I'm doing a big wedding cake, larger than I have done before. I tried torting the giant 16" layer with a serrated knife, because my cake leveler isn't big enough. Of course, I screwed it up and it is uneven! What should I do? Is there a way to fix it, or do I have to bake another 16"?
If I get the bigger cake leveler and torte it again, will it fall apart when they're serving/slicing it?
Any quick help would be sooooooo appreciated!

Anyone have any ideas? I'm getting frantic. Can I use some sort of sugar syrup and "glue" it back together? Someone out there has got to have made the same experience...? Please!?

Just go ahead and put your filling in as usual, then make sure you line up the two sections so they come out even.

yes just make sure to line it up the way you took it off...i do that by making a frosting mark at the front of the cake......and then line those up when i go to put the cake back together!!!! you are fine...don't worry!!!!!!

Fill it then put the top back on exactly like you took it off so it is level. So sorry you are having this problem! I have butterflies just reading your post!

Thanks for that good idea becky23! My are crooked all the time!..lol

Do as everyone said, no one will know but you. Once you frost it you will not even notice it, been there done that. It will be just fine.

Another idea ... "for next time" ... cut your cake in half and then torte it! (Ha, that sounds redundant ... cut it up and down ... then side to side

Thank you for your advice and help! Unfortunately, when I mess something up, I am very throuough. Somehow the "unevenness" (is that even a word?) went all the way through to the bottom...I kinda cut it like a cone. Don't ask me how! Anyhoo...being the perfectionist that I am, I am going to rebake the 16 and learn from this mistake. I just sent my sweet hubby out to get more ingredients and the gigantic cake leveler!!! I'll be up late tonight, but at least I can be confident that it will look good and be as stable as possible. Thanks again!!!

Well, at least you will get to eat some of your cake, other than the cake tops! When you're done with the wedding cake, if you have the energy, play with the leftover one & use up your leftover icing, try something new that you haven't done before. You deserve a nice piece for yourself after all of that hard work!

Perfect time to make cake balls.

I don't torte alot, but do have the largest leveler. Go slow with it. I find if I saw too fast, it sometimes has a slight slant. I level from each side to the middle. That is my most even cut.

Good luck......16" inchers take a while to bake.

Advice for next time...

Put you layer on a flat surface. Use a ruler to see how tall your layer is and divide that in half. Keeping your ruler flat on it's end on the plate and perpendicular to your cake, place FLAT toothpicks just under your halfway point. Do this all the way around the cake every 1/2 inch or so.

If you have a turntable or lazy susan place the marked cake on it and using your serrated knife score just above the tooth picks all the way around the cake (by turning the table). Keep the tooth picks in the cake at this point. Lay your knife flat against some of the picks and slice 1/4 of the way into the cake. Do this all the way around. By this time there shouldn't be much middle space left. Carefully hold your knife flat, slide it through the slit and finish the middle cut.

This sounds way more complicated than it is. Once you've done it a couple of times you're able to move through the steps fairly quickly. It really works best on round cakes and square cakes, but can be done on rectangles.

Don't feel bad, I cracked one of my 12 inch layers for the cake I have this weekend. I froze it and hopefully if I torte and fill it while is frozen it won't be a problem. I'll wish you luck if you wish me luck!

Good luck!!!
I don't know. After all of this I'm feeling a little caked-out. Didn't think it was possible! Kind of like when you spend all Thanksgiving making the huge turkey dinner. When it comes time to eat, I'm so grossed out by the food from smelling it and cooking all day, I end up not having much.

Oh I feel the same way! That means that I don't eat much cake. I know it's almost a sin to say that! I taste it the first couple of times I make a new recipe and after that, I don't even really touch it.

You'll all be pleased to know that I have re-baked the 16 to golden perfection, torted it with my beautiful new gigantic cake leveler, and now have 4 perfect layers of 16" round cake to work with. And I feel a million times better!! I am a lucky gal to have a hubby willing to run all over town at the last minute for me...(but it is for his buddy's wedding)
Thanks so much for the support, you guys are always the greatest! I'll post pictures when I'm done.

Ta-Da! Despite my worst fears, I didn't drop it or anything!! Thank you so much for all of your last-minute help!!

......

That looks WONDERFUL! I love the cake topper....did you make it?

Thank you! No, I didn't make the topper, the bride ordered it. I think it was the perfect touch. I've never done a cake without bold color, so I was a little unsure, but I'm very pleased with how it turned out.

It's beautiful!! I love the swirly layer the most (I have a swirly addiction).

It's beautiful!! I love the swirly layer the most (I have a swirly addiction).

That's a gorgeous wedding cake!! I'm glad everything worked out for you!

You did a fantastic job! You should be very proud.

Simply Elegant--love the cake topper!
what kind of leveler did you get for the 16in cake?

I used the huge wilton one. It does up to an 18" cake...but beware, it goes through a finger just as easily as a cake! Ouch!!

SueHwa,

I love you. You might've saved my life. I really couldn't afford to buy the big a*** leveler, and I was soo worried about leveling a wedding cake this Saturday.

Thanks so much!

Amber

P.S. Original poster, your cake is BREATHTAKING.