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Cake Baking - Flower Nail Method Tutorial

rezzygirl
By: rezzygirl
Posted 09/20/09 • Last updated 09/20/09 • 9069 views • 175 comments

Posted by rezzygirl


step_3a_982
 Just a quick demo to show what the flower nail method looks like. This method is an alternative to using "bake even strips" for a cake that requires less to no leveling after baking. Hope this is helpful.
step1
 1. Spray flower nail with non-stick spray
step2
 2. Place nail in the center of pan, touching the  bottom. Bake as usual
step3
 3.  Remove from oven. Cover top with cake board or sheet pan and flip entire cake pan over
step_4_393
 4. after flipping over the cake pan, nail pops out making it easy to remove.

Comments (175)

Anonymous 9/21/09 at 10:17am
So you put the nail in AFTER the batter? I always put in then pour the batter around it. Am I doing it wrong?
Jackie 9/21/09 at 10:18am
It does not make a difference if you pour the batter around it, or add the nail after you have poured the batter into the pan
Anonymous 9/21/09 at 10:39am
holy smokes! That's such an awesome idea!
Anonymous 9/21/09 at 4:57pm
worked like a charm!! thank you
Anonymous 9/21/09 at 6:27pm
I can't wait to test this theory. Thanks a bunch!
Anonymous 9/21/09 at 7:20pm
Does this method work for larger cakes such as 14" or more? Can it replace a heating core?
Anonymous 9/22/09 at 7:16am
if I am making anything bigger than a 12" I use at least 2...sometimes I go up to 3. I don't have a heating core so the flower nails are easy for me.
Anonymous 9/22/09 at 9:37am
gonna try this right now...:p
Anonymous 9/22/09 at 11:14am
Yeah! This is the method I always preach since I learnt about it on CC and I'm so glad its now in a tutorial.I use 3-4 flower nails in my 14''-16'' cakes and they come out just fine,well baked and not much of a dome .
Anonymous 9/22/09 at 11:41am
YOU ARE AWESOME!!!! Thank you I will try it too.
Anonymous 9/22/09 at 7:28pm
Thanks for the tutorial, I have been trying the heating cores and do not like the big hole in the middle. Thanks!
Anonymous 9/23/09 at 5:39am
I am baking a 10" round in 4" pan and it is not getting done in the middle. It is a pound cake type recipe and it cooked for about 2 hours last night at 325 and did not get done with a heating core. Does anyone know if this method work better? Or any other advice? (The forums are blocked here so I can't look up anything)
Anonymous 9/23/09 at 9:56am
I am making a 16" cake next week. Does anyone know if I can use the bake even strips AND 3 flower nails together?
Anonymous 9/23/09 at 5:31pm
I always use the bake even strips with the flower nail method. Depending on how large the cake dictates how many flower nails I use. I baked a large 11 x 17 carrot sheet cake on the weekend and used 3 flower nails & bake even strips. Worked like a charm!
Anonymous 9/24/09 at 12:18am
Does this work with Pirex pans?
Anonymous 9/24/09 at 6:17am
can I do the same for a rich fruit cake?
Anonymous 9/24/09 at 6:32am
I've started lining the bottoms of my pans with parchment paper, and I'm concerned that it would rip the paper off and wreck the bottom if I also used a flower nail. Has anyone tried using both?
Anonymous 9/25/09 at 6:22am
I like this idea better than the heating core. Especially with sheet cakes.
Anonymous 9/25/09 at 12:41pm
I have always use a heating core and strips, but it wasn't always successful in using the heating core on larger cakes. I thought I would give it a try today on my cakes. Throw away the heating core, the nails were just thing! Thanks for posting the how-to! (Unfortunately for my family there will be less cake scraps tonight, LOL!)
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