Barbie Doll Cake recipe? (substitute, stainless steel, buy, bake)

[Kayekaye]

Anyone ever make a Barbie Doll cake? I have years ago. I made it in a big stainless steel bowl that I still have and cut a hole for the doll to go into. I think I used 3 cake box mixes. Now all the recipes I read say that the center of the cake won't get done if you do that. I don't recall any problem before. One pan that is as big is sold with a metal rod to put down the middle to get it to bake in the center without burning the outer of the cake. I wonder what I could use for that center rod?

[charlygal]

That metal rod is called a heating core. You can buy them or use a substitute. See posts #5 & #6: Substitute For A Heating Core

[Hedgehog_Mom]

I have the Wilton pan that's made for the doll and it has a metal core that goes down the middle. It uses one cake mix and then you have to bake a layer for underneath if you're using a Barbie doll instead of the doll pick that comes with the pan, to make it tall enough.

I use flower nails for heating cores on regular layer cakes, but I don't know how effective that would be on a cake that big.