The Proper Way To Position Multiple Cakes In The Oven When Baking A Layer Cake

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There are a lot of steps that go into baking a layer cake. From measuring all the ingredients properly and evenly mixing the batter (without over mixing), to nailing the perfect frosting, there are all sorts of opportunities for things to go sideways. Perhaps the most important phase of all, however, is what happens when you're not touching the cake at all: the actual baking in the oven. Temperature control and where you place the cake pans are crucial for achieving even layers. Even the fanciest ovens can have hot and cold spots, and the proximity to other pans can also have an effect on your cake layers. The best way to avoid lumps, bumps, and lopsided layers is to stagger the pans throughout the oven.

Staggering doesn't mean simply placing the pans in the oven at random. The key to proper placement is to make sure that hot air can circulate all around each layer, including the top and bottom. This way, each cake component has the best chance to rise and set in the perfect conditions. Stagger the pans so that there are at least a few inches between each pan on the rack, and also make sure that they aren't positioned directly above or below each other between the racks.

With some even spacing between each cake pan, your layers have the best chance of coming out even. However, don't just park the pans in the oven and walk away. Some ovens can get too hot on the top or bottom racks, which can burn the cakes, while other areas can be up to 50 degrees Fahrenheit cooler, which can affect the rise. Instead of setting one timer when the cakes go in the oven, set two: one for the full bake time recommended by the recipe, and the other for half. When the first alarm goes off, rotate the pans in the oven, back-to-front and top-to-bottom. And don't forget to re-stagger everything and turn each pan 180 degrees while you're at it. This will give each layer even heat coverage.

If you find that your cake layers are still coming out uneven despite staggering and rotating, and you're assembling all the ingredients properly, chances are your oven is too hot or cold overall. Use an oven thermometer like the Large Dial Kitchen Cooking Oven Thermometer from Taylor to see if your unit's internal thermometer is off, and adjust the setting up or down to make up the difference. The problem might also be a broken heating element. Once you get the heat figured out, and your stagger/rotate game is on point, you won't have to worry about the cakes in the oven.