For my orders, I use a sour cream pound cake and a chocolate pound cake recipe, and the cakes always form a hard crust on top after baking that I usually wind up picking off. Does anyone know what causes this? The cake will be very moist underneath, but I was just wondering if there was something that could prevent the hard crust.

Thanks!

It may be that the exterior is over baked. you can try an inverted flower nail as a heating core. It will help bake the cake in the center faster, before the outside has a chance to dry out.

Another option is to cover the top of the cake before it is completely cooled.

I always trim the tops to even the layers, anyway. Very level layers makes a guaranteed level cake.

As the exterior of the cake bakes quicker than the inside, I suggest you turn your oven temperture down for the last 10 or so mins to prevent that. Or try wrapping your cake pan with a wet cloth while baking (baking stripps), this may help. Or but a pan of hot water at the bottom shelf of the oven and bake the cake on the top shelf. A few ideas to ponder on.

Thanks for the tips you suggested! I will try the suggestions you recommended and let you know how it turns out.