I use a lot of 10 inch and smaller cakes and flip them out of the pans easily and stack them easily. This is not the case with my larger cakes (12 inch and larger). They break in half when I try to stack them, UGH!

I use cookie sheets and cardboard sheets and all kinds of things to try and slide or flip them. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't.

I realize it is probably obvious, but how to you guys transfer these larger layers from the counter onto another layer (to create a tier)?

I'm afraid to torte these because I don't know how to transfer them correctly. Please help!

I use the thin, flexible cutting boards. I have about 20 of them. They are just sturdy enough to support the cake without being too awkward to handle.

When I have large layers, I put them in the freezer for 15-20 minutes until they are very firm (but not totally frozen). Then they're really easy to work with and I don't have problems with them cracking or breaking when I move them around.

You should also let your cakes rest overnight before you try to torte or stack them. Resting makes them alot easier to handle and less chance of cracking. I turn my cakes out on cooling racks and let them rest. I torte on the second day and move the torted layers with the same cooling rack or a cake board. I don't usually have to support untorted layers once they have rested.

I have 2 of the Wilton cake lifters and they work great for large sizes, haven't lost a layer yet

I use cake boards slightly larger than the cake. Then you can flip without a problem.

Not sure if you are already doing this when flipping, but say you have the cake on a cooling grid and want it flipped onto a cardboard. Place the cardboard on top of the cake and turn the stack of grid/cake/cardboard all sandwiched together and held as one unit. This way the cake is supported all the way through the flip and no way to break.

I use the two wilton cake lifters too. they work wonderfully.

I also allow my tiers to chill overnight, making them a little sturdier as well.

You may be doing this already but I didn't catch this but are you stacking layers without trimming the layer so you have a flat surface? if the dome (top) is not carved or trimmed off the domed top will cause the next layer to crack thats placed on it.(use a nice long serated knife or cake trimmer that you would use for torting). Sometimes even the corners that slightly dip down can cause this. Sorry if this was notwhat you were referring to. I'm always learning when i read these replies. I love all the questions.

btw,have you guys noticed on Cake Boss how the handle the cakes!!! I'm in awe that the cakes don't all crack. They just flip them so easily.they look so flexible(they bend)and lie flat ,no cracks.
I've heard them refer to sponge cake.is that more versitile and less apt to crack?

I also use Wilton cake lifters, they work really well. When doing a sheet cake, I flip the cake out onto a cutting board (used only for cakes) and then use the cake lifter to transfer.

Alos, if you spread your fingers out and try to evenly distribute the weight, it helps to keep from cracking.

Thanks for all the suggestions! It never occurred to me to let them cool overnight or even to freeze them.
One more question: After the cake is baked the top is domed. If I flip it onto a cooling rack the dome will cause it to break. Do you cut the dome off before you flip it out of the pan and let it cool upside down, or do you flip it back right side up onto another cooling rack?
This seems to be my biggest breaking point yet!

Yes, I cut the dome off, or I quickly flip it again so it's right-side-up on the other cooling rack.
Also, if you use a flower nail sticking up in the middle of your pan (spray/grease it well!) it helps the center cook more evenly, and dome less.
(Two of the MANY things I've learned on this awesome site!!!

You may also want to try the baking strips...they work wonderfully for me...no dome at all, and makes things much easier!

My problem is if you are flipping a sheet cake with a nail in it.. you cannot use a board to flip it on to.  Someone said to use parchment paper under when baking for easy lifting.. how does that work?  Thanks!

I also flip a cake onto a cooling rack, remove the pan, and then immediately flip it onto another cooling rack right side up to cool.  Learned the hard way that cooling them dome down can cause larger layers to crack in half.

For the poster referring to sponge cakes-they are more forgiving. I use these for Yule logs for that very reason. 

I use Ateco heat core nails routinely for larger cakes. I also always line the bottom of the pan with parchment.  Always.  All sizes.   When using the heat core nails, I grease the sides of the pan, and stand the nails up in the bottom of the pain (I never bother to grease the nails).   Then  lay the parchment in the bottom of the pan so that the nails poke through the paper and the bottoms of the nails are between  the pan and the parchment, and not between the parchment and the cake if that makes sense.  Cakes never stick, and nails are so easy to remove.  To take cake out of the pan,  l use a cardboard circle covered with saran so I can reuse the cardboard and flip it over.  the nails will just pop up from the now upside (formerly the bottom) and be sticking out a little.  Pull them out, peel of the parchment, place another circle on top and flip back over.  If you are worried about the nails, use a cooling rack over the cake to flip it over and the heating core nalis will poke out between the mesh.  then flip back onto a cardboard base.  I used to do that because of the nails but then found it not to be necessary.  I have a couple of big pizza spatulas, and smaller round cake spatulas as mentioned above which are extremely handy for moving around and stacking those bigger cakes.  HTH.  

Yortma, that's brilliant, and I'm definitely trying this the next time I bake a huge cake! Thank you!