Rose’s Heavenly Cake Strip
I’m thrilled to report that after working extensively with the wonderful silicone bakeware of Lékué I have come to understand the advantages of its properties so well I was inspired to create my first silicone product—a silicone cake strip! It works like a charm and it’s everything I wanted it to be.
The strip fits a 9 inch round or 8 inch square pan. It is quick and easy to attach—NO PREPPING—You simply turn the pan upside down and slip it around the sides. It then works to insulate the sides of a metal cake pan, slowing down baking at the sides of the cake. You can even use it for a 10 inch round pan if you run the strip under hot tap water or wave a hair drier over it to make stretching it easier for the larger size pan. it will return to it's original size on cooling.
It produces better cakes:
* more even
* less doming
* less shrinking from sides
* less browning and drying of sides
Other advantages:
* it stays like new for years
* is dishwasher safe
* is oven safe up to 500°F/260°C.
(Do not subject to direct heat such as a flame or broiler)
Harold Import Company is the distributor for the cake strip. It will be in retail stores by Fall and I will list an on-line order site as soon as it’s available.
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Comments
you always sound like hector to me but that's bc i'm used to hearing you on the blog and your voice is unique. the first time i heard you on a video i thought "OMG he has an accent and i can't even figure out what kind!" funny how blogging you hear the soul of a person rather than sounds that might get in the way!
Reply to this Posted by: rose Levy Beranbaum | October 7, 2009 7:32 PM #
That's what makes you so endearing! :)
Reply to this Posted by: ButterYum (Patrincia) | October 7, 2009 7:27 PM #
thank you patrincia, but i have a feeling i may be developing a speech disability. each time i hear myself, or maybe thru the seasons, or depending what i am occupied about, my speech shows different accents... you really need to love to learn me... sometimes i sound hispanic, sometimes chinese, sometimes british, and who knows what. honest thing is that i am a visual person more than auditory....
Reply to this Posted by: hector | October 7, 2009 7:19 PM #
I love the video Hector... and how truly wonderful to hear your voice!!
:)
Reply to this Posted by: ButterYum (Patrincia) | October 7, 2009 6:50 PM #
be sure to watch my demo on how to use these strips for virtually all cake pan sizes, from 6" to 12"
http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/2009/06/hectors_utube_demo_of_roses_he.html
Reply to this Posted by: hector | October 7, 2009 5:07 PM #
i wouldn't mind stocking a few extra ones in my apartment, and if you all from the far west of the pacific stop by in hawaii, i will great you at the airport with lei and silicone strip!
Reply to this Posted by: hector | October 7, 2009 4:55 PM #
well the sad news is they are not available through amazon in the UK--only in the US but i'll let you know if that changes. anyone want to be the distributor?!
Reply to this Posted by: rose Levy Beranbaum | October 7, 2009 4:44 PM #
just found out they don't distribute in australia but waiting to hear about the UK!
Reply to this Posted by: rose Levy Beranbaum | October 7, 2009 8:57 AM #
they do! i just called harolds and they are checking to see if there is an amazon equivalent or at least a large store or chain that could mail order in the UK and australia.
hi jeanette!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | October 6, 2009 9:29 AM #
Do they distribute them to the UK then, Rose? I've never seen them available here, I've just bought the Wilton ones from Lakeland but not used them yet.
Reply to this Posted by: Jeannette | October 6, 2009 9:15 AM #
lily, harold imports is the largest distributor of baking equipment in the US so i'm willing to bet they distribute in australia. go to the best cookware shop in your area and ask the manager if they order form harold imports and if they could bring in the cake strips.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | October 6, 2009 8:53 AM #
I want to buy these silicone strips, but the postage to Australia is dearer than 2 silicone strips, any chance there might be a distributor in Australia in the very near future. The postage was going to cost over AUD$50!!
Lily (Australia)
Reply to this Posted by: Lily | October 6, 2009 8:12 AM #
thanks zach. did you know i designed the rose for my stationery years ago and they were able to translate it perfectly onto the silicone strip. and i love the deep rose color. come to think of it, heavenly cake strips goes so well with the color palette of "rose's heavenly cakes."
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | August 16, 2009 1:46 PM #
It could be that I have a similar statement somewhere in the middle of this very long string of comments on this topic, but it's worth repeating. I'm using these cake strips again this morning and every time I use one I love the whole experience. The ease of popping them on the cake pan in about 2 seconds flat, no worries about losing the pin, sticking your fingers with the pin and no extra steps to wet them (all the challenges that come with the cloth strips). It's a very easy prep that eliminates extra steps that is well appreciated in my very busy kitchen.
