How long does it bake.. and what is the best temperature.. i've never baked a cake this size before!
depends if it's 2" or 3"deep or well. check out this chart on the wilton site, it's very helpful:
http://www.wilton.com/cake/cakeprep/baking/times/index.cfm
depends if it's 2" or 3"deep or well. check out this chart on the wilton site, it's very helpful:
http://www.wilton.com/cake/cakeprep/baking/times/index.cfm
i bake ALL of my cakes at 325* and my 12" sq 2" deep pan takes right at about an hour. i suggest the lower temp b/c it will help prevent the edges getting too done or burnt with the center not being done enough.
thanks so much for your help.. the 12 inch cakes (2 of them) turned out great!
I just baked 2-12in rounds yesterday and I didn't need a heating core. I would say anything bigger, maybe. I baked them at 325 for about an hour.
i am gonna bake two 11" cakes this weekend (1st time baking a big cake). i understand from the wilton site that for cakes over 10" you have to use a heating core when baking.
can someone pls explain this to me. have not done this before.
thank you.
you can also use a flower nail or two. put them inverted (the flat side down on the pan) in the middle, pour your batter in, and bake. what it does is conduct the heat towards the middle of the pan and keeps the middle baking at the same rate as the edges, reducing dome and browning edges.
the flower nails are nice because they only leave a tiny hole that's barely noticeable.
Did I understand correctly...you can use strips of towel that has been soaked for baking strips? Do they work well?
I think basically it's whatever works for you and your oven. I bake at about 300, but I'm using electric convection. I have never in all my years used a heat core nor a flower nail to bake.
I agree. My oven works best at 325 and a 12" probably takes about an hour. I used a heat core once and threw it out, and then I swore by the flower nails forever and then a few months ago didn't use them a couple of times (basically out of shear laziness!) and could tell no difference! So, no more flower nails for me!
I just finished baking and it didn't turn out well. Pls see picture below. I baked on a 13x10 pan for 45mins at 180C (350F). I placed a flower nail. Used 10cups of batter. The cake sank after i took it out of the oven. Please tell me what went wrong in my method. I have an order for a birthday cake in 2weeks time. Thanks.
I'm with leahs. Don't make it harder than it is. Batter in the pan, pan in the oven. I don't even use a timer. I KNOW when a cake is done.
Directions for any recipe, to me, are merely suggestions. Do what works for you. I have a low tolerance level for anything that starts out with "you HAVE to use ......" because 9 times out of 10, that's NOT how I do, thus it negates the "HAVE to" statement.
Wilton is in the business of selling cake equipment, so of COURSE they will tell you that you HAVE to use a heating core. That's how they suck you into spending more money with them.
I've never used a heating core or flower nails. Baking strips only.
In my convection oven, I found that a pan of water in the bottom, and baking at 275 works best for me.
hi leahs, thanks for the feedback. the cake is actually already out of the pan. the sides did pull away and i tested with tooth pick to see if it was cooked. i left it in the pan for about 15mins before i took it out of the pan and transferred it on to the cake board. the cake looked looked when i first took it out of the oven but after about 15mins it sank.
ok, will try again with temp 325.
I usually use a baking core, today I used a flower nail for the first time. Worked like a charm. I will never use the core again...EVER!
12" x 3" pan
Flower nail
Heat oven to 350
After I put cake in oven reduced heat to 325
baked about 50-55 minutes
Best cake I ever baked.
I agree about keeping it simple, I wish simple worked for me 
Is the flower nail, nail side up or nail side down. If it is nail side down, how to keep it from falling over in the batter. (I have tried the core and hate it.)
Is the flower nail, nail side up or nail side down. If it is nail side down, how to keep it from falling over in the batter. (I have tried the core and hate it.)
Hi there,
keep the pointy end up, just set it in the middle of the cake. WORKED so nice. I wish I would have got rid of that core months ago.
Good luck!
hi leahs, thanks for the feedback. the cake is actually already out of the pan. the sides did pull away and i tested with tooth pick to see if it was cooked. i left it in the pan for about 15mins before i took it out of the pan and transferred it on to the cake board. the cake looked looked when i first took it out of the oven but after about 15mins it sank.
ok, will try again with temp 325.
I agree with Leahs, I have a recipe that will test done but if I dont give it 2 minutes past that point it will sink. Just know from making it so often. Sinking can also be a sign of underbeating, bad or too little baking powder, or too low oven temp but if it was beautiful until you took it out it sounds like that toothpick lied 
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