Today I’m sharing my favorite baking tips for layer cakes. If you’re new to baking layer cakes, or even if you’ve been making them for a while, I think you’ll find a tip or two that can make baking layer cakes easier.
I’ve made several fun cakes for my grandsons’ birthdays over the last few years. During those years, my beautiful daughter’s become a very good baker. So I decided it was time to turn the cake baking duties over to her.
But before I did, she wanted to know my tips and tricks for baking layer cakes. Those things I just do automatically without thinking about it. Things that aren’t in the recipe.
She wrote up the questions and I answered them while we made the cake layers together; then she took the layers home and decorated the cake. She then emailed me the questions and answers so I could do a post. Then she’d have easy access to them for future reference, and I could share the tips with my Barbara Bakes readers.
Baking Tips for Layer Cakes
What do I need to know to get started?
- Before baking, use the pans to trace a circle onto the parchment paper, then cut the parchment so that the circles will fit in the pan. Spray the bottom and sides of the pan with nonstick spray, then put the parchment inside.
- Have your ingredients at room temperature.
- To get even layers, I weigh the batter on my digital scale.
How do I know when my cake is done?
- The cake is done when it begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, and when you gently touch the middle of the cake, it should feel firm but bounce back.
- To avoid overcooking your cake, stay in the kitchen while your cake’s baking. With practice, you can actually smell when your cakes are done baking.
Any tips for taking them out of the pan?
- When you take the cake layers out of the oven, let them cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.
- The cake has probably already pulled away from the edges, but just in case it hasn’t, loosen the edges with a butter knife or a thin spatula.
- Place a cooling rack upside down on the top of the cake pan, then use two hot pads to grab the sides of the cake pan and the cooling rack at the same time, and in a smooth motion flip them upside down. The cake should fall onto the cooling rack.
- If the cake layer doesn’t fall on to the rack, flip the entire thing back over and use your thin spatula to gently lift the areas where it seems to be stuck.
- The cake will be upside down. Peel the parchment paper off, then put another cooling rack on top of the upside-down cake, then gently flip it over.
How early can I make the cakes in advance?
- I recommend freezing your cakes before decorating them. They’re firmer and easier to work with. As a bonus, if you choose to freeze them, you can make them up to two or three weeks in advance.
If I bake them at night after the kids are in bed, do I just cover them with a towel while they cool and then take care of them in the morning?
- You’ll get the best results if you stay up until they’ve cooled. Cakes cool pretty quickly—it should be cool within an hour.
Do I freeze or refrigerate the cakes after I’m done baking?
- You cool it completely on the rack. I like to put the parchment round I peeled off back on the cake and then flip it back over so the cake doesn’t stick to the wire rack. Then freeze uncovered on the wire rack.
- Once the cakes are frozen solid, remove from the freezer and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
How long do I need to thaw the layers before working with them?
- You actually don’t need to thaw the layers before you work with them—the cake will thaw really quickly and they’ll be easier to work with while frozen. Note: If you’re frosting with buttercream thaw first. A reader commented “I worked in a bakery and the cakes came in frozen. If I frosted them before they had thawed, the icing would crack as the cake thawed. The cake expands as it thaws causing the buttercream to crack.
I know you use a little thing under the cake while you frost it—what is that called?
- It’s called a cake round. I don’t always use them unless I’m going to have to transport it in a cake box to another location. You can buy them at a kitchen supply store, or I’ve even seen some in the baking section at Walmart.
- If you’re not transporting it, I like to place the cake on my cake stand with six little strips of parchment tucked under the edges of the bottom layer on the cake stand to catch any frosting that may drip down and keep the stand clean. Remove these papers once you’re done frosting. You can use a thin spatula to keep the frosting from pulling away when you remove the papers.
How do I place the middle layer of cream cheese/frosting on so that it doesn’t ooze out from the sides when the top is put on?
- Your filling has to be thick enough so that it doesn’t ooze. Spread the frosting almost to the edge, then place the layer on the cake and very gently press on the layer to push the filling just to the edge of the cake. If any does go beyond the edges of the cake, use a dry spatula to remove the excess or push the filling where it belongs.
How do I get the top layer on top of the cake without breaking it in half?
- Freezing it helps. If you don’t have time to freeze it, you can use a spatula to lift a tender cake. Most cakes will hold up to being moved just fine.
How do I frost it so it’s smooth on the outside?
- First, do a quick, thin layer of frosting to lock in the crumbs. This crumb layer will give you a smooth clean surface to work from.
- After you frost the crumb layer, place the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes or until the frosting is set to the touch. (The frosting will look like it has a hard coating on it.) Then remove from the fridge and quickly frost.
- Start on the top and place a big blob of frosting on top, then gently push the frosting in a circle in one direction, smoothing the frosting as you go. Don’t frost back and forth. Then place more frosting on and gently push the frosting over the sides. Work with a clean spatula—every so often, use a paper towel to wipe off the spatula. I prefer to use an offset spatula and a revolving cake stand to make this process a little easier.
What tips do you have for decorating it so the decorations stick to the frosting? What can I do if the frosting starts to dry before I finish decorating?
- You have to do it while the frosting’s still wet. As you’re decorating, you can usually wipe away a little frosting to make it sticky again.
What should I do with the cake once it’s done—do I leave it on the counter, or do I try to put it back in the refrigerator?
- It depends on your filling. If you have a filling that needs to be refrigerated (cream cheese fillings, pudding fillings with eggs in the ingredients), then it needs to go back in the fridge until about 30 minutes before you serve. Otherwise it’s fine to sit out on the counter, covered with a cake dome.
Any tips for actually cutting the cake??
- Always clean your cake knife between cuts.