Also, they are so attractive on the cake pan, which has nothing to do with anything except adding a little extra fun to the baking process, which is always a good thing.
Reply to this Posted by: Zach Townsend | August 16, 2009 12:41 PM #
here is another heavenly cake strip success story.
http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/RosesHeavenlyCakeStrips3.html
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | June 1, 2009 7:57 PM #
Thank you, Hector! This is good to know. You're so generous with your knowledge. I appreciate it.
Reply to this Posted by: Maureen | May 29, 2009 6:58 AM #
Dear M, these are silicone rubber bands made to wrap roasts and such. Paper clamps works, too, but my favorite is scotch tape! The one opaque white most common. Run the scotch tape several times around if necessary to make the.tape strongh. Trussing twine works, too, specially when using 3 of Roses silicone strips, folded, to cover a 12" pan.
Reply to this Posted by: hector | May 29, 2009 2:35 AM #
Beautiful! Hector, what bands do you place around your Heavenly Cake Strips?
Reply to this Posted by: Maureen | May 28, 2009 8:16 PM #
i must share with everyone that these strips DO WORK. in the oven now, never have i seen a banana butter cake leaven so evenly and rising so perfectly double to the very top of the pan.
http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/RosesHeavenlyCakeStripsAnd-THE-YELLOW-KITCHEN-Silicone2.html
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | May 23, 2009 12:19 AM #
Dear Rose,
I used your Heavenly Baking Strips for the first time this weekend, and I just had to tell you how aptly named they are! No soaking, squeezing, or sticking myself trying to get the strip around the pan! And my sour cream-pear coffee cake came out with beautiful, soft, golden brown sides. Thanks for this great product!
Reply to this Posted by: Becky | October 5, 2008 8:33 PM #
thank you Rozanne.
by the way, since I do so much custom shapes, I always end up with extra cake batter which I am turning into 'cupcakes' like no others!!!
i am a bit over-hiddeous with traditional shaped cupcakes, so what I do, is use an assortment of silicone pans and fill them low. you can do this with silicone pans, the extra unused pan surface does not overburn the cake as a traditional metal pan would.
the cute individual rectangular finacier pans, the mini madelaine pan, the pop over pans, etc, make 'my' cupcakes just right (and I not always fill them full).
the larger tube pans will work, too, specially the ones with the beautiful bottom imprints. you do need to slice this into individuals after baking.
and don't forget, the best of the best is Rose's Heavenly Cake Strips, not for cupcakes, but for regular cakes on metal pans. in fact, butter cakes bake wonderful on silicone pans, but butter cakes bake even better on traditional metal pans with Rose's Heavenly Cake Strips added.
do read my earlier posting on how I manage to use Rose's Heavenly Cake Strips on any size pan.
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | July 16, 2008 2:59 PM #
Merry Christmas Hector! Looks like Santa is just as generous even in July....
Reply to this Posted by: Rozanne | July 16, 2008 6:53 AM #
another Christmas in July. Lekue!
http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/Lekue.html
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | July 16, 2008 12:53 AM #
williams sonoma, mark down section!
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | July 1, 2008 5:38 PM #
Hector - where did you find the "rubber bands" used for trussing roasts? I haven't seen these anywhere.
Reply to this Posted by: Patrincia | July 1, 2008 5:19 PM #
Sometimes the best things come in 3, or in rose or in yellow...
I often bake 3 tier cakes in 3-5-7-inch sizes at once fitting in my oven. Most people bake 3 tier cakes in 6-9-12-inch sizes on 2 or 3 takes in the oven. When I was doing Hawaii Way, I was baking 3 9-inch sizes and so many times per week. So, I decided on getting "3" of Rose's Heavenly Cake Strips.
I found a way to fit Rose's Heavenly Cake Strips on every way. Get some silicone "rubber bands" commonly used as trussing twine for roasts. These are generously stretchable and giving; for larger pans you can loop chain a few together.
Clip fold the strips for smaller pans, or use 2 or 3 half-folded strips on larger pans. 2 half-folded strips will fit a 12-inch pan.
Pictured, a 6-inch pan, with Rose's Heavenly Cake Strips fitted with THE YELLOW KITCHEN's silicone "rubber bands."
http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/RosesHeavenlyCakeStripsAnd-THE-YELLOW-KITCHEN-Silicone.html
After all, I was told I am practically the co-inventor of Rose's Heavenly Cake Strips!
