How To Make A 4 Layer Cake

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If you're intimidated by stacking and frosting your ain layer cake, acquire a few simple baking tricks to make information technology easy. Bake cakes that are flat and even in size. If yous become cakes that are domed, trim the excess at the top so the layers are apartment. Spread filling or frosting between chilled layers of cake and utilise a thin nibble coat to the unabridged cake. This volition trap crumbs and so you can frost and decorate a completely smooth cake. Slice your layer block and enjoy!

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Line or grease your cake pans. Decide what size block you'd similar to make and exit the number of pans y'all'll demand. You'll typically need 2 or 3 pans. Then cut parchment paper to fit the inside of the pans or spray the inside of each pan with blistering spray. Greasing or lining the pan will ensure that the cakes don't crumble or tear when you lot remove them.^[1]
- For example, you could apply 8 or nine inch (20.3 or 22.9 cm) round cake pans.
- Since you bake several cakes you can either stack them and frost them to brand thick layers, or slice each cake in half horizontally to make even more sparse layers.
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Brand the block batter. For a homemade cake, cull your favorite recipe and mix the cake batter. Ensure that the cake volition make every bit many layers as yous demand or plan on doubling the recipe. To save time, combine 2 purchased cake mixes according to the packaged instructions.^[2]
- You can make a layer cake that has the same season of cake layers or use a different flavor for each layer.
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3
Utilize a digital scale to dissever the batter evenly amongst the pans. Once you've mixed your cake concoction, fix a prepared cake pan on a digital scale. Spoon some of the concoction in and and so set some other pan on the scale. Keep filling each of your cake pans while y'all weigh them then the batter is divided evenly.^[three]
- Dividing the concoction evenly will ensure that all of your cake layers are the aforementioned thickness.
4
Wrap block strips or towels around the outsides of the block pans. Secure block strips to the outside of each filled cake pan. If you don't have block strips, tear an old kitchen towel into long strips and wet them. Wrap the clammy strips around the outside of each filled cake pan.^[4]
- The block strips or towel will aid the cake bake slowly from the edges towards the center. This volition prevent the cakes from forming domes in the center.
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Reduce the temperature to 325 °F (163 °C) and increase the baking time. To broil flat cakes that are easily to layer and frost, turn the oven temperature down and bake the cakes for a little longer. Doing these things will foreclose the cakes from cooking chop-chop in the center and puffing up.^[5]
- For instance, if your recipe calls for baking the cakes for 30 minutes at 350 °F (177 °C), turn the oven down to 325 °F (163 °C) and bake them for 45 minutes.
- Program on increasing the baking fourth dimension by 1 one-half when y'all reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees.
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Exam the cakes and cool them completely. If y'all think the cakes accept finished blistering, insert a cake tester or toothpick into the center and pull information technology out. If it comes out clean and dry, the cakes are done. Then yous can remove the cakes to cool completely.
- If the cake tester comes out with batter on it, return the cakes to the oven for a few minutes and cheque them again.
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Chill the layers for up to v days. Once the cakes are completely cooked, remove them from the oven and turn them out onto a wire rack to cool. When the cakes are at room temperature, cover them with plastic wrap and put them in the fridge for at least 1 hour or upwards to five days.^[6]
- Chilling the cakes will brand them easier to slice and frost. Never try cutting or trimming warm cakes because they'll tear more.
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Trim away the excess dome from each cake. If your cakes baked faster in the eye and domed up, y'all'll need to slice off the backlog tops so each layer is even. Agree a serrated knife so the blade is horizontal and gently saw across the summit of the cake so it's completely apartment. Do this for each cake.^[7]
- Discard or snack on the cake dome in one case you've trimmed it away.
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Cut the cakes into layers. If you'd like sparse layers, use a serrated knife or block leveler to cut each block in one-half horizontally. This will also double the number of layers your cake will be.^[8]
- For instance, if yous baked 2 round cakes, instead of having 2 thick layers, piece them in half to brand 4 thin layers of cake.
- For thicker layers, skip cutting the cakes in half and merely plan on stacking them.
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Mix your selection of filling and frosting. Decide what flavor and type of frosting you lot'd similar to use in between the cake layers and on meridian of the cake. For a variety of flavors, apply one season for the filling and a different flavor for the top and sides.
- If you're short on time, buy a few containers of ready-made frosting.
- For example, fill the block with a raspberry filling, simply frost it with a chocolate ganache. Y'all could even make full the cake with custard or cream cheese filling before frosting information technology with a lemon or strawberry frosting.
