Follow This Simple Trick For Even Cake Layers
Those who have baked several layers for a cake only to have the middle balloon up, know the struggle of trying to get even layers. While you can use a knife to simply trim the crowned top off the cake, new bakers will likely find it difficult to cut a straight edge (via I Scream For Buttercream). Without a keen eye and some practice, kitchen knives — especially ones not wide enough to cross the diameter of the cake — can allow the hand to slip causing sloped edges or even an indention in the middle.
One option to fix cake layers that have already baked, is to pick up a cake leveling tool. These cooking tools look like bows and act like miniature hand-held saws. There's a blade on one side, so you can wiggle it through the cake to cut the crown off. Since the handle connects to both sides of the blade, it is harder to mess up the cake, though still possible to cut from low to high or vice versa across the whole cake layer.
These tricks will help your cake before it bakes
Fortunately, there's an easier trick that can preemptively get rid of any crowing in the middle of the cake. That way, you won't have to trim the cake layers and risk cutting too much or the wrong way. The best way to get even layers is to control where the batter rests in the pan before going into the oven. One reader told Taste of Home, "Spread the batter higher around the outside of the pan. The center usually rises more." That way, once the cake layers are baked, the middle should have risen to meet the higher edges along the rim of the cake. However, Taste of Home also suggests using cake strips that stick to the perimeter of the cake pans' exterior to keep the cake from rising.
Another method of this according to I Scream For Buttercream, is to wrap and attach damp kitchen towels around the outside of the cake pans. There are also heating cores that can be baked in the center of the cake to encourage even baking. So, try simply adding more batter to the edges than the center of your next cake's layers. You might find it does just the trick. But if not, there are plenty of other options to explore.