The answer to a perfectly flat cake is simple: cake strips. I’m not talking naked cakes, or anything to do with pole dancing, instead of a simple invention based on insulation.
Cake strips are strips of cotton fabric that are wet before being placed around the edges of your cake tin before it goes in the oven. The extra padding and cool water help to insulate the cake from the first blast of hot air in the oven. This would typically set the edges before it gets a chance to rise like the middle does create a dome shape.
Bake this cake
Chocolate cake
This extra time to cook slowly means the cake will rise in unison from the edges to the middle, meaning you no longer have to slice off those domed tops for layer cakes (sadly no baker’s snack) or deal with dry, hard edges.
Make a set of cake strips
All you need are a couple pieces of cotton fabric Source: Camellia Aebischer
You can make a set of your own cake strips very easily, just make sure what you’re using is 100 per cent cotton, not polyester or another fabric blend as this might melt in the oven. Old cotton clothing or tea towels can be cut up if you don’t have spare fabric lying around.
Just measure the height and circumference of your cake tin and cut a strip of fabric 4 x the height and 1 x 5 times the circumference in length.
Fold the fabric over three times to create four layers, and optionally stitch the raw seam down to keep it in place (make sure it’s cotton thread too, not polyester). Tie the strip around your cake tin and secure it with a knot, you can trim the ends of the strip if they are too long.
When baking, just before you pour your batter into the tin, wet the strip and wring it out slightly so it’s not dripping. Then just tie it around the cake tin and continue on.
Make sure you put them on before filling the tins or you'll be fiddling around. I don't even untie them now, just slip on and off. Source: Camellia Aebischer
Personally, I haven’t had to adjust the cooking time of any recipes but you may need to add on an extra few minutes to the recipe time for the centre to cook through.
PS: You can also purchase cake strips online or in specialty stores and they are reasonably inexpensive considering they get repeated use, but if you already have scrap cotton sitting around it's probably easier to just make some. Plus it'll give that old stained tea towel a great second life.
When you serve the cake flip them over so the smooth bottom is ontop for easy icing. Source: Camellia Aebischer
