If you’ve ever wondered how to bake flat cake layers for a bakery-style layered cake, I have the solution! Cake strips help prevent cakes with overly brown edges and domed middles. They simply insulate the edges of the metal cake pan so the exterior and interior of the cake bake at the same speed.
Flat cake layers are a must for stacking, as domed cakes are less stable when layered or can lead to a lopsided layer cake. While you can simply trim off the dome with a serrated knife, why waste any cake?! Baking strips will ensure your cakes have a lovely flat top every time. Plus there are so many other advantages to using them. I will break down all of that below, so you know when and how to use them! For more tricks to baking the perfect cake, learn how to soften butter quickly, turn hard brown sugar into soft brown sugar, and make a quick cake flour substitute if you run out!
Why Do Cakes Dome?
Cakes dome because the outer edges bake and set faster than the middle, which causes the middle to rise higher than the edges of the cake. I work hard to develop cake recipes that will rise as evenly as possible on their own, but this can naturally happen when an oven cycles in temperature during baking or bakes at a higher temperature. Luckily, there’s an easy solution to this!
The Simple Trick To Baking Flat Cake Layers
The easiest way to ensure your layers bake up perfectly flat every time is to use baking strips! While a domed middle may not be a big deal for a single-layer cake, flat layers are absolutely essential for properly assembling and decorating a cake with multiple layers. Flat layers affect both the appearance and stability of a multi-layer cake.
Below, you can see a cake layer baked with baking strips baked up taller with an even thickness and flat top. The layer baked without baking strips domed and didn’t rise quite as much.
What Are Baking Strips?
Baking strips are simply fabric strips soaked in water. These strips help even out the baking pace by insulating and cooling the sides of the pan so that the cake rises more evenly, instead of the center rising higher than the outside edges. You can also make your own DIY baking strips (I show you how below!).
In the image below, you can see a distinct difference in how the oven heat affects cake layers. Baking my Naked Cake layers without baking strips produced a cake with dark, crusty edges and a lip around the top. They also did not rise as much and the center domed. This can actually work to your advantage with certain cakes like a Victoria sponge, where classically, you want a domed cake with golden edges. But for my Naked Cake, I want even layers for stacking, and a lighter, softer edge on the cakes for a tender and fluffy slice, so I use baking strips.
How to Bake With Fabric Baking Strips
1. Place the fabric baking strips in a large bowl and cover with cold water.
2. Let the strips soak for 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Squeeze each strip to remove the excess water.
4. Wrap the soaked cake strip around the outside of the cake pans and adjust to tighten them around the pans before filling the pans with batter.
How To Make Your Own Cake Strips
1. Tear off a length of paper towels that’s enough to wrap the outer circumference of the cake pan. Fold the paper towels lengthwise until you have a 2-inch-wide strip. Cut a piece of aluminum foil to be roughly 6 inches longer than the paper towel strips. (For 8-inch cake pans, the foil will be about 30 inches long.) Cut the foil in half lengthwise to create two long pieces. (You only need one strip for each cake pan so reserve the second piece.)
2. Moisten the paper towel strips with water, then gently squeeze out most of the excess water.
3. Lay the wet paper towel strip in the center of the foil, and fold the foil over it from both sides to seal the paper towel inside. You should have a long 2-inch-wide strip of foil with the damp paper towels running through the center.
4. Wrap the foil baking strip around the cake pan, keeping it flat up against the sides. Fold the ends over themselves to close together so the strip is secured.
Use Baking Strips For Any Kind Of Cake
This technique is great for any kind of layer cake recipe (unless specified!). It’s most important for tall layer cakes like my red velvet cake, 6-layer rainbow cake, and German chocolate cake. Even two layer cakes like my vanilla cake, white cake, lemon cake, and strawberry cake benefit.
Baking strips also make a big difference in stir-together or runnier batters like chocolate cake and carrot cake! Runnier batters tend to develop a crispy edge more so than thicker, beaten cake batter and the strips guard against that.
What If My Cake Layers Dome?
A simple fix is to just carefully trim off the dome with a serrated knife so the top becomes flat. You can snack on the trimmed bit or discard it.
Where Can I Buy Baking Strips?
Baking strips are easy to find online, at baking supply stores, or at craft supply stores that have a baking section. I use Wilton’s Bake Even Strip Set.
