I saw a guy on Food Network who put pennies wrapped up in Alum foil in his baking core (I always just put some batter in it to weigh it down)

has anyone ever tried this?

I saw that also. I tried it and it worked great! the pennies are a heat conductor so it helps it bake better.

Wouldn't that leave a big hole in the middle of your cake? I thought you put batter in the core so that you had a plug for the cake where the core had been.
Tabby

There was a topic not too long ago, and someone said they used uniced cupcakes to fill the hole. Don't remember who, but it sounds like a fabulous idea!

Dumb me...I never used to put batter in the center of the core. Just never occurred to me. I must have missed that part in the directions. I usually just left the core in there when I decorated it ! Of course, that wouldn't work for a cake that was going to a stranger. I never did one for a stranger, so the issue never came up.

The cupcake idea is great. That would definately work. The frosting would too, but then you'd have a blob of frosting right in the middle. Of course I wouldn't mind .
Tabby

If you have to make cupcakes to fill the hole why not just fill you core doesn't make sense to me just spray the core with pam and put some batter in it.

I use this method when I make large cakes. Because there are usually cakes stacked on the top so know one knows there is a whole in the center except for the person cutting the cake. On that episode I don't think they filled the center either it was just left open.?

Yes, they just left a big hole in the middle and let frosting fall into it. I was thinking it would be great for large tiered cakes, nobody is going to really see the hole...

I also do like plugging the hole up. I will have to give this try, just wondering if it made a big difference or not!

I personally use the flower nail technique.
Grease up a metal flower nail, stick it upside down in the pan (flat side down), pour in your batter. Bake cake as normal.
When flipping the cake onto the cooling rack, be very careful. If you do it right it will pop your pan up slightly and you will be able to pull the pan off and pull out the nail, and you will then be left with a very tiny hole. This hole will look more like an air bubble then anything else.

I have never had success with the flower nail for some reason. Not for very large sheet cakes and such. I guess my nails are too cheap hahaha!

Where do you guys buy your heating cores?