I am doing a wedding and started the cakes this morning. I had a 12" X 18" in white I needed to bake. I used the heating core. I have used it once before with no problems, but today, it looks like a bomb got dropped on the cake. The middle rose really high around the core, and the edges were a lot lower. Also, I used the bake rite strips on this pan. It loked like the broken middles were slighly burned. I had my oven at 350 degress. Was it too hot?

What happened? I am afraid to use the core again. I guess I will just use a flower nail.

Thanks for your input and suggestions.

Pat

I don't use the heating core. I tried the rose nail once, but didn't like it. Yes, the oven is too hot. Here is what I do: I now bake all my cakes at 315 degrees. But you must decided which temp you want for YOUR oven, as they are all different. I don't use the heat strips either. When the cake is done, I take it out & I immediately place a double folded towel on top of the whole cake. I keep pressing down all over & checking to see if it is leveled. This works well. Try it.

That size of pan should bake at 325 degrees. Don't know about the heating core--I don't use it. Without it, my cake bakes for about 90 minutes and corners don't get hard or burnt.

I have used the heating core and the bake even strips without any problems. Your temp is too high for that size pan. Deffinately bake at 325. Also, I think you filled your pan too full. It should be between 1/2 - 3/4 full. The fuller you fill a pan, the more it will rise in the middle and not the sides. I think you filled your pans so full that your cake over took your heating core.

That is proably what happened. From the looks of the pic. I have never used my heating core either and after all the problems I am seeing here I doubt I ever will now. Hope you get it fixed.