help me with cake!

[boogiemomz]

6 years ago we made a 3-layer round carrot cake for Easter and it was AH-mazing. Of course I didn't make note of what recipe I used (found it online, I think) and every year we've made a carrot cake that fails to live up to the set standard. We try to do the 3 layers, but they don't rise very much, so even as a 3 layer cake it's kind of squatty. And they're uneven, like the top ends up kind of slanted. What am I doing wrong? I really want to get this right, but I'm about to give up and do a sheet cake instead, as much as I love the presentation of the tall round cake. If it's not going to turn out any better, it's not worth the PITA to make the 3 layers, frost between them, etc. TIA for any tips!

[Pepper]

Can't help you with the recipe, but I can address the slanty top part. Look for magi-cake strips at Michaels or craft stores. You wet them and then wrap them around the cake pans. It insulates the pan and keeps the edge from baking faster than the middle ( which is why you get the cake dome effect). If you don't want to deal with the cake strips, just use a big serrated knife to level off the top of the cake before you remove it from the pan. The cake should be cool before you do that, thoug, so if you removed it to let it cool just plop it back in the pan, lay the knife flat against the top of the pan and trim off the top of the cake.

[boogiemomz]

Hmm, interesting! I've never heard of the strips, maybe I'll give that a try. As for the trimming the top with a serrated knife, part of my problem is that the cake doesn't rise very much at all so I'm already dealing with super skinny cakes, so I hesitate to trim a lot off the top. Also, there's no way I could trim them in the pans because the top of the cake is below the level of the top of the pan. It's so... flat. I just don't know what I'm doing wrong!

[babybell]

Are you doing tiers (big, medium, small) like a wedding cake, or just a 9" or 10" round cake with 3 layers? Carrot cake is heavier than regular cake, IMO, so it's harder to stack. Are you cooking the 3 cakes on the same rack, in the same way?

I agree with PP that you need to use a large serrated knife (like a bread knife) to even the top layer, but you should do it with the top of EVERY layer. If you're going to stack anything, you always want a level foundation, y'know? Check this out for cake leveling (http://www.wilton.com/cakes/making-cakes/leveling-cakes.cfm). I really like the Wilton cake leveler. Totally worth the money IMO (and it's not that expensive; under $5 at the craft store I think).

I hope I'm understanding the dilemma and this helps some!

ETA: You posted right before me! Do a search for "high rise carrot cake" or something and see what comes up!

[mariza]

I read somewhere that you can cut an old towel into strips and soak them in water then wrap around the cake pan and secure with a safety pin. Haven't tried it, but I've been meaning to.
I found this; http://judyscakes.blogspot.com/2011/01/making-cakes-rise-evenly.html?m=1

[boogiemomz]

It's not tiered, just 3 round cake pans, with the cakes stacked in layers with frosting in between. I think they don't all fit on the same rack on my oven, so I have to do 2 on one, 1 on the other. I believe I have always switched them halfway through. Thanks for the link to the towel trick! It never occurred to me that the sides cooking first could be part of the problem. Just wish I could get them to rise more!

[Twoboos]

This probably isn't the recipe (since it's 4 layers) but I saw this Tall Carrot Cake and thought of this thread!

http://www.marthastewart.com/344218/carrot-ginger-layer-cake-orange-cream-cheese-frosting?czone=food/produce-guide-cnt/year-round-produce-recipes&center=276955&gallery=274839&slide=260262

[Melaine]

I have no idea about the layers and stuff but wencit shared this with me before Thanksgiving and it was AMAZING!
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Triple-Layer-Carrot-Cake-with-Cream-Cheese-Frosting-799

[boogiemomz]

Those look awesome! Thanks ladies! :)

[Pepper]

Re: cakes that don't rise above the top of the pan. How old is your can of baking powder? Some rule of thumb I read says it's good for 6 months...I usually will go through a can in under a year, and have no problems. But if your baking powder is out-of-date it may loose it's "oomph."

[Liziz]

Can't help you with the recipe, but I can address the slanty top part. Look for magi-cake strips at Michaels or craft stores. You wet them and then wrap them around the cake pans. It insulates the pan and keeps the edge from baking faster than the middle ( which is why you get the cake dome effect). If you don't want to deal with the cake strips, just use a big serrated knife to level off the top of the cake before you remove it from the pan. The cake should be cool before you do that, thoug, so if you removed it to let it cool just plop it back in the pan, lay the knife flat against the top of the pan and trim off the top of the cake.

I have those cake strips and they actually have helped a lot. Here's the ones I have: http://www.amazon.com/Regency-RW002-Evenbake-Cake-Strips/dp/B000I1UXUI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1333593776&sr=8-2. Also, if you lower the oven temp a bit and cook the cake for longer, you usually get more even results (i.e. -- bake at 300 instead of 350). I used to do that, until I got the cake strips.

And one other thought...if you've been happy with the taste/texture of the cakes in recent years, and the problem was just the height issue...why don't you try making more cake batter? 1.5 or double the recipe, but still only use 3 pans... then each pan would have more batter = taller layers.

[elliput]

Re: cakes that don't rise above the top of the pan. How old is your can of baking powder? Some rule of thumb I read says it's good for 6 months...I usually will go through a can in under a year, and have no problems. But if your baking powder is out-of-date it may loose it's "oomph."

I was thinking the problem is most likely old baking powder also.

[boogiemomz]

Thanks so much for the input. I'm about to embark upon this year's cake, and I'm taking a lot of your advice, including brand spankin' new cans of baking powder and soda and lower heat/longer cooking time. Going to give it a go without the strips and see how I do. I also borrowed a friend's 8" baking pans instead of using my 9" ones. We'll see how it goes! Thanks again!

[Liziz]

Good luck! Let us know how it turns out!