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This is the cake (I attached the picture) I made and it was my first time making a 4 layer cake. My cakes were domed so I took a knife and tried to even the tops, do cake levers work a lot better? Any tips would be great.
I'm not an expert but I think you cut too much away and that you've got heavy ingredients that are contributing to the lopsidedness. Also, you need a good long straight blade if you're using a knife - some people use the floss/wire thingy which is great as long as the cake is tender. Did it taste good? That's more important to me and my fork!
You need a leveler. You also need to make an icing dam around each layer. Use a large round tip and pipe a ring of icing about 1/2 inch from the edge of the layer, then put the filling inside. If you're using something really slippery or gooey, some people will crumble cake crumbs into icing (from those pieces you chop off when you level it) and roll it into a tube that they use for an icing dam, but for simple fruit and buttercream filling you shouldn't need that.
Another thing that helps is to put a few skewers into the cake from the top down to hold the layers in place, and chill the cake. Take the skewers out before serving.
They are a god send and my cakes never come out lop sided when I use it.
Also, make sure your cakes are cooled completely. Warm cake will melt the frosting and cause the layers to slide, making the cake difficult to keep in place as a tiered cake.
You need a leveler. You also need to make an icing dam around each layer. Use a large round tip and pipe a ring of icing about 1/2 inch from the edge of the layer, then put the filling inside. If you're using something really slippery or gooey, some people will crumble cake crumbs into icing (from those pieces you chop off when you level it) and roll it into a tube that they use for an icing dam, but for simple fruit and buttercream filling you shouldn't need that.
Another thing that helps is to put a few skewers into the cake from the top down to hold the layers in place, and chill the cake. Take the skewers out before serving.
I was going to suggest dowels until I saw the photo up close. If you are going to use a weighty, bulky filling like fruits, you need a cake that will stand up to it. The cake layers look so soft, almost like a sponge cake. I agree with the poster who suggested the dam around the rim of the cake when using a fruit filling. It is possible to use a softer cake when you use a shoring method, but still go easy on the fruit.
It looks delicious, and the proof is in the pudding - would have loved a piece either way! Happy baking
It looks delicious. Is this two layers which you sliced into 4?
You want the mounds on the bottom and the top. In other words, all the layers that meet are flat surfaces. This way, it is more stable and fits together evenly.
It also looks like your pan could be an inch smaller, so your layers would be a bit higher. Make sure you cake is cold before you add frosting
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