I’m looking for a cake slicer 12-14 inches long. I want it to make layers and to cut neat slices.

Does anyone have a favorite they can recommend?

Hi FG!  I think I have a 14” AETCO serrated knife.  It’s incredibly sharp and a great tool!  Finding a place to store it safely can be a challenge!!

Here it is:  http://www.amazon.com/Ateco-Stainless-Steel-Knife-Blade/dp/B000KEUKPG

And, is this for torting a cake?

Yes… I suppose you could use it for other things.  It works well up to a 12” cake (the blade is only 14”)—I put the 12 cakes in the pan with some boards underneath to get to appropriate height then cut through resting the knife on the top edge of the cake pan as I cut through.

Thank you! It has excellent reviews. Where do you store it? I just got an in-drawer knife block so I had to measure my drawer. It is just over 12 inches long. How is it for slicing cake into serving pieces?

I ordered it. Thanks for your help Sherrie. 

Flour Girl - 07 February 2013 05:53 PM

Thank you! It has excellent reviews. Where do you store it? I just got an in-drawer knife block so I had to measure my drawer. It is just over 12 inches long. How is it for slicing cake into serving pieces?

I never really use it for slicing, as I have other knives that seem to work fine and it’s very large and unweildly and doesn’t have a pointed tip.  I suppose it would work if you were using it to cut wedding cakes or sheet cakes where you are not on display (as say a dinner party).  I store it in my corner shelf—I think the sides at the back are both 16” so it fits.

Oh.  I’m looking for a knife that can evenly cut serving pieces from a sheet cake too. I’m still going to need this for torting but what do you use for slicing?

I use a bread knife that I bought at my grocery store -  it doesn’t compress the cake and is small <12”.  But…if you are cutting a sheet cake I think it will work because you will just cut lines and not wedges (the wedges are problematic because the knife has a rounded tip).  I think you will be hard pressed to find a large knife for torting (14” long) with a pointed tip…it may be classified as a sword I think it will be just fine for sheet cakes.

Sherrie - 07 February 2013 05:32 PM

Yes… I suppose you could use it for other things.  It works well up to a 12” cake (the blade is only 14”)—I put the 12 cakes in the pan with some boards underneath to get to appropriate height then cut through resting the knife on the top edge of the cake pan as I cut through.

So, Sherrie, do you mark the cake somehow so you know what is the appropriate height (that is where the point is that makes even layers)?

Sherrie - 08 February 2013 09:37 AM

I use a bread knife that I bought at my grocery store -  it doesn’t compress the cake and is small <12”.  But…if you are cutting a sheet cake I think it will work because you will just cut lines and not wedges (the wedges are problematic because the knife has a rounded tip).  I think you will be hard pressed to find a large knife for torting (14” long) with a pointed tip…it may be classified as a sword I think it will be just fine for sheet cakes.

 
It sounds perfect for me. I have a 10 inch bread knife which cuts round cakes perfectly. I need something for sheet cakes because the bread knife seems to pull the cake as I am dragging the knife across it’s length.

Thank you so much!

CRenee - 08 February 2013 10:03 AM

Sherrie - 07 February 2013 05:32 PM

Yes… I suppose you could use it for other things.  It works well up to a 12” cake (the blade is only 14”)—I put the 12 cakes in the pan with some boards underneath to get to appropriate height then cut through resting the knife on the top edge of the cake pan as I cut through.

So, Sherrie, do you mark the cake somehow so you know what is the appropriate height (that is where the point is that makes even layers)?

Hi CRenee,

I usually mark the halfway mark for each cake or if I really want to be detailed take the measurement of the shortest layer (if using 2 or more cakes) and then determine the 1/2 its height and make all the layers this height so they are exactly the same.  I have to use trial and error to get the correct number of boards/height to raise the cake up in the pan.  I suppose you could use other systems to make it work for you—I recall Rose talking about candy rods/sticks that were the perfect height but it likely depends upon what you have available to you.

Great info.  For your 14 inch knife, this knife sheet will be good for storage

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EX0RYW?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B000EX0RYW&linkCode=xm2&tag=myyelkit-20

For cutting round cakes, I use the wusthof cake knife/server

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000DJYZ3?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0000DJYZ3&linkCode=xm2&tag=myyelkit-20

Flour Girl - 08 February 2013 10:37 AM

Sherrie - 08 February 2013 09:37 AM

I use a bread knife that I bought at my grocery store -  it doesn’t compress the cake and is small <12”.  But…if you are cutting a sheet cake I think it will work because you will just cut lines and not wedges (the wedges are problematic because the knife has a rounded tip).  I think you will be hard pressed to find a large knife for torting (14” long) with a pointed tip…it may be classified as a sword I think it will be just fine for sheet cakes.

 
It sounds perfect for me. I have a 10 inch bread knife which cuts round cakes perfectly. I need something for sheet cakes because the bread knife seems to pull the cake as I am dragging the knife across it’s length.

Thank you so much!

