What did I do wrong?

[Amanda]

I just made a cake (well, 2 actually) using 1 fat daddios and 1 wilton pan. I used an inverted flower nail and bake even strip on both cakes, but the fat daddios cake was a disaster. In fact, I had to make it twice. The edges just never cooked. I finally pulled it out because the edges were just barely separating from the sides, but they still look underdone, and the top looks WAY done. WTH? Help please!!
Thanks, ladies!

[cupcakeshoppe]

well i hope someone answers this. my problem is the sides look done and the top is still wet. LOL

[Amanda]

Ok, I just pulled the second fat daddios cake out of the pan. I'm going to have to make it AGAIN!!!! The sides are so light, I'm afraid that it may be gooey around the edges. I'm so confused! This was the first time I've used the inverted flower nail, was that the problem?
I'd appreciate any advice!!
Thanks!

[mona1949]

What size pans are you using? I use the core for pans 10 inch and larger. Learned that from Yummy Arts. I learn by trial and error, with lots of errors that have to be made into cake bites.

[cakebaker]

My cakes baked in the fat daddios are always lighter on the sides and bottoms than when I use wilton pans.

It's a heavier metal and better insulated that wiltons, so the sides bake more evenly with the middle. It may well be that we don't need those strips on the better pans???

At any rate, have you used a cake tester to see if it's actually gooey inside? It may just be the color is throwing you off. I know I was surprised at how light mine were when they were actually done.

Oh, and I never use a flower nail, unless I'm baking a 14" or larger round.

[Amanda]

Thanks! It's a 10" pan. I just heard of the inverted flower nail the other day, so I thought I'd give it a shot. The cake is totally done in the middle, it's just the outsides and the bottom that are really, really light. I tried to keep it in there as long as I could without it looking burnt on the top. The sides have firmed up a bit, but I don't know about serving it....Maybe once I level it I'll get a good look at the inside of the sides. I dunno....I may just make one more with no nail and no strips and see how it does.
Better safe than sorry I suppose!

[cakebaker]

Just another thought..you might want to put the pan one rack level lower than you usually do..especially if it's getting really brown on the top.

[2sdae]

check your oven temps too....let us know how they turn out?

[Amanda]

I leveled it, and the whole cake felt really firm, so I'm just going with it rather than wasting more eggs. I'm definitely going to have to do some testing in the future with my fat daddios to see what works best for them. The cake in the Wilton pan turned out peechy, so I guess what's good for one isn't necessarily good for the other.
I just crumb coated, and now it's off to dinner (somewhere other than home!) and I'll decorate tomorrow.
Thanks for all your help!!

[2sdae]

Good to hear they were ok.