I'm making a 2-tiered cake for Saturday - a 12" and a 10".

Since I work full time, and cake is due saturday morning, I wanted to get a jump on a few things so I made the MMF this weekend and sealed it up really good. I have my cake boards ready and the baseboard ready as well. Tuesday, I decided to make 1 of each of the 12 and 10 and I used the 'nail' method to get rid of the dome.

After cooling, I went to flip my cakes and most of the bottom of the cake stuck to the nail - on BOTH cakes. I had greased them. 2 cakes, no good.

Wednesday, after work I went home and was determined to get all 4 of the cakes done, cooled, sealed and put in the fridge. I thought maybe the nail method did something, so this time I didn't use the nail.

When I flipped my cakes after cooling - there is a small portion of the bottom of the cake that sticks to the pan!! on EVERY cake!!!

What is the reason for this? I greased the pan, baked at 350; I think the 10" was in there for about 40 min's, and the 12" was about 30. Both we baked completely (stick came out clean)

Now I'm left with the decision of 1) make four NEW cakes (which would leave me with 10 cakes made for this ONE cake) or use what I have.

QUESTIONS:
1) The pieces that stuck are small (maybe 1.5" - 2") and in one piece. If I use them like this, will the buttercream coat be enough to "hold it together"? I don't want them to cut into it and it call apart....

2)I would like to frost it tonight, stack it and get it back in the fridge to chill/crust over night. I'm also going to make the MMF accents tonight and seal them up for the night. Friday night, I would like to decorate the cake. Knowing my luck with this cake.... do you think it will be OK in the fridge friday night WITH the fondant on it??

I'm am worried sick that I will wake up on Saturday morning to deliver this cake and I'll open the fridge to a complete disaster....

UGH!! Sorry so wordy.... but any suggestions?

I'd patch it. I would not rebake for such a small area especially if it were in the middle of the layers. Most people jack up a cake when cutting it anyway...I wouldn't worry too much about that.

Hi....

When ou grease your pans... r u using PAM for baking? or a baking spray? of not, r u using butter then flour?

1. I think those pieces are small enough and don't see why you wouldn't be able to just "gle" them with some BC... after crumb coating... it should be just fine.

2. you can tort, fill, crumb coat & fridge today... I wouldn't stack until tmo... that's just me.. as far as the fondant add-ons.... I don't see any problem in you fridging them if you are decorating the cake... it will be fine...

Good Luck !

I agree....don't make more cakes. If you are talking about the little bit of cake that comes off with the nail...that isn't a big deal. Patch it up and keep going.

1 - Those missing pieces should be fine once your fill them with BC. I am assuming they are maybe 1/2 inch deep, but 1 to 2 inches wide correct? If you keep having problems with pieces sticking you may want to leave the cakes in a couple minutes longer as it sounds like you are doing everything else correctly

2 - Are you covering the cake with mmf or just mmf accents? Either way I won't put it back in the fridge once you have your mmf on as there is more risk with putting it back in than any benefit (if there is any benefit at all). Unless of course has a perishable filling.

if the pieces that stuck are small were you able to lift them out with a spatular and put back in place? i would attempt that first. If they are in a place that will have cake above it then it should be ok. just ice over them, do put a little dab under them to keep them in place though. Use what you have dont rebake.

Tonight get the layers put together with filling, on their boards and wrap with plastic wrap and refridgerate over night, gives them time to settle. then tomorrow do all your decorating, but i would not put it back in the fridge becuase of the condensation when you take it out. if the accents are coloured they may run., the fondant could sweat and become a sticky mess.

Yeah, I'd scrape off the stuck part and jam it back onto the cake.

But first, you should consider lining your pans with either parchment (way too expensive for me) or waxed paper, which I use. Cakes arent' even able to stick to the pan.

And how about trying pan grease? Equal parts of flour, oil and veg shortening, whipped together until it's white and fluffy.

