Hi,

So I think all the pros will laugh at my question, but, how level does each layer have to be prior to frosting?  All of my Rose cakes come out flat in the middle and almost all the way to the sides, however, the very edges are 1/4 in or so sloped down.  Does this matter?  Will the structure of the cake be affected at all if I don’t make it completely flat?  I use the silicone baking strips, most recently on 8 in square pans.

Thanks in advance!
Allie

Welcome!  And please do post questions!  If I’m understanding your question correctly it’s about the cake being level—they are flat but at the edges lower by about .25”?  I find many of the cakes I bake slope inward at the top (when looking at them from the side profile) which may be related to your issue.  I know Rose had a post re: sloped sides and I think they slope more when the cake pans are greased and floured (for easy release)—helps prevent crumbs in frosting and if you plan to leave the sides of the cake bare, a much nicer finish.  However, a cut cake with contrast (dark cake, white icing) will show this sloping.  I believe the cake that this was tested with was the Chocolate Passion, a chiffon-like oil cake.  I am not sure if not greasing the sides of the pan will prevent sloping of butter cakes as well.  It may cause release problems which could be far worse.  I haven’t made any butter cakes in a long while to test the findings.

I’m thinking Allie is saying she has a 1/4” tall ‘dome’ on her cakes.  This won’t hurt the structure at all.  You don’t need to trim them at all if you don’t care if the top is perfectly level for piping or whatever.  Also, you’ll have a little more frosting between the layers around the edges, but not much.  I never trim them, but I’m not doing fancy decorating that requires a level top—I just swirl it and forget it!  If the cake is perfectly level—fine.  If not, that’s fine, too.