- Warm the knife up under warm water, dry, cut, then rinse your knife again in the warm water, dry, and cut again.
Layer cake recipes you might like:
Triple Layer Chocolate Cake with a Coconut Cream Cheese Filling, Barbara Bakes
Chocolate Oreo Construction Cake, Barbara Bakes
Chocolate Cheesecake Cake, Barbara Bakes
Raspberry White Chocolate Layer Cake, Completely Delicious
The Best White Cake Recipe, Add a Pinch
mariam
Thanx a lot for such valuable experiences. I really admire them. They would help me a lot.
Valeria
Hi I have a question. Is the cake dry after freezing It?
Barbara Schieving
Hi Valeria – no, as long as you don’t over cook it, it won’t be dry.
Bee Gianni
Love your name, love your cakes and thanks for the tips. I’m sure I’ll use them often.
Shelley
Thank you for the tips especially on the frosting part that’s where I was having the most trouble
Barbara Schieving
Thanks Shelly for taking the time to let me know the post was helpful! 🙂
Assunta
Very helpful tips but I was wondering if you could give me any tips on how to make the cakes rise level, so that they are flat and not domed? Thanks in advance.
Pam S
I use a product called Magic Cake Strips. They are strips that you soak in water and then wrap around your cake pans before baking. They work by slowing the baking process around the edges of the cake so that it bakes more evenly and rises evenly as well. Alternatively, you can always use a long serrated knife to trim off the dome, but I always hate doing that because the crumbs make frosting the cake harder. I’ve been using the cake strips for about 40 years and strongly recommend them for best results. You can find them at most stores that sell cake decorating supplies.
Irma Calderon
Do you freezze the decorated layer cake for transportation?
Do you have any tips for that?
Barbara Schieving
Hi Irma – I’ve never frozen the decorated layer cake for transportation. If I’m going to transport it, I’ll buy a bakery box so it fits perfectly and is easy to carry. How far do you have to transport it?
Sarah Anderson
The parchment paper is a really smart idea. This way your cake doesn’t get stuck to the pan on the bottom, so if it gets stuck at all, it’s only on the sides where you can cut it away without ruining it.
Barbara Schieving
Thanks Sarah – I really does make it easier 🙂
Kathleen Richardson
Going to add this post to my Pinterest Board on cakes. Good suggestions. I always make my layers a week or two ahead and freeze. Cuts down on work at the last minute. Thought I was through making cakes for the grandsons and turned it over to my daughter two years ago. Somehow I’ve ended up in charge again this year. Today was the younger’s 9th birthday and his cake was five layers of varying sizes, each cut in half horizontally for ten layers total. One thing I learned was that when putting buttercream icing and preserves (or jam/jelly) between layers, it’s best to put the buttercream on first. Seems to spread better.
Barbara Schieving
Thanks Kathleen – 10 layers, that’s impressive. Thanks for sharing your tips.
Savannah
I’m going to attempt to make my kids’ birthday cakes this year. I’m seriously having anxiety about it! I’ve never baked a cake that mattered what it looked like before! I’ve been reading TONS of baking blogs to help teach myself how to do this. In all of my reading, I have to say that I found this post to be the most helpful of all of the stuff that I’ve read! It’s complete and, most importantly, helpful!! Thank you so much for the incite!
Barbara Schieving
Thanks so much Savannah! The more you do it, the easier it gets. You got this 🙂
Trinaka
This is so great, thank you!! I’m making my daughter a birthday cake again this year and usually I make them the night before the party and I always feel a little stressed trying to get the cake and cupcakes done. I really like the idea of being able to freeze the cakes ahead of time so all of my time the night before can be put towards decorating it. This might be a silly question, but will the moistness of the cake be the same, even if I freeze it a couple weeks ahead of time? Thank you so much!! 🙂
Barbara Schieving
Thanks Trinaka – I haven’t noticed any change in the moistness of the cakes.
Letty / Letty's Kitchen
What a helpful post of important tips. You and your daughter put in a lot of effort and it shows!
Barbara Schieving
Thanks so much Letty – that’s a great compliment coming from a former pastry chef 🙂
Foodiewife
Those are all great tips, Barbara. My little tip that is a big help: I buy pre-cut round parchment liners (King Arthur Flour). It’s so worth it! I’ve love baking cakes, but I need to wait until I have company– or I’d eat the whole thing by myself!
Barbara Schieving
Thanks Debby – You’re right – I need to buy some of those pre-cut rounds.
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
Great tips mum!! 😀 I love layer cakes so much and you’ve given me a great tip about freezing them to make them easier to place and move! 😀 xxx
Nagi@RecipeTinEats
Thank you for the tips you’ve given, Barbara! Your cake looks amazing! I wish mine would look this good too!
Rocky Mountain Woman
I needed this one! My cakes never look “quite” right. Thanks, Barbara!
Blue
As I’m a bit of a senior, I knew a fair bit about cakes and cake decorating before I read this post, but delighted that I kept reading as I picked up some very helpful tips. Thanks for sharing your amazing knowledge.
Barbara Schieving
Thanks Blue – that’s so nice.
Annalise @ Completely Delicious
Great tips! I have always thought you shouldn’t frost a frozen cake because it will make the frosting weep as it thaws. But I think freezing the cakes first before wrapping must prevent that somehow. (I always wrap then freeze) Anyway, glad to have learned something! Thanks Barbara!
Melissa @ My Recent Favorite books
Thanks for the tips!
Kristin Bergthold
These are really great tips! Thank you for taking the time to put this together.
Carol
What a fantastic post, Barbara. I’ll confess, I don’t make many cakes…probably because I don’t have great success with them. I shouldn’t have a reason not to try again after this post.
Thanks so much to you and to your daughter too! 🙂