Use the home made no stick stuff. Mix 1 cup flour 1 cup shortening and 1 cup oil mix in mixer for a few minutes till smooth. Apply liberally and no problems again. I swear by it. I also bake at 325

This is why I don't use anything to "prevent the hump". I use homemade cake release and parchment paper (as well as letting the cake cool almost all the way in the pan).
If your recipe is well balanced and you didn't beat too much air into the batter, no hump.
There are half pans available for larger cakes, I use them for my 12 inch and up.
The pieces you describe are pretty small. Use some BC that matches the cake (don't need much) and go from there.
Not clear why you need to refrigerate the finished cake. Is the filling perishable? If not, box it up and place in a cool dark place to protect the colors from fading and any dust from sticking. It will be fine.

Thanks for the advice.

It is buttercream filling, buttercream iced with MMF accents. The buttercream is not made with butter or milk - so I guess I could just cover it and let it sit over night. I figure I won't be done with the detail till about midnight friday, and it's to be delivered @ noon - so I won't be sitting too long.

As for the grease on the pan, I use a spray - which I've used before and never had any problems with. I like the wax paper Idea - I may try that next time.

And the pieces are not HUGE or anything - and I'm sure they look bigger to me than they actually are - I'm the one freaking out about it... . LOL

I think I'll frost, stack and cool tonight, make the decoration up, decorate tomorrow night and be done with it.

Thanks, Everyone - I LOVE CAKE CENTRAL!!!!!!

Even if you had used milk it would still be safe to leave out - American Buttercream is safe to leave out for several days as long as its at a normal room temprature.

I also use the nail. I spray the nail with Bakers Joy and have NEVER had a problem.

chocolate, strawberry, and cherry used to stick until I started using parchment

I agree with earlier posts. I always, always, always use waxed paper to line my pans. On my flower nail I grease and flour and never have a problem with it taking cake with it.

I wouldn't rebake just neatly patch and keep going.

Good luck,

cakeymom

I also use wax paper (just place your cake pan on a piece, trace with a pencil & cut out) circles for any super sticky recipe, works like a dream

use parchment circles (not waxed) to line your tins then the cakes will come out great every time!

Heck! Some on here have stated they use printer paper even!

Does the wax paper not 'melt' and leave anything on the cake? I always figured it's catch fire or something! LOL

I'm having a hard enough time with these cakes - don't need the house to burn down working on it!!

Thats why I'd recommend parchment. I also use pam in addition to parchment to make sure it doesnt stick. Some places sell them ready cut, which is awesome and saves a ton of time!!

Use the home made no stick stuff. Mix 1 cup flour 1 cup shortening and 1 cup oil mix in mixer for a few minutes till smooth. Apply liberally and no problems again. I swear by it. I also bake at 325

I also use the homemade cake release and haven't had a problem, but wax paper does work well also.

People have been using waxed paper to line cake pans since the beginning of time. It will not burn or catch fire and it is completely food safe. You will not be able to detect a trace of melted wax on your cake.

I grease my pan, place the flower nail in (when I'm using one) and then place my waxed paper over the nail, so the nail pokes through the paper. The flat base of the nail is under the waxed paper, not touching the cake...so it cant stick. And when you flip your cake out, there's the flat base of the nail right on top of the waxed paper, just waiting for you to slip it right out. Then you can peel off the paper.

I can remember as a kid my mom would line the pans using a paper bag....I have used them in a pinch but I use waxed paper...parchment works well too but it doesn't always stick to the bottom of the cake, where the waxed paper will stick until you peal it off...it tends to hold the cake together when you need to handle it, expecially with larger cakes. BUT - remember to remove it before icing..... been there, done that.....! Oh I do spray with Pam and then put down the waxed paper...

Waxed paper works! When we were kids, our Mom let us grease the pans using those waxed paper sandwich bags as mittens on our hands. We'd break off a chunk of margarine (and it was ALWAYS margarine), and smear it all over the pan. Clean hands! Then she'd put a sheet of waxed paper into the pan, run a sharp knife along the inside bottom edge of the pan, and cut the waxed paper to fit. That was back in the 1950's-60's. I still use her method. No fires, no wax, and we're still here to tell about it. Just make sure the waxed paper doesn't hang out of the pan. It will smoke if it is directly exposed to the heat of the oven.

Yes--oleo. I remember it being called that, too.

Waxed instead of parchment? I'll have to try it. Sent the hubby to the store for cling wrap and he came back w/waxed paper. Why? Because both boxes were yellow!