# Building a layer cake? How to? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 29, 2006, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-layer-cake-how-to/350376 "2006-03-29T06:08:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stainz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Stainz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stainz)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-layer-cake-how-to/350376/1 "2006-03-29T06:08:27Z")
Okay, sometimes I am really dumb when it comes to obvious, logical tasks. I made a layer cake today for the first time for hubby’s b/day. Two layers. Simple, right? 2 round cake layers. But each layer is round on top. So how are you supposed to stack them? Are you supposed to slice off the rounded part to make them flat? I did it wrong … I admit it. But I still don’t know how to do it right the next time. Help a stupid person please! ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-layer-cake-how-to/350376/2 "2006-03-29T06:11:40Z")
Yes, you cut the domed parts off. Then you turn them over, so the cut part is down (it’s too hard to frost the cut side, and the side that was in the pan is a nicer shape.) ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-layer-cake-how-to/350376/3 "2006-03-29T06:12:05Z")
You don’t have to, but it makes the cake “pretty”. If you slice the round tops off, it is important to first frost with a thin layer of frosting to stick the crumbs down, then do the “real” frosting. Me, I don’t bother, rounded tops are fine. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-layer-cake-how-to/350376/4 "2006-03-29T08:21:15Z")
You can also just put them upside down without cutting. Use a little extra frosting in the middle to make the top sit even. The bottom layer will sit well of you put it on a plate with flared sides rather than a platter. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-layer-cake-how-to/350376/5 "2006-03-29T08:23:19Z")
Depends on how domed they came out 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-layer-cake-how-to/350376/6 "2006-03-29T08:52:38Z")
Slice just a bit off the top of one layer and put it on your platter so the sliced side is down and the flat side is up. Slather some frosting on the flat side and then put the flat side of the 2nd layer on top of it. The top of your cake will still be domed, but hey, it’s cake, who cares. I’m hungry. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-layer-cake-how-to/350376/7 "2006-03-29T15:12:01Z")
Helpful hint on removing the “dome” while it’s still in the pan: Take a length of thread or dental floss and slide it across the top of the plan, slicing off the part of the cake that sticks up over the lip. Then eat that cut off part while you’re icing the cake. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-layer-cake-how-to/350376/8 "2006-03-29T15:14:33Z")
> [@Max Carnage](#): > > Helpful hint on removing the “dome” while it’s still in the pan: > Take a length of thread or dental floss and slide it across the top of the plan, slicing off the part of the cake that sticks up over the lip. They make a tool that does this after it’s out of the pan too. > [@Max Carnage](#): > > Then eat that cut off part while you’re icing the cake. This is the most important part of the whole process! ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-layer-cake-how-to/350376/9 "2006-03-29T15:16:12Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > They make a tool that does this after it’s out of the pan too. Here it is: [Buy a Domain Name - World's Best Domains For Sale](http://www.totalhomestore.com/home/product/412) ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-layer-cake-how-to/350376/10 "2006-03-29T17:44:20Z")
A tip I read in a magazine: Score the side of the cake with a knife before you slice the layers. When you put it back together you can line the score lines up and it won’t be lopsided if the layers aren’t perfectly even. ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-layer-cake-how-to/350376/11 "2006-03-29T21:40:46Z")
I do two things to make ‘flatter’ cakes for stacking and layer cakes. One is to spin the pan before baking. The spin forces the cake batter to the outside of the pan and results in a more even cake I also have an insulated strip (I don’t know what it’s called but you can get one at craft stores that sell baking stuff and also in Walmart’s baking section) that is soaked in water and pinned to the outside edges of the pan. This keeps the edges a tiny bit cool so they don’t overcook and shrink. ---
**Author:** ![Subterraneanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Subterraneanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subterraneanus)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-layer-cake-how-to/350376/12 "2006-03-29T23:49:28Z")
I initially misread the title of this thread as, _Building a lawyer cake? How to?_ Talk about your tort(e) law … ---
**Author:** ![Stainz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Stainz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stainz)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2006, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-layer-cake-how-to/350376/13 "2006-03-30T00:39:38Z")
Thanks all … ! It is ugly but it tastes good. I will remember these tips for next time!