I will have to re-make...how much longer should they cook when you wrap the pans ..any ideas what I did wrong?
amber
I am trying again..I make the chocolate cake recipe on the Hershey's cocoa powder can...one every week..9in round 2.5 deep..same type in your pics....350 usually28mins done...they dome uneven...I tried the wet towel strips..I kept checking and finally at 40mins. I took them out...each turned out even about 1in high....happy about the even but it's like they are raw almost brownie gummy texture..the outside edges seemed done ...I love your website...what do you think happened? I think I"ll have to remake usually the cakes are so moist and fluffy....how much longer should it take same temp?
Rose
I don't think I've ever used the towels on the scratch chocolate cake recipe. The general idea for level cakes is lower/slower. So turn the oven down to 325°F and cook for longer - maybe 45 minutes. I can't promise it'll work with this recipe but it should. I have some other ideas for baking level cakes here: bake level cakes
Glenda Arredondo
Yeah. I used your tip and it worked. Super simple to cut the towel and pin. After I added the batter I thumped the cake pan twice on the counter to get rid of air bubbles. I also baked the cake 10 degrees lower. A trifecta produced perfect cake shape.
Donna Abernathy
Does the wet towel work on tube pans also?
Rose
If you can get them to stay on the pan, it might help! I'd have to do a trial run to know for sure.
Karen Cooney
Just want to thank EVERYONE for all the great tips! I've been using Wiltons Baking Strips for many years. Always gives me a level cake. But I don't like how I have to keep adjusting the size. Ready to try homemade towels...