DIY Bake Even Strips



This article is part of a series, 10 steps to succeed in Baking.

Let’s talk Science ! How does a cake bake? Once the pan containing cake batter enters a pre-heated oven, the cake bakes from the outside- in. The batter in contact with the hot metal pan- the sides, bake faster than the batter in the center of the pan. This sometimes results in a cake with a dome /mound in the center, cracks, side crusts and so on….

Why is “doming” a problem for cake designers? When decorating and stacking a cake , the layers need to be level so it looks presentable and most importantly not slide off. A cake with a dome creates an uneven stacking surface which needs to be fixed by serrating and discarding that extra crown. This is when “Bake even strips” come into play !

What are Bake even strips & How do they work ? For those of you unfamiliar with “bake even strips”, these are fabric strips with little side belts for size adjustment. When these damp strips are wrapped around a baking pan, it provides insulation (the sides don’t get as hot, causing the center and sides to bake at the same rate). This in return helps with even baking, preventing any domes, cracks or crusty edges from being formed. A cake that bakes evenly eliminates that hassle of leveling and the best part-NO WASTE OF BATTER !

I came across commercial bake even strips- Wilton, at a local craft store and decided to give it a try. It works fine for my 2-inch pans. Here is how you use them…

Wrap the bake even strip around the cake pan adjusting the strap to fit the pan. Remove the strip and run under cold water or submerge in cold tap water for about 2 minutes. Lightly squeeze to remove extra water while keeping it damp Wrap the strip around the pan and tighten so it is snug. Pour in batter and bake at required time and temperature.

There are many brands out there, so If you want to invest in these strips I suggest looking up product reviews before picking one.

DIY Bake Even Strips

I found that the Wilton strips don’t necessarily help with the bigger 3-4 inch height cake pans (at least in my case). So I decided to make my own strips using a towel (material that absorbs and retains water well). These strips work great and serve the purpose !

You will be needing….

Cake pans Measuring ruler Office Pins/safety pins Towel Scissors

METHOD

Measure the height and circumference of the pan. Cut out towel strips that slightly overlap around the pan (circumference +1 inch). Soak the towel strips in water for two minutes. Lightly squeeze out excess water leaving the towel damp. Wrap this tightly around your pan and secure with pins. Pour in your batter and bake your cakes at the suggested temperature and time. Out from the oven comes your evenly baked delicious cake!

Tips

Make sure the height of the strip matches with the height of cake pan. Giving it a hem will secure any loose strands.

The towel strips need to be “damp” and snug. Secure with two pins if needed.

Go ahead , try and let me know how it worked for you. Your feedback is valued as it will help me tailor future tutorials keeping your needs and interests in mind …..and please remember to share !

This article is part of a series, 10 steps to succeed in Baking.

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