which is better? a whole cake with syup flavor or layers of cake? in classes they show you how to make cakes, just one cake maybe cut in half for a filling, but then you watch the cake shows, they make these small thin cakes, then layer them to make big width cakes, why? which is better? Does it matter? i have even seen on the cake shows they bake sheet cakes then with a huge circular cutter cut out the cakes, isn't this wasting cake? or is this the correct way to do it?
hperez
I normally use a two layer cake which is 2 in each layer. I will bake them in the appropriate size (8in, 10in, 12, 9inx13in) pans then put a layer of icing in between. Some cakes do call for several thin layers like a 7 layer cake. Depending on what the customer or test taster wants. Those cake shows have time and money to waste, or there not sure what size they are using until they get ready to use it. You will need to experiment to which one you like best.
Goodluck.
Mrcake01
I personally prefer to layer cakes, but that's just it, it's your (or your customers) preference. Sometimes I half my cakes, but if it's nice and deep then I'll put another layer in. With a chocolate cake I like to put a dark chocolate and a white chocolate buttercream in for a really chocolate cake!! Layering also allows you to play around with different flavours of cake and filling which is why I prefer it.
Can't understand why they would make a circular cake from a sheet cake...what a waste. Mind you, I do love cake trimmings!!
I think some of the reason behind the sheet cake with cutters vs. a tiny pan is saving TIME... It saves SO MUCH time to just grease ONE big pan then cut out the shapes you need as opposed to greasing a million little pans and then getting all those little cakes out... If you're making a couple hundred little cakes for a wedding, I could see where the loss of a bit of cake would be offset by the HOURS of saved time (i.e. MONEY). If you're just doing one six inch cake for the top of a tiered cake, the time savings would be minimal at best, so you'd be better off just using a six inch pan.
As far as the thin layers vs cakes cut in half, I have no idea... It saves me time to just cut a cake in half, but maybe someone else has a better idea.
The circles are cake rings. And having a nesting stack of cake rings and a nesting stack of sheet pans saves on space for some. Also they don't have to play with their recipies for doing differnt sizes since they always bake in a sheet pan-it just makes it easier for baking on a large scale. I think the rings are less expensive then having tons of different sized pans.
The layers are called torting. The standard is two 2" layers with a filling. Some torte those layers and have four thinner layers and then 3 layers of filling. Sometimes more filling is good. It depends on the cake, the filings and the customer.
There really is no "wronge way" to do cake. 
One more reason for the sheet pan and cutters is that you have no baked edge-only inside soft beautifull cake.
I don't like a ton of filling...so sometimes I torte for like a really rich chocolate but mostly I just use two layers and one filling, because I don't like all that sweet stuff...I like mostly cake.
Its personal preference. But also the tortes look nice cut and plated.
An additional time saver for just cutting the cakes out of a sheet is time of baking. It is a much shorter time in the oven for a 1" sheet than a 2" or 3" layer. Usually there is less leveling and no time wasted in torting, if that is your plan. Less time = more money.
An additional time saver for just cutting the cakes out of a sheet is time of baking. It is a much shorter time in the oven for a 1" sheet than a 2" or 3" layer. Usually there is less leveling and no time wasted in torting, if that is your plan. Less time = more money.
Of course then you have wasted cake too....
Even though you are wasting cake you still save $$$ by saving time. A 12x18 sheet pan will bake in about roughly 20 mins. A 12x18 2" will take over an hour, and IMO a lesser product. With two thinner layers the baking is more consistant. I don't have to use nails, strips to an evenly baked product. Torting a 12x18x2" is a major pain. I also miss that joy by doing it in thinner 1" layers.
Mike
An additional time saver for just cutting the cakes out of a sheet is time of baking. It is a much shorter time in the oven for a 1" sheet than a 2" or 3" layer. Usually there is less leveling and no time wasted in torting, if that is your plan. Less time = more money.
Of course then you have wasted cake too....
....and a frugal baker would take that waste and make trifles, petit fours, samples....
I have noticed when I torte my cakes I have more of a chance of cake bulge on the sides. Maybe I don't cut them straight or just having more fillings between so many layers is why. I try to be careful with the icing dam and not adding too much filling, and letting them settle overnight, but it still happens. I was wondering anyone else noticed this.
An additional time saver for just cutting the cakes out of a sheet is time of baking. It is a much shorter time in the oven for a 1" sheet than a 2" or 3" layer. Usually there is less leveling and no time wasted in torting, if that is your plan. Less time = more money.
Of course then you have wasted cake too....
....and a frugal baker would take that waste and make trifles, petit fours, samples....
And a baker on a diet covers her eyes and throws it all in the trash real quick, or shoves it into her hubby's and kids' mouths. haha.
I have noticed when I torte my cakes I have more of a chance of cake bulge on the sides. Maybe I don't cut them straight or just having more fillings between so many layers is why. I try to be careful with the icing dam and not adding too much filling, and letting them settle overnight, but it still happens. I was wondering anyone else noticed this.
Me Too I have the same problem
cathyscakes - I weight my layers down for several hours with a tile or pyrex dish once I fill them - then if anything is going to bulge, it will squish out before you even crumb coat.
I have noticed when I torte my cakes I have more of a chance of cake bulge on the sides. Maybe I don't cut them straight or just having more fillings between so many layers is why. I try to be careful with the icing dam and not adding too much filling, and letting them settle overnight, but it still happens. I was wondering anyone else noticed this.
i always torte my cakes so i end up with four layers of cake and three layers of filling. i never get bulges even though i am pretty generous with the fillings (i LIKE fillings, lol...a lot).
i do a more basic version of what TNT does. with the addition of each layer of cake, i gently press down on the top layer several times and then smooth whatever comes out as part of the side crumbcoat. i keep doing that with each new layer of cake, finesse whatever needs to be done on the crumbcoat, and then into the fridge for at least a couple hours. not very high tech, but it does the job and i never get bulges no matter what filling i using.
i also use a really wide tube for my dams.
An additional time saver for just cutting the cakes out of a sheet is time of baking. It is a much shorter time in the oven for a 1" sheet than a 2" or 3" layer. Usually there is less leveling and no time wasted in torting, if that is your plan. Less time = more money.
Of course then you have wasted cake too....
....and a frugal baker would take that waste and make trifles, petit fours, samples....
And a baker on a diet covers her eyes and throws it all in the trash real quick, or shoves it into her hubby's and kids' mouths. haha.
thanks everyone, I will definitely try your ideas. I have never thought to weigh down the layers to make them settle. Thought letting them sit overnight would do the trick. Sometimes I'm in a hurry, so your ideas would work great.
I got the idea of weighting down the layers from a post by Leah. She used a clean floor tile that fit her cake - so it doesn't take anything really heavy.
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