Leveling Cakes for Stacking
A level cake is the foundation of any clean finish. If you don't take the time to shave the dome, your filling will bulge or your tiers will lean.
Chill before you cut
Always wait until your cake is completely cool or chilled in the refrigerator for at least an hour; warm cakes crumble and tear under the blade.
- long serrated bread knife
- rotating cake stand
- cardboard cake round
What goes in.
- 1fully cooled cake round
Keep the knife level
Do not press down through the cake. Use a light, horizontal sawing motion and let the serrated teeth do the work of slicing through the crumb.
The method.
Stabilize the cake
Place your cake round on the center of a rotating stand. Keep your eyes level with the top of the cake to identify the highest point of the dome.
Mark your line
Hold your knife parallel to the counter. Keeping your elbow tucked in, rotate the cake stand slowly while gently scoring the outer edge of the cake to create a guide line.
Slice across
Using the score line as your guide, begin sawing back and forth while rotating the stand. Work slowly toward the center, keeping the blade flat.
Clean up
Remove the domed top. Gently brush away any loose crumbs from the newly flattened surface with your hand or a pastry brush.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use a bread knife that is longer than the diameter of your cake to ensure the blade stays straight across the entire surface.
If you have trouble keeping the knife level, use two stacks of books or magazines on either side of the cake as a height guide for your blade.
Do not discard the scraps; they are useful for testing frosting colors or making cake pops.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use a cake leveler wire tool instead of a knife?
Yes, a wire leveler is often more consistent for beginners as it maintains a fixed height, but ensure the wire is taut before beginning.
How do I keep the cake from sliding while I cut it?
Place a small dab of frosting or a damp paper towel underneath the cardboard cake round to grip it to the rotating stand.
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