Flour Girl, if you’re looking for something to level and/or tort larger cakes and you’re finding that even a 14” knife is too small for this, you might consider getting a cake leveler. I have the older version Wilton made and it works wonderfully. They have a newer version that folds so it’s easier to store and keeps the sharp edge to the inside when folded, but I don’t know how well it works since I’ve never used it. My concern with their new design is the small rivet in the middle where it folds. I just wonder how it will affect its slicing ability. It might not at all, I just can’t say since I don’t have that version. With the older one I have it’s large and takes up a lot of storage space for a knife, but it makes torting and leveling larger cakes a breeze. Regardless of which design you have, you can still use the method of placing something in the cake pan to raise the cake to the right height in the pan for leveling and torting if you want to, but handling cakes as lager as a half sheet or larger can be somewhat cumbersome to handle, so taking it out of the pan and then putting it back in could be stressful with out some extra hands to help, or at least a large sheet of metal (like a single-lip cookie sheet) to help with handling/moving such a large cake. The advantage, however, is that it’s easier to get the leveler to slice through the cake at the spot you want to. The leveler has adjustable feet so you can set the height of the blade at various heights, but without using the pan method and just placing the cake on a table or counter top you might not get the knife blade in the exact spot you want to slice through if the feet are unable to be set to the exact height to match where you want to slice through the cake.

If you decide to use a large knife instead of a leveler, I would suggest finding a serrated knife that has fairly shallow serrations to it. The larger serrations will tend to pull and tear the cake as it’s going through it. Also, I find that just being patient and going slow during the slicing process helps a lot. Let the knife do the work. I place the knife to the cake and then try to hold my arm as still as possible while holding the knife nice and level. Then place my hand on top of the cake to turn it on the turntable and let the knife do all the work.

Good luck finding something that works for you!

- MP

hectorwong - 08 February 2013 01:49 PM

Great info.  For your 14 inch knife, this knife sheet will be good for storage

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EX0RYW?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B000EX0RYW&linkCode=xm2&tag=myyelkit-20

For cutting round cakes, I use the wusthof cake knife/server

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000DJYZ3?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0000DJYZ3&linkCode=xm2&tag=myyelkit-20

Thanks Hector. I actually ordered the Messermeister Edge Guard and the Ateco 14 inch knife. I love that edge guard. I have it in the 12 inch for my granton

That’s a nice Wustof Knife. I like that it has micro serrations.

Thanks for your help

Monsieur Pâtisserie - 08 February 2013 04:00 PM

Flour Girl - 08 February 2013 10:37 AM

Sherrie - 08 February 2013 09:37 AM

I use a bread knife that I bought at my grocery store -  it doesn’t compress the cake and is small <12”.  But…if you are cutting a sheet cake I think it will work because you will just cut lines and not wedges (the wedges are problematic because the knife has a rounded tip).  I think you will be hard pressed to find a large knife for torting (14” long) with a pointed tip…it may be classified as a sword I think it will be just fine for sheet cakes.

 
It sounds perfect for me. I have a 10 inch bread knife which cuts round cakes perfectly. I need something for sheet cakes because the bread knife seems to pull the cake as I am dragging the knife across it’s length.

Thank you so much!

Flour Girl, if you’re looking for something to level and/or tort larger cakes and you’re finding that even a 14” knife is too small for this, you might consider getting a cake leveler. I have the older version Wilton made and it works wonderfully. They have a newer version that folds so it’s easier to store and keeps the sharp edge to the inside when folded, but I don’t know how well it works since I’ve never used it. My concern with their new design is the small rivet in the middle where it folds. I just wonder how it will affect its slicing ability. It might not at all, I just can’t say since I don’t have that version. With the older one I have it’s large and takes up a lot of storage space for a knife, but it makes torting and leveling larger cakes a breeze. Regardless of which design you have, you can still use the method of placing something in the cake pan to raise the cake to the right height in the pan for leveling and torting if you want to, but handling cakes as lager as a half sheet or larger can be somewhat cumbersome to handle, so taking it out of the pan and then putting it back in could be stressful with out some extra hands to help, or at least a large sheet of metal (like a single-lip cookie sheet) to help with handling/moving such a large cake. The advantage, however, is that it’s easier to get the leveler to slice through the cake at the spot you want to. The leveler has adjustable feet so you can set the height of the blade at various heights, but without using the pan method and just placing the cake on a table or counter top you might not get the knife blade in the exact spot you want to slice through if the feet are unable to be set to the exact height to match where you want to slice through the cake.

If you decide to use a large knife instead of a leveler, I would suggest finding a serrated knife that has fairly shallow serrations to it. The larger serrations will tend to pull and tear the cake as it’s going through it. Also, I find that just being patient and going slow during the slicing process helps a lot. Let the knife do the work. I place the knife to the cake and then try to hold my arm as still as possible while holding the knife nice and level. Then place my hand on top of the cake to turn it on the turntable and let the knife do all the work.

Good luck finding something that works for you!

- MP

Thank you Monsieur! I actually have the smaller Wilton Cake Leveler you mention. I used it when I forgot to use Rose’s Heavenly Cake Strips and had to remove the mound on my layers.

I ordered the knife Sherrie recommended. I have never torted a cake yet but I need it to cut sheet cakes into squares.

Thank you so much