You Can Use Dental Floss To Level A Cake
Any type of cake, especially layer cakes, can seem intimidating to the beginning baker, but with a little knowledge, practice, and some hacks and tips, anyone can make a towering beauty to serve. But, as many know, there are some issues that can turn your cake into a disaster.
The structure of the cake is important when stacking layers, especially when your cake has more than two. Cakes with a rounded or domed top are more difficult to stack, and the layers can slip and tilt when you add frosting. That's where the term "level a cake" comes in. If your layers are domed, you'll need to remove a little bit of the top part of the cake so they will stack evenly.
There are tools you can buy to level cakes, but there's no need to spend that money. A simple hack for leveling your cake starts near your bathroom sink.
The dental floss hack
Using dental floss for this cake hack is a technique called "torting" (per Wilton). Believe it or not, it's simple and almost foolproof. But before you unspool that floss, make sure to follow these steps.
Cakes should always be completely cool before you fill and frost them (per Baking Kneads). This can take three to four hours, and if you want to be completely sure they are cool, chill the layers in the fridge. Then make your frosting and start leveling your cakes.
It's important to note that only unflavored or unscented dental floss should be used. You don't want your cake to taste like mouthwash. Also choose unwaxed floss, per the Sun-Sentinal. Start by marking where you want to level or cut the cake all around the edges with the tip of a knife; you can add toothpicks to guide you. Then unspool a piece of floss that is long enough to completely encircle the cake with about eight to 10 inches left over. You do need something to hold onto when you use the floss.
Encircle the cake with the floss right at the marks you made. Pull the floss so it touches the cake all the way around evenly and securely. Then cross the floss edges, hold onto the excess, and quickly and firmly, pull your hands apart in one smooth motion, slicing through the cake.
Enjoy your perfectly frosted cake
Once the layers are leveled, start stacking them, adding filling or frosting in between. You may even want to start with a crumb coat. Put the first layer on the cake stand or plate and top with about a cup of frosting. Smooth the frosting almost to the edges, add the next layer and press down lightly, and keep going. Then frost the top and sides of the cake and you're done!
Now that you know how to use dental floss to level a cake, try your hand at some delicious recipes. You may enjoy a chocolate chip layer cake or want to try a six-layer rainbow cake. Perhaps a five-layer wine and berry chocolate anniversary cake is more your style. For something more traditional, you can give Beatty's Chocolate Cake a go. This recipe by Ina Garten (via Food Network) is perfect for intermediate bakers and sure to impress.
One more thing — make sure to take a picture of your gorgeous cake for posterity.