I've made the large 3D teddy bear pan at least 1/2 dozen times, and used regular cake mix (not pound cake) w/ no problems. Well, I baked another for a friend on Saturday for her little boy's 2nd birthday...and they wanted it to look like a rain forest frog....really cute, you just make the ears of the bear the frogs eyes....anyway. I baked the cake Friday night and wrapped it tight overnight. Decorated it on Saturday morning, then showered and got ready for an out-of-town trip Saturday and was going to deliver the cake on the way (2 hours before the party). Well, when I went into the kitchen to box it up, I noticed the head was practically looking up and falling back, when I turned it around the entire back of the cake had split down the middle from the weight of the head. It was irrepairable! So, I called my friend, who was super about it and said not to worry, she would pick something up for him, but I felt so bad and immediately broke into tears. My husband tried to cheer me up, but I was soooo upset!
Has anyone tried baking this cake w/out the heating core? I know you risk the cake not being done....but am curious if anyone has tried it with any success?

there is a thread (or two) somewhere around here about using the core vs. not using the core....I'm not much help, but you might wanna look for that thread, it might offer some help

Sorry to hear about the mishap; glad to hear your friend was nice about it.

Good luck next time!

Sorry to hear about your disaster. I always bake it with the heating core, and I also fill the heating core with cake batter so I have something to put in the cake. it always held up very well, even when I made a baby 3D with that pan, the baby had a lot of curly hair, so was pretty heavy.
sorry again for that!!! I would've cried too I feel your pain!

Lorris

Lorris,
Yes, I always fill my core with batter also, but it's NEVER enough to fill the hole the core makes, so I have to bake an extra 6" cake and stuff it in there. Just have no idea what was different this time!

Thanks for the advice! I'll look for the other thread about baking core or no baking core!

Cammie
I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED!

Check these threads out here on CC pertaining to the head of the bear cake pan:

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=2106&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=0

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-32780-.html

Thanks, ambercakes....those were the threads I knew were out there! I think I just had bad luck this time!
Cammie