If you’ve tried this post on how to bake flat cake layers, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Ellen says
With the DIY cake strips, how many times can they be used back to back? Do I need to re-wet the paper towel, or just pull the baked cake out, reset the pan with flour and butter, pour in the new batter, and bake?
John K. says
Hi Ellen,
You can definitely reuse the DIY cake strips! You MUST re-wet the paper towel!! What cake are you making??
Happy baking!
John
Kristine says
it’s the vanilla cake. I’m trying to figure out how much batter would i need for an 8×3 and a 10×3 round pan with your recipe.
Kristine says
Hello John! Great video! How many cups or grams of batter does this recipe yield? Thanks
John K. says
Hello Kristine,
What cake are you trying to make?
Best,
John
May says
This looks amazing! I’m a newbie to baking and I’m going to try to make my son’s first birthday smash cake using your recipe. Question – any thoughts on aluminum vs stainless steel vs non-stick cake pans? It looks like you may be using Aluminum?
Thanks!
May
teresa says
Hello John
Great video! I will like to ask you what kind of cake do you recomend for very large cakes and less weight. Is it sponge cake? I will use fondant tom cover them. Its for 80 people
John K. says
Hi Teresa,
Sponge cake is a good idea. I would also recommend a sheet cake!
Best,
John
Amy Wong says
Can I use the cake strips for all types of cakes? Even baked cheesecake?
John K. says
Hi Amy,
I use cake strips for all my cakes but not cheesecake! Cake strips are great to get flat layers (perfect for stacking) and that moist spongy texture all around the outside as well as the inside!
Best,
John
Lee Cheng says
Hi John, just came across your YouTube channel today and totally enjoyed watching your videos, so therapeutic! Tried your DIY cake strip and it worked like a charm! Couldn’t believe my eyes at how flat and even the cake was. A definitely must-do for my future bakes. Tried your strawberry cake too and it was delicious. Going to try your Italian meringue buttercream next. Thank you so much for sharing!
John K. says
Hi Lee,
I’m happy to hear you enjoy Preppy Kitchen and that you tried the strawberry cake!!
Cake strips are also SO amazing!!
Let me know what you think of the meringue buttercream!
Best,
John
Lee Cheng says
Hi John,
Just tried the italian meringue buttercream, it turned out beautiful. My son had to content with licking the leftovers on the spoon and mixing bowl, and he cleaned them both totally. Delicious! . I refused to let him touch mine. Lol
I found the silkiness, smoothness and taste very similar to that of the Swiss version. Just wondering if the Italian version would be more stable in warm weather since we added cream of tar tar and sugar syrup? I stay in Singapore and the weather here is hot and humid. Also is it possible to reduce the sugar (how much) while still
keeping the consistency of the buttercream?
Thank you!
Rina Patel says
Hi omg I think I have finally found the best cake maker ever . I have still to try this recipe but judging by your recipe I am sure it will be excellent!
I have a few questions can I use cake flour and how would it effect the ratio of the recipe?
Also can I use normal plain yogurt instead of sour?
John K. says
Hi Rina,
You can use cake flour or regular flour, the ratio will stay the same. You can always substitute whole milk yogurt instead of using sour cream.
I’m so glad you enjoy Preppy Kitchen and I hope this helps!
Best,
John
Trine Langkjaer says
Dear John.
I have been following you for a while. Mostly on Instagram, but have found my way to your webpage.
I watched you tutorial on the flat layers a few times, and decided the cake strips was a “must have”
Onto Amazon.co.uk as I live in Denmark. And they arrived yesterday! Already I have done my signatur chocolate cake. In both a huge square tin and small round tins. I AM A HUGE FAN!! Thank you for this tip.
I am now trying to find out which of your cakes to try. Think i’m going for the tiramisu cake.
You have a loyal fan here in Denmark!
All the best
Trine
John K. says
Hey Trine,
Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m glad you enjoyed the chocolate cake and invested in cake strips, they’re so great!!
I hope you try and enjoy the tiramisu cake!!
Happy baking!
John
Sonia says
I just made your vanilla cake recipe for a layered anniversary cake and it turned out perfectly! Your instructions are excellent as I made a triple batch and didn’t have any issues whatsoever.
This will be my ‘go-to’ special cake recipe from now on as it’s such a great base.
Thank you!
John K. says
Hi Sonia,
I’m so glad everything turned out perfectly!! These beautiful flat layers make me so much more excited about making a cake!
Happy baking!!
John