Have you ever wondered how bakeries get those perfect cake layers? It’s actually easier than you may think! Simple tricks like preparing your pans properly, adjusting your oven temperature and using fresh ingredients can result in cake layers that are fluffy, moist and oh so delicious! Whether you’re new to baking or you’re just looking to fine-tune your skills, these tips and tricks for baking a perfect cake will help you get great results every time. 

Cakes Stuck to the Pan

There’s nothing worse than taking your cake out of the oven only to realise it has stuck to the pan! If your cake is sticking, that probably means your pan wasn’t prepared with nonstick spray or parchment paper before baking.

How to Prevent Your Cake from Sticking to the Pan

  • Bake Easy! Nonstick Spray - is great for spraying on your nonstick pans before baking. It’s colourless and tasteless, so it won’t affect the outcome of your cake. You can also use it on muffin pans and cookie sheets.
  • Parchment Paper – For easy release, use a circle of parchment paper to prevent the batter from sticking to the pan. Simply spray your pan with Bake Easy or any nonstick baking spray, then place a circle of parchment paper on the bottom of your pan. Pour in your batter and you’re good to go. You don’t need to spray the parchment paper, just peel it off your cake after you remove it from the pan.

Cracked Tops, High Domes and Sunken Centres

Other common cake issues include cracking, high domes or sunken centres that don’t rise. These issues are often the result of your oven not being at the right temperature. To ensure your cakes bake evenly, make sure your oven is set to the right temperature and there’s plenty of air flow around your pan.

Cakes with Cracked Tops

Cracking often occurs when your oven is too hot. Make sure you’re following the oven temperature on your recipe and don’t put your cake in the oven until it’s fully preheated. If you’re not sure your oven is registering the correct temperature, use an oven thermometer to check for accuracy.

Cracking can also occur if you overfill your pan, as your cake may have to spend a longer time in the oven. For an easy guide on how much batter to use in your pan, check out our Cake Baking Guide .

Cakes with High Domes

A high dome on your cake may be a sign that heat is not being evenly distributed. To make sure all sides of your pan are getting equal amounts of heat, try Bake Even Strips which distribute heat evenly, preventing high domes and over baking.

Keep in mind that when you use Bake Even Strips, it may take longer for your cake to bake, as the heat is being distributed evenly throughout the pan; however, this results in overall better texture to your cake – well worth the wait!

Cakes with Sunken Centres

A sunken centre is a tell-tale sign of under-baking. If your cake sinks in the middle, the centre of your cake may not be cooked all the way through. 

To test if your cake is done, stick a toothpick in the centre of your cake. If it comes out clean (no wet batter on the toothpick), your cake is done baking. If there’s still batter on the toothpick, let it bake a little longer.