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | July 1, 2008 3:19 PM #
shouldn't be a problem. they expand and if too large can be clamped smaller with a metal clamp.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | May 17, 2008 3:20 PM #
I just have to report that the old and trusted 9x2 inches round cake pans made by Magic Line, differ in construction by as much as 60 grams. I have 3, all Magic Line, one is which considerably more lightweight. I haven't measured the outside diameter, but I think it can be an issue for cake strips.
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | May 7, 2008 6:40 PM #
Thanks so much Zach and Patrincia :)
I will definitely follow your advice as I make my own strips whilst I try to wait patiently for an online retailer to put us poor deprived Aussie's out of our misery and sell us some of Rose's amazing ones!!)
Reply to this Posted by: Cate | September 12, 2007 12:54 AM #
Hi Cate - when making your own strips it important to remember that the strips are meant to keep the cake pan walls cool enough that the cake batter that is touching the walls doesn't cook and set too quickly. If your stips are too short, they won't be effective, so make sure they are tall enough to protect that rising batter.
Reply to this Posted by: Patrincia | September 11, 2007 9:52 PM #
...I mean I wouldn't go MORE than 1/4" in size difference between pan height and width of the strip you're making.
Reply to this Posted by: Zach Townsend | September 11, 2007 7:28 PM #
Cate,
I use cake strips all the time, too, for layer cakes. The cloth strips that are available now are about 1/4" smaller than the height of the pan, so it's not necessary if you're making your own to make it exactly the height of the pan, but you should come close (I wouldn't go less than 1/4"). Place the strip centered from the top and bottom of the pan once you get it in place.
Zach
Reply to this Posted by: Zach Townsend | September 11, 2007 7:27 PM #
Hello Rose,
Like others in Australia and New Zealand who have posted, I have never seen any type of baking strips here sadly! Can't wait 'til I can get some "Rose Silicons!" online one day (please!! let us know when you do of stores who ship internationally ) but whilst I am waiting I was going to try making my own as you suggested on another thread. One silly question about using the strips (which applies to both types!): Do you need to have them covering the depth of the sides completely (e.g. if you have a tin with 3 inch high sides, do you need 2 x 1.5 inch strips) or do you just put the strip close to the bottom/middle/top of the pan?
Thanks in advance for any advice you can give!
Reply to this Posted by: Cate | September 11, 2007 6:51 PM #
the ones i've started with will work with an 8 inch square. if they sell well we will surely do other sizes too.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | September 5, 2007 6:10 PM #
Rose, have ever given it a thought to make cake strips for a 9x13-inch pan? Also, 8 and 9-inch square pans? Just a thought.
Reply to this Posted by: Judy | September 5, 2007 4:12 PM #
Patricia, don't worry your son will definitely be back SOON for home cooked meals. Sounds like your daughter knows exactly what she wants in terms of her cake.
Rozanne
Reply to this Posted by: Rozanne | August 25, 2007 4:08 PM #
Hi Hector - I place my cooling rack upside down ontop of my cake pan and then hold the pan and rack together as I flip them both upside-down. My cakes don't fall too far that way.
Hi Rozanne - Yes, our 2 youngest are daughters, and we also have 2 sons - the oldest of which just left for college today. Half of me was ready to see him go, but the other half was really sad :(. I already miss him - he says he won't be home any time soon, but I'm sure he'll be ready for some good home cooked meals in a week or two - at least I hope he will!
Your kids sure know how to request a good cake don't they? Our youngest will be turning 10 in about a month. She hasn't decided what she'd like for her birthday dinner yet, but the cake is a different story... about a month ago she submitted a drawing, complete with color preferences and accessory placement! :)
Reply to this Posted by: Patrincia | August 24, 2007 11:15 PM #
Thank you Patricia and Hector. I always wondered what would happen if I tried turning the cake upside down but was too afraid to try. I guess I'll try it the next time. My cakes don't have a big dome anyway so it should be fine. Of course you only have to worry about it if it is a butter cake b/c a genoise or biscuit is always flat on top as there are no leavening agents.
Patricia, today I was thinking about what you wrote about your son's b'day menu request. My kids decided they wanted cake with chocolate buttercream today. Fortunately I had a 6" genoise in the fridge. I didn't have chocolate buttercream though so I ended up mixing mousseline buttercream with ganache and frosted the cake with it. It tasted really good. My kids are so spoiled when it comes to food, but I encourage it. By the way do you have daughters?
