Tried the much recommended flower nail miracle make you cake stay flat and not dome trick
Baked 3 pans of standard how water choc cake
2 with flower nails and one without
325f
Didn't make much difference, if anything the highest domed was one of the pans with the nail in it.
typical of my luck in life
What size were those cakes? they look around 8"
I only find it really helps if it's 10" or larger
I use the nail method on larger cakes and has always worked well. Sorry u had bad luck with it.
I agree with mommynana, the flower nail just helps the cake bake evenly so that the center is done when the outside is done. It doesn't prevent doming or sinking or what ever. I have the best luck when I use the nail AND the bake even strips.
I have been tempted to buy the bake even strips but couldn't bring myself to spend the money. I actually took an old towel, cut it into strips, and then soaked in cold water. Then I wrapped them around the cake pan. The cake came out almost perfectly flat on top. I've tried this with both a 1/4 sheet and a half sheet cake. I also found I was still getting a dome with the flower nail.
I only use a flower nail on cakes that are 12" and larger. As the cake bakes, the flower nail gets hot therefore cooking the center of the cake at the same time as the outer edge. You do not get a dome because it all cooks at the same time. The pans in the picture do look to be about 8", so in my opinion, the nail was not necessary. HTH!
I have been tempted to buy the bake even strips but couldn't bring myself to spend the money. I actually took an old towel, cut it into strips, and then soaked in cold water. Then I wrapped them around the cake pan. The cake came out almost perfectly flat on top. I've tried this with both a 1/4 sheet and a half sheet cake. I also found I was still getting a dome with the flower nail.
This is the best advice. I recently tried this. I cut up a towel into just under 3" high strips (I have 3" pans) and wrapped them round the pan. I secured it with a safety pin (bobby pin in US perhaps??). I was amazed with the results. Takes a little bit longer to cook but it is soooo flat when it comes out. Also, the sides look visibly less "burnt" (when the sides have a dark crust).
well all I can say is that there are many people who claim that flower nails make a cake stay flat and not dome
both on the forums here as well as elsewhere
so all I was doing was trying to follow recommendations hope for the best.
L
Everyone is correct, the flower nail is to help cook the cake evenly. Bake even strips are designed to help with the dome issue. I use the strips but I've found the best thing for producing a level cake is to use a cake leveler. Just cut the dome off
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