When I do a sheet or squar pan, sometimes on my rounds too, after I pull out of oven, pull out of pan, and I am getting ready to trim the top; my edges around the cake are so hard and crips, they usually break, and then my cake is lopsided; its like I have to trim about an inch AROUND the cake, along with off the top; does that make sense? I hope so. Anyone know what is causing this, and how I can stop it from doing it again? Thanks!

What are you using to coat your pans? I used to have that problem when I used the spray coatings like PAM. since switching to the (1/3 oil, 1/3 flour and 1/3 crisco mix) I have not had that problem.

Yes, I do use PAM; sometimes I use the Crisco pan spray, but its all the same.

Can you explain the 1/3-1/3-1/3 method? I have used crisco and flour before; I have also used crisco and sugar, and I have heard that you can crisco the pan, and use part of the dry cake mix to dust the bottom of the pan, but I have never heard of mixing crisco, flour, and oil. TIA.

Have you tried using cake strips. they prevent the edges from baking too quickly. You might try lowering your oven to 325 also, so the cake bakes slower (and takes a bit longer). Use a toothpick to check for doneness.

Your cake is overbaked.

I use a variety of methods of greasing my pans - spray Pam, Crisco spray for baking, shortening & flour, buttered parchment - but if I overbake the cake, the edges are hard like you describe.

I would get an inexpensive oven thermometer from Wal-Mart and check to see if your oven (like mine) runs hot. My oven actually runs 47 degrees hotter, so adjusting for that has made a huge difference in the quality of my baked goods.

I normally bake my cakes at 325; and check them after 25 minutes or so frequently for doneness. My second usually cooks faster than my first. the insides are not hard; if I took them out any sooner, they wouldn't be done.

But do you know the actual temperature of your oven, as measured by a thermometer, not by the dial or readout on your oven?

Opening your oven door frequently also works against your cakes. It takes time for your oven to recover its temperature when you open the door. Meanwhile, the cake around the edges of the pan continues to bake as the heating element or gas turns back on to compensate for the heat loss from opening the oven.

I have not thought about checking the temperature on the inside of my oven; I am used to a gas stove, and this one is electric; so that could be playing a big factor, as well. Does anyone know the 1/3-1/3-1/3 crisco, flour, and oil mixture Quadcrew was talking about? THanks

Ding ding ding! I bet your oven just runs hot. It's a very common problem.

Mix equal parts of Crisco, AP flour, and vegetable oil together. Store at room temperature. Use to grease your cake pans. I prefer just shooting spray Pam into my pans, but many people swear by that recipe.

THanks so much; looks like I will be running to Wally World this weekend!

Sorry I have been gone all day today!

I mix a batch of the 3 ingredients (1/3 of each - flour, crisco, and vegetable oil) Depending on how much of the stuff you want to have on hand. I mix up 1/2 cup of each so - it makes a total of 1 and 1/2 cups of the mix. Then I generously grease the pan with it - the flour is already in there so you don't have to "flour" the pan too. I don't get the hard edges anymore like I did when I used the spray stuff.

Good luck!

What do you use to apply to the pan?

Another good tip is when your cake comes out of the oven, place pan on cooling rack & immediately place a large terry towel all over the top. Press all over to make the cake even. Contine pressing & checking til its level.

kimanalynn - I just use my clean fingers, some people use a pastry brush. I also bake at 325 - and rarely have the "dome". I take the cakes out of the oven when just a few crumbs are sticking to the toothpick when tested. If there is a dome - I do as above, just press with a cutting board to make it level (or trim with a sharp serrated knife) No hard edges, and if there is a dome, it is a small one! Hope this helps.

I baked a large cake this weeked and really Criscoed and floured it, even more than usual. Boy, I had some of the weirdest edges on two sides I ever seen. And rock hard doesn't even describe it. I use the bake strips and have always had real good results. Next time, I think I'll try the 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 idea along with the strips. Thanks for the tip!

I always grease sides with with Crisco & then put waxed paper or parchment paper on the bottom. (rounds & squares only). The only time I have ever had a problem is if I would over bake. But other than that they turn out great!

I use that silicone coated parchment baking paper on the bottoms. Nothing sticks to it.