Rozanne
Reply to this Posted by: Rozanne | August 24, 2007 10:05 PM #
I find that it is mostly the impact from dropping the cake upside down on its dome which causes the crack. Once the cake is upside down and already dropped out of the pan, then you can safely remove the parchment even right away. If you want to be absolutely safe, wait about 5 to 10 minutes before removing the parchment on butter cakes, I don't think there will be much harm.
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | August 24, 2007 2:04 AM #
Good point Hector. I use parchment too, maybe that does help keep the cakes from cracking? I remove my parchment right away, while my cakes are still hot. I guess I should have mentioned that I do this with sturdy butter cakes, not more delicate types.
Reply to this Posted by: Patrincia | August 23, 2007 11:34 PM #
Rozanne, your concern is valid and it has happened to me when the dome is BIG or when the cake type is delicate. There is a simple way to prevent this. Line your pans with parchment! The parchment will stay attached to your cake, so it will prevent cracking when you flip it out.
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | August 23, 2007 10:51 PM #
Hi Rozanne - No, I've never had one crack. I suppose they might if the dome was very tall, but I only do it if the cake is slightly domed - like the one pictured at the top of this thread (or a even a little bit more).
Reply to this Posted by: Patrincia | August 23, 2007 6:46 PM #
Patricia, when you cool your cake layers upside down, don't they crack if they are slightly domed?
Rozanne
Reply to this Posted by: Rozanne | August 23, 2007 2:25 PM #
Pat - is "here in the mountains" in a high altitude location? I'm sure you've made all the necessary high altitude changes suggested if is.
Don't be too afraid to open your oven during baking. Just be gentle with you cake pans and don't slam the oven door closed.
I like my cakes to look nice and even too. If any of my cake layers come out of the oven with a slight dome, I simply cool them upside-down on a rack and they usually "settle" nice and even. If not, I simply cut the domed part off (the kids love the scraps). I know you can fudge how even the cake looks on the outside, but you can never fudge how even the layers look when you slice into that cake. :)
Happy Baking!
PS - baking strip make all the difference in the world.
Reply to this Posted by: Patrincia | August 23, 2007 12:18 PM #
I have found that when baking cakes from scratch, as we call it here in the mountains, I experience little of the doming that occurs when baking cakes from a mix, etc. I haven't used any of Rose's mixes so am not sure how they would perform in the oven. Only problem I have is in the layers not being perfectly level because I bake three layers on the same oven rack. I have always been afraid to open the oven door to turn the pans around. When I stack the layers, I just pay attention to the high/low sides and match the layers so that my cake is straight. This method works but being the perfectionist I am, would prefer the layers be even! As I am sure most people do, I always wanted something I could excell at and baking is my thing. I love it and do a lot of baking and making candy to sell to benefit cancer victims. It makes me feel good to know I can help other people even if I do not know them! To all of you out there in blog land, have a wonderful day. Pat
Reply to this Posted by: Patricia Simonds | August 23, 2007 12:04 PM #
please note that the ones for the 9 inch also work perfectly on 10 inch if run under hot tap water.
if they do well, i'm sure my distributor will be willing to do larger sizes!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | August 12, 2007 8:39 AM #
Hi Rose,
Please, for those of us who bake wedding cakes, therefore using larger pans, please make some larger sizes: 10,12,14,16. These are the cakes that definitely need insulation.
Regards,
Ruth Cave
Grand Finales
New London,NH
Reply to this Posted by: Ruth Cave | August 12, 2007 6:01 AM #
Hi there Patricia (Great Name) - Looking forward to you posting more in the future!
FYI - I love All-clad cookware, but I have a friend who purchased some of the All-clad bakeware and I think it's safe to say she wouldn't recommend it - the gold colored non-stick coating started peeling right away. She purchased them when they first became available, so maybe they have improved since that time, I don't know...
Reply to this Posted by: Patrincia | August 10, 2007 2:25 PM #
love this blog. I read it during lunch break each day. Love comments from Hector & Patricia. Am anxious to purchase the cake strip as I am not overly fond of the other ones I have. May I suggest that the next Rose bakeware should be just that. High quality cake pans with handles and loose bottoms would be wonderful. I buy most of my bakeware from Chicago Metallic but no handles and All Clad is too expensive. I have all Rose's cookbooks & use them for all my baking. Can't wait to see the new cake cookbook. Best wishes from the mountains of Western North Carolina.
