Baking large cakes

by Sissy
(LaVernia, Texas USA)

I would like to know how to bake a large cake either round or rectangular to where the center gets done without the outer edges get dry and hard. What is the trick? Also is there a trick on how to make the cake rise more evenly instead of the center rising alot and the side don't?

With a large cake, you can do a few things to make sure the center is cooked. One option is to use a cake core. This is a round, metal tool that is placed in the center of the cake. It will help the center of the cake to cook more evenly. It will create a hole in the cake, but you can easily place this round piece of cake back in the tier. Another option is to use a large cake decorating tip. Just grease it and put it in the center of your cake. The idea is that the metal will conduct heat so the center cooks more evenly.