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Place the offset cake layer on a cardboard cake round or turntable. Cut a slice of cardboard to the same size as your cake pan and set it on a turntable. Spoon a dab of frosting on the eye of the paper-thin and then set the bottom layer of chilled cake directly onto it. Put the cake top or cut-side downward.^[9]
- The frosting volition anchor the cake layer in place.
- If you don't have a turntable, set the cardboard on your piece of work surface or a block plate.
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Spread frosting or filling over the bottom layer. Spoon 1/2 loving cup to 1 cup (125 to 250 one thousand) of frosting onto the block layer. Utilize an offset spatula to spread the frosting evenly beyond the top of the layer, but don't effort to frost the sides.^[ten]
- If y'all adopt, you tin use a piping purse to pipage the frosting onto the cake layer.
- If yous're using a soft filling similar a fruit curd or jam, pipe frosting around the border of the cake layer. Then spread the filling. The frosting will forbid the soft filling from spilling out.
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Stack some other layer of cake on tiptop. If you're using a cake layer that y'all cut, lay it so the cut-side is facing down. It's fine if some of the frosting beneath the block layer spills out over the sides.^[xi]
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Spread frosting or filling over the layer. Add another one/2 cup to i loving cup (125 to 250 g) of frosting or filling to the newest cake layer and spread information technology so information technology'south evenly covered. Proceed to stack the cake layers and spread filling in between them until you lot've added all of your cake layers.^[12]
- Get out the top layer of cake unfrosted for now since you lot'll exist roofing the cake with a nibble coat.
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one
Spread a thin crumb coat over the top and sides of the block. Put a big dollop of frosting onto the elevation of the assembled layer block. Utilize an outset spatula to spread the frosting across the summit and sides of the block. The nibble coat should be and so thin that you tin see through to the cake.^[thirteen]
- The nibble coat will trap the crumbs in the thin layer of frosting. This way, you tin can easily add frosting without getting crumbs in it.
two
Arctic the cake for 30 minutes and frost the tiptop and sides. Put the block in the fridge to arctic until the crumb coat firms up. Then remove it and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the block. This layer of frosting should be much thicker than the crumb glaze.^[14]
- Spin the block turntable slowly as you work. This will make it easier to frost the sides of the cake.
- For very polish sides, run a bench scraper against them and so the frosting level is fifty-fifty.
3
Chill the cake for at least 30 minutes. Place the frosted layer block in the refrigerator and let it chill until the frosting sets. This volition make information technology easier to pipe frosting or add other decorations without the frosting sliding or melting.^[15]
- Y'all don't need to encompass the block as it chills. The frosting will prevent the cake from drying out.
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Decorate the cake. One time your cake has been completely frosted, pipe frosting embellishments on the top and sides. If you like, sprinkle cocoa or processed sprinkles over the top. Consider garnishing the cake with flaked coconut, mini-chocolate chips, or chopped nuts.
- For a botanical look, place fresh flowers on the cake. Remove the flowers just before slicing and serving the cake.
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Transfer the block from the turntable to a cake stand. Slide a cake lifter or big spatula under the cardboard base for your layer cake. Carefully lift it up in order to move the whole cake from the turntable. Set it downwards on your cake stand. Then piece and bask the layer cake.
- Utilize a chef's knife to slice the cake into pieces.
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Store the layer block at room temperature for upward to 3 or 4 days. For the best texture, cover the layer cake with an overturned bowl or plastic wrap and keep it at room temperature. If yous'd rather refrigerate it, store information technology in an airtight container for upwardly to 1 week and let it sit out at room temperature before you serve it.^[16]
- If your frosting has foam cheese or whipped cream, plan on refrigerating information technology instead of storing it at room temperature.
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If you go cake crumbs make their way onto your spatula as you frost, yous may non exist using plenty frosting. Scrape the offset spatula on a basin to remove the crumb-filled frosting. Then load the spatula again with a large corporeality of smooth frosting.

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Things Yous'll Need

Round block pans
Cake mix or recipe
Frosting
Digital scale
Cardboard platform
Wire cooling rack
Plastic wrap
Cake strips or old kitchen towels
Block stand
Start spatula
Serrated knife or cake leveler
Cake decorations
Cake leveler (optional)

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Article Summary Ten

To make a layer cake, start by dividing cake concoction evenly into 2-3 greased cake pans. Help your layers stay flat by baking the cakes at 25 degrees lower and for fifteen minutes longer than directed. In one case the cakes are baked, chill them in the refrigerator for an hr When you're ready to frost, place a dab of frosting in the heart of a cake plate, then put the bottom layer on top. Cover this layer in frosting, place another layer on top, then embrace that layer in frosting. Finally, frost effectually the outside and decorate the block! To acquire some tips on decorating your layer cake, keep reading!

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