Reply to this Posted by: Patricia Simonds | August 10, 2007 1:16 PM #
oh--so you were able to get the decaled version?! i think the phrase "you take the cake" was invented with you in mind!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | August 1, 2007 1:46 PM #
My brain is starting to work again (after the big cake day), so I have started to work on 2 things: bake the flaky pie crust on your pie plate and guess what will be the next Rose Levy Bakeware's item!
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | August 1, 2007 1:41 PM #
i deeply appreciate your enthusiasm. i actually wore it around my neck at the food show! (ariane daquin of d'artagnon gave me her little silicone wrist band that says "carnivore" on it!
funny thing--when i designed my mercury thermometers i thought a great display would be a mobile resembling rain drops but realized if there were a big breeze they could break and rain mercury!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | August 1, 2007 8:07 AM #
OH YAY! Rose, this is the best - but everything you touch sparkles with creativity. I can't wait. Think I will make a mobile of them hanging from the ceiling just to make me happy when not in use! joan
Reply to this Posted by: Joan | July 31, 2007 10:14 PM #
What a great idea! I've used the magic pan cake strips for years but they get really ratty after a while. I will definitely buy some when they are available.
Reply to this Posted by: Michele in Maine | July 31, 2007 9:40 AM #
Please make different sizes! This would make such a huge difference for square cakes!! Especially the larger sizes...
Thank you for everything you do to make baking such a pleasure! You're simply the best! :)
Reply to this Posted by: Jeanne | July 30, 2007 10:49 AM #
Can't wait!
Reply to this Posted by: Zach Townsend | July 27, 2007 11:13 AM #
you can pinch it together with one of those metal paper clamps for an 8 inch round pan!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | July 27, 2007 10:39 AM #
Ooh, I need several of these. Cool!
What about 8-inch round cake pans? Will it slip off?
Reply to this Posted by: Michaela | July 26, 2007 11:15 PM #
I'd never heard of these till I found this site but I'd certainly be interested in using them if I can find them. Otherwise I will try making my own following your instructions which I've noted to see what effect it has on my cakes. I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of your book which I ordered last weekend.
Reply to this Posted by: Jeannette | July 26, 2007 4:22 PM #
Oh, how excellent! I hope they'll be sold somewhere that ships internationally, too - I'd love to have one.
Reply to this Posted by: Anne | July 26, 2007 3:41 PM #
Excellent idea Rose - I can't wait for them to be available in more sizes!
Reply to this Posted by: Patrincia | July 26, 2007 2:13 AM #
Oh Rose. how ingenious! I hope the online order delivers to M'sia! What can be better than products dreamed up by a meticulous baker like you!
Reply to this Posted by: Elicia | July 25, 2007 9:41 PM #
honestly sometimes i think you're psychic! when i was at the fancy food show i wore my silicone strip around my neck and my friend ariane daquin or d'artagnon gave me a silicone bracelet that reads "carnivore"!!!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | July 25, 2007 6:11 PM #
Your second silicone product should be a wrist bracelet, the ones that everyone wore the past couple years. I use them to keep my silpats rolled and tucked away!
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | July 25, 2007 6:05 PM #
hey y'all: hector guessed this idea several months ago and was kind enough to keep it a secret when i told him it was already in the planning stages!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | July 25, 2007 4:07 PM #
Rose, you are going to have huge backorders for this one! It is such clever design, and we are so glad you are the first to introduce it. I no longer have to destroy silicone pans just to keep the strips!
In my opinion, the Rose's Heavenly Cake Strip is such original that it will mark history the same way TCB has done!
What a simple concept, but beautifully done, with the Rose stamp and all!
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | July 25, 2007 4:05 PM #
Thank you Rose! This is absolutely fabulous. I hope shipping to Canada will be available. Otherwise I may have to drive across the border.
Rozanne
Reply to this Posted by: Rozanne | July 25, 2007 3:56 PM #
Can't wait!! My cake strips are too old and tired and require too much prep. You have my order as soon as they're available. Thanks for all you do!
Reply to this Posted by: Kimberlie Robert | July 25, 2007 2:20 PM #
This is great! (And I love the idea of "NO PREPPING"!) Thank you, Rose!
Reply to this Posted by: Theresa | July 25, 2007 12:23 PM #