Do you make sheet cakes?  How often?  I fear it ... like a 1/2 sheet cake even.  And, that is a lot of cake to make for the sake of testing.  What do I need to consider or plan for?  Do I need a baking core?

I think, because the pan is so shallow, you don’t need a core [though Rose’s recipes work differently than any other recipes I know]. If you want to practice you could with a quarter sheet pan!
And a prevalent sheet cake is a chocolate sheet cake, or texas sheet cake. Maybe looking at some recipes will give you some general knowledge about the subject!

Good luck (:

I’ve made a number of half sheet cakes but they have been quite thin- roulade cakes.  For those you definitely don’t need a core. 

For a 2” deep sheet cake pan, an inverted flower nail (and cake strips) might help the center bake a tad more quickly so that the edges don’t dry out waiting for the center to finish baking.  You could also plan on syrup if you’re worried about it being dry.  I’m sure with your experience and skill a sheet pan cake would be successful if you ever needed to make one. 

Thank you, McBrownie.  I had not considered a quarter sheet pan.  I have baked in a 9 x 13 pan but with an oil based cake (not yellow).  I have not heard of quarter sheet pan. 
Thank you, Julie for the encouragement.  I am thinking of a 12 x 18 x 2 pan from Fat Daddio.  And, thank you for the reminder re: the cake strips?

I have a baking core and a flower nail.  Is the flower nail a better idea than a core?

Just wanted to say that a 1/4 sheet pan is about 9x13x1 [though check with the manufacturer, mine is something like 8.25*12], which is about half of a 12x18x1 sheet pan.

CRenee - 30 January 2013 09:08 AM

Is the flower nail a better idea than a core?

Not sure if one is better than the other, but if I understand the process, the core gets filled with batter to make a sort of cake plug that you put back into the cake to fill the hole made by the core.  That seems like a bigger flaw to cover up than a mark from a flower nail, and also like the little plug might get overbaked and not be as tender/moist as the rest of the cake.

You could always bake two 9x13 cakes and lay them together, side-by-side on a cardboard support to mimic a half sheet cake.

So, for the time being, I averted the sheet cake (after agreeing to do it).  I have different question I will post separately.

Julie - 30 January 2013 08:00 AM

I’ve made a number of half sheet cakes but they have been quite thin- roulade cakes.  For those you definitely don’t need a core. 

For a 2” deep sheet cake pan, an inverted flower nail (and cake strips) might help the center bake a tad more quickly so that the edges don’t dry out waiting for the center to finish baking.  You could also plan on syrup if you’re worried about it being dry.  I’m sure with your experience and skill a sheet pan cake would be successful if you ever needed to make one. 

Julie - 30 January 2013 11:41 AM

CRenee - 30 January 2013 09:08 AM

Is the flower nail a better idea than a core?

Not sure if one is better than the other, but if I understand the process, the core gets filled with batter to make a sort of cake plug that you put back into the cake to fill the hole made by the core.  That seems like a bigger flaw to cover up than a mark from a flower nail, and also like the little plug might get overbaked and not be as tender/moist as the rest of the cake.

You could always bake two 9x13 cakes and lay them together, side-by-side on a cardboard support to mimic a half sheet cake.

I agree with Julie on both points here. I haven’t done a lot of large cakes, but the half sheet cakes I’ve done turned out well using an inverted flower nail and wrapping the pan with the cake strips. As far as using a plug instead of an inverted flower nail I don’t know how different the results are since I’ve never done it myself, but from what I’ve read from others who have they do not like it nearly as well as using an inverted flower nail or the heat nails Ateco makes. And Julie is correct about using the plug. It gets filled with some batter and then placed in the pan and the cake bakes around the core. If you use one you have to grease and flower it the same as you would the cake pan before filling it with the batter. Then when the cake is done you remove the plug from the core and place in the hole formed from where the core was placed in the pan. And I also think this is a bigger flaw to cover up and deal with than a few tiny holes using some inverted flower nails or heat nails/cores.

Just as disclaimer, I do not own stock or work for Amazon or Ateco, but I have heard nothing but good things about Ateco’s heat nail/core. From what I’ve read people who use them like them even better than the inverted flower nail because it was designed for this purpose. They’re perfectly flat and will not rust over time since they are made of stainless steel. I’ve read that over time using a flower nail for this purpose causes it to rust.

You can get these from a variety of different cake baking/decorating suppliers, but this was the first link I found for them:
http://www.amazon.com/Ateco-1449-Cake-Heating-Core/dp/B0061UGRIC

Good luck and happy baking, CRenee.

- MP

CRenee,  I have made quite a few 12 x18 x 2 sheet cakes using Rose’s All Occasion Downey Yellow Butter Cake.  They have turned out perfect every time.  I did use 3 inverted flower nails spaced evenly apart as well as cake strips around the pan.
The flower nails worked out great and there was no big hole to fill.  The cake were not dry at all

I’m sure you would have no problem tackling a large sheet cake.  I was very intimidated when I baked my first one but it turned out great.

Good luck!!

Thank you MP - I will look at that flower nail on Amazon.  I will need it even if I end up with 12” tier. 

and thank you Liza for the great tips.  Liza I will look at All Occ Downey Yellow Cake?  Is that different from the Yellow Cake in the Wedding Cake section (I do wish Cake Bible were on Kindle (for PC)).  I am encouraged and will do a sheet cake soon to put the experience behind me.  Now another item for the bucket list.

I think it is the same cake.  You just use the Rose Factor to determine the weight of each ingredient for the size of cake you want to make.

Thank you Liza!!  You just saved me several minutes in comparing ....