How to Fill Layer Cakes

source " http://www.wickedgoodies.net/2010/07/how-to-fill-cakes/ "

In commercial bakeries, we have a way of building layered cakes so that they come out in perfect cylinders, squares, rectangles, etc.

This method also yields nice even cake layers fit for serving at special occasions and wedding receptions.

The trick is to use a deep pan both for baking and for filling. Here are my recommendations onwhich cake pans to buy.

This method works well for filling one cake at home or one hundred cakes in a commercial kitchen. It is especially handy for filling wedding cakes. Here is how it’s done:

1. Bake one or more (3-4”) deep cakes in (3-4”) deep cake pans and allow them to cool.

Note #1: To ensure even baking of larger cake tiers (8”+ diameter), I like to use a heating core. Follow this link to read about how to bake a cake with a heating core.

Note #2: To make cakes easier to release, line the bottom of each pan with a pan liner or piece of parchment paper cut to size. Grease the heating core inside and out and grease the pan thoroughly including under the liner before adding batter.

2. Once a cake is cool, use a long serrated bread knife to slice the cake into three or four 1” thick layers. Slice atop a cake turntable, holding the knife in one place while turning the wheel, so that the cake slides across the blade (no sawing involved, just hold the knife in place).

3. Starting with the bottom layer (with the pan liner still on the bottom to prevent the cake from getting stuck in the pan), build the cake back into the pan by alternating one layer of cake with one layer of filling, and so forth. Use a bent spoon to spread filling in smaller cakes. For larger sized cakes, use a small offset spatula to spread the filling.

Above is a cookies-n-cream filling. Below is a crunchy turtle (chocolate buttercream, toasted pecans, and caramel) filling.

No matter how gooey it is, always spread filling to the edges of the pan.

For added flavor, it is possible to spread a loose filling like flavored simple syrup or strawberry puree onto the underside of a cake layer then flip it over, add that layer to the cake, and spread more filling on its top so that it is saturated with flavor on top and bottom.

I use the above mentioned technique in my strawberry cream cheese cake (cross section shown above). Note: With slippery textures like pureed strawberries, don’t soak the top of the top layer because that would interfere with the frosting. Likewise, don’t soak the bottom of the bottom layer because that would interfere with the cake’s stability.

4. Once a layer cake is filled to the top of the pan, press down on it to push out any air pockets within. Then wrap the whole thing in plastic wrap and freeze it for 2 hours or just long enough for the cake to harden around the outside. Freezing a cake for this amount of time does not damage the quality of a cake.

If the cake extends a little beyond the pan, place a cardboard round atop it before wrapping the whole unit in plastic wrap. That will help keep that last layer flat.