Tired of your cakes having a dome in the middle? Want to save time and limit your cake waste by not having to trim your tops? Check out these 8 tips and tricks I use to consistently get even cake layers.

1) Consistency is key! Set yourself up for success and get pans that are made from the same material. Baking some sponges in glass and others in metal, or even baking some cakes in aluminum pans versus stainless steel pans will make a difference. By using pans of the same material, you ensure all sponges bake the same.

2) Prep your pans! I use parchment rounds and a cake release spray so my cakes remove from the pans. Getting a flat, even top means nothing if your cakes stick and won't come out lol. This also avoids your cake sagging due to a missing chunk.

3)Weigh your batter! This is an important step if you own a kitchen scale. Weighing your batter means you know exactly how much batter should go in each pan. To weigh my batter, I weighed my bowl with nothing in it, then the bowl and batter together, then subtracted to find the difference. My chocolate cake batter weighs 75 ounces meaning I can divide this evenly between my tins.

4) Put the same amount of batter in each tin! Even if you don't have a scale, it is imperative that you put the same amount of batter in each tin, as the layers will not be the same height if there is a different amount of batter in each. I use a cookie scoop and count the number of scoops per tin, but you can use whatever you have on hand; I recommend a mug or a measuring cup. Just make sure you scoop the same amount of batter each time. For me, each 8 inch pan needs 9 scoops of batter. For the shorter tin, to make sure I don't overfill it, I measure out 8 scoops then divide the remining batter accordingly between the 2 tins.

5)Lower the oven temperature! Cakes rise in the middle because the outside edges cook faster than the inside, so the middle continues to rise as the outside sets. Avoid this by baking at a lower temperature like 335 or 340 degrees. This ensures that the cake cooks more evenly. This is similar to what cake strips do, cooling the outside so it all bakes and sets at the same time. I personally prefer not to use cake strips because it takes my cakes WAY longer to bake and I lose the caramelized edge, producing more crumbs.

6) Don't open the oven! I know, I know, it is SOO tempting to open the oven door and check on your cakes. DON'T DO IT! Opening the oven door will let the heat escape, causing the cakes to collapse. Keep the oven door closed for AT LEAST 85 percent of the bake time. This way the cake structure is set when you open the door, and you can start watching it for signs it's ready like the cake pulling gently away from the sides and springing back when lightly touched.

7) Don't over cool your cakes! It is so tempting to cool your cakes in the pans until you need them. But, I find it important to remove the cakes from the pans once they are cool enough to handle safely (about 10 minutes). Being able to remove the parchment means the cakes will shrink evenly. Not removing the parchment will cause the bottom of your cake to remain larger than the top, creating a trapezoid shape.

8) Cool your cakes upside down! Last but not least, cool your cakes upside down in the fridge or freezer. The weight of the sponge will remove any slight doming, giving you the perfect, flat topped cake sponge of your dreams. Do be aware that the upside down cake will stick to cardboard rounds. To remove them, defrost the cake completely. Trying to remove the cake from the board too early will cause the middle to tear out (don't ask me how I know).
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Baking with sustainable ingredients is near and dear to my heart. I'm not perfect but slowly I am taking steps in the right direction to share this message and end farmer exploitation. If you too want to join the fight, below are some links to get you started.

Eco Labels
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What I use in this video:
Baking Chocolate (ganache):
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Cocoa powder:
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General products:
Eating chocolate: [ Ссылка ]
Coffee: [ Ссылка ]
Vanilla: [ Ссылка ]
Sugar: [ Ссылка ]

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