How to Bake Flat Cake Layers
No more trimming and leveling, and no special tools needed! Come learn how to easily bake flat, even cake layers every time.
Leveling cakes is super frustrating, right? First off, it’s hard to get it perfectly even without a specific cake leveler tool, and secondly, you waste cake. I like snacking on trimmings as much as the next gal, but I like fuller, taller cakes more. So come learn my little secret trick to getting flat cake layers right out of the pan!
Table of Contents
- No special equipment needed!
- How to bake flat, even cake layers
- FAQs
- A few favorite cake recipes
- More cake tips
No special equipment needed!
A lot of baking advice says to use cake strips to achieve flat cakes with no domes, but I’ve actually never used them. If you like them, then go ahead and use them! I hear they can work quite well
But, let me show you how you can get the same results without needing to use a separate tool. (Does anyone else despise single-use kitchen gadgets?)
How to bake flat, even cake layers
Here they are in just 3 simple steps, we’ll dive more into each in just a moment.
- Divide cake batter evenly between your cake pans.
- Reduce the baking temperature.
- Bake in the middle rack only.
Divide batter evenly between cake pans
Flat, even cake layers begin with equal amounts of batter in each cake pan. The best way to do that is with a digital scale. Simply place the cake pans on the scale one at a time and pour equal amounts into each.
If you don’t have a kitchen scale, you can also find the total volume of the batter and divide it equally between the pans. However, this method can be less accurate (and dirties more dishes).
Reduce the baking temperature
Baking at a lower temperature slows the spring in the leavening, which prevents a dome from forming on your cake. Most cakes bake at 350°F. Reducing the temperature to 325°F is all you need to do to get a flat-topped cake.
Since you’ve lowered the oven temperature, your cake will now take a little longer to bake. Reducing oven temp by 25 degrees will require you to increase baking time by approximately 1/2. Here’s an example: Bake at 350°F for 30 min → Bake at 325°F for 30 min + 15 min = 45 minutes total.
I usually take a quick peek once I’ve reached the original baking time and then every 5 minutes after that just to be sure I don’t over bake it, but the adjustment above is usually pretty accurate.
Once the center of the cake(s) is set and don’t jiggle when pans are lightly shaken, test for doneness by gently tapping the center. If it bounces back, it’s done. You can also insert a toothpick into the center, and if it comes out with just a few moist crumbs, your cake is done. Note: Always remember that cakes are delicate, so minimize how often you open the oven door.
Bake in the middle rack only
For best results, cakes should always be baked in a single layer on an oven rack placed in the middle of the oven. Trying to bake cakes on multiple racks at the same time usually results in lopsided cakes, and cakes that have browned too much either on the tops or the bottoms.
If I’m baking more than 2 cake layers, I will bake the first 2 together on the same rack in the middle of the oven, and then any subsequent layers after those are out of the oven.
FAQs
A kitchen scale makes things easy, but it’s not necessary. Simply measure the total volume of your batter and divide it by the number of cake pans you’re using/cake layers you’re baking.
Reducing the temperature to 325°F really slows down the baking process. The patience is worth it in the end! And once you’ve baked cakes this way a few times, it becomes much more natural, and you’ll be able to tell easily when the cakes are done.
Leave the oven door closed and check through the window to see that the cake appears set and is not longer moist on top. Then, quickly and carefully open the oven door and press gently with your finger. If it bounces back, then your cake is done! However, if you try to test a cake too soon, pressing the tops may cause it to collapse. If the cake appears to not actually be set once you open the oven door, quickly close it again and try again in a few minutes.
Yes, you can still bake cakes at 350°F or per your recipe’s instructions. The cakes will be evenly thick, but may have a domed top. Once cool, use a serrated knife to carefully cut the dome off.
A few favorite cake recipes
Now that you know how to bake flat cake layers, making a layer cake is easy! Here are a few of my favorites:
I am so happy I stumbled across this on Pinterest! My favorite chocolate cake recipe – Hershey’s Especially Dark – not only domes terribly, but always domes lopsided despite my best efforts to rotate the pans. I just tried your trick, although I only decreased the temp to 335 because I was afraid that with three pans in the oven 325 would be too low. It did dome, but only a teensy bit, and not lopsided! Thank you for solving the mystery for me!!
If you weigh your bowl, then tare your scale, It should read zero. lift the bowl and you should have your tare weight (ie a 5 lb bowl scale should read <5lb. The weight of your batter will then be easy to divide into the # of cake pans you are using
I am still very confused about the formula for arriving at the total weight for each pan. When you say to divide the weight of the batter by the # of pans. How does the size of the pans figure in? For instance if you have 2 pans but one is an 8″ pan and one is a 10″ pan, then the weights would be different, right? I really would like to figure this out since my pans seem to always be to full and make a mess in the oven, but I am trying to get them to rise to the top so I can cut them off level!
Hi Joretta! The formula only works for pans are the same size. For an 8″ and 10″ pan, you’ll need to figure out the volume ratio of the pans and apply that to the batter. It’s a bit of math, good luck! 🙂
Does anyone know the exact recipe fr this cake?and does it work ?
I believe the layers pictured here were actually for this bunny cake. If you’re looking for a basic vanilla cake recipe, this one is my favorite.
What about using a convection oven? From what I understand, if I use the convection baking option it automatically reduces the temperature, but I still cook for the same amount of time. Do you know if that’s accurate?
Hi Jennifer! I’m afraid I don’t have any experience with convection ovens so I can’t offer any advice. Hopefully another reader can chime in!
Thanks for the tip! I´ll try it on Wednesday for my mothers birthday! Hope it´ll work! 🙂
Isabell
I’ve been baking for 56 years and never had a cake dome in the center. My grandmother taught me how to bake when I was 9 and her “trick” for baking a flat layer cake. Eyeball the batter trying to put the same amount of batter in each pan. The trick…take the cake pan and hold it on the sides, give a good tap/bang on the counter and bake according to your recipe. Works every time. No need for special gadgets.
April 3rd is my birthday
I tried every part of this trick, but my cakes still turned out without a flat top.
Hi Stephanie, sorry it’s not working for you. Have you tried testing the temperature of your oven? Maybe it’s off. You can try reducing the temp another 15-25 degrees and see if that does the trick (just remember that will extend the baking time further). Also, sometimes mine still come out with a little bit of a dome, but it usually flattens itself out in the fridge overnight before I decorate it. Hope this helps!
Thank you! You are so nice to share.
I just run a spatula around the mixing bowl/measuring cup and then divide by how many cake pans then pour that many ounces from bowl. (running spatula around after each pour)
Hello! Thanks for sharing this very helpful tip in baking cakes. I was wonder inc if you can give me the recipe for this wonderful cake you post here…it looks delish!
Hi Delisse! I believe the layers shown in this post were destined for this Bunny Surprise Cake.
Does this work with box cake mix, or just cakes from scratch?
While I haven’t tried it with a boxed cake mix, the principle is still the same and I believe it will work.
I lower 180degrees celcius to about 150degrees to get my cakes flat
iPhone has a conversion app! Saves the trouble! (not sure about androids though)