A good layer cake can put the finishing touches on any meal, event, or celebration. It also gives you, the baker, the chance to add a little flavor accent; whether you’re using pastry cream, fruit jam, or just a ton of ganache, this bit of flair can take a cake from good to great. When it comes to this dessert, one of the persisting questions is how to keep the layers even — but luckily for us, we can turn to the master, Martha Stewart, for inspiration (per YouTube).
Stewart’s strategy for keeping the layers even starts by wrapping and chilling the cake overnight to ensure maximum structural stability when cutting, and to reduce the amount of crumbs produced. Once the pastry is out of the fridge, the first step is to remove the rounded top — leaving a flat plateau of cake — by gently cutting the top with a serrated knife. Be sure to turn the cake, not the knife. That ensures both layers will be uniform in shape, but there’s still the width of each layer to consider.
The secret to symmetrically sized layers requires two tools: a ruler and a set of toothpicks. Use the ruler to measure the cake, then insert a toothpick halfway up. Do this around the entire circumference of the cake. Then, while adding slight pressure with your hand on top of the cake to keep it steady, use a serrated knife to slice along the toothpick line. This will ensure you have two perfectly even halves.
Other tricks for keeping even layers
While Martha Stewart is the undisputed queen of all things kitchen-related — from creamy slow cooker cheesecake to home decor — this is just one of several tricks you can turn to in the quest for even cake layers. If you’ve searched high and low for that pesky ruler and come up empty, don’t panic — we’ve still got you covered.
One trick for cleaner cake layers is the sheet pan hack. This involves baking a single large rectangular cake and using a plate that’s roughly the size you’re aiming for, along with a sharp knife to trace the rim of the plate. As long as your knife stays steady, you should be able to get multiple identical layers out of the same cake.
Investing in the right equipment can also help. You can use a forgotten baking tool — the cake leveler — to create even layers by setting the leveler height halfway up the cake and gently sawing through it. A cake turner and a scalloped serrated knife can go a long way in easing the process. Make a shallow guide mark around the circumference with your knife, then saw gently back and forth, turning the cake as you go. Don’t rush to cut through the cake; by being methodical and creating an initial cut around the edges, the blade can eventually slip into the middle without causing uneven layers or excess crumbs. If all else fails, a lasso of unflavored dental floss can serve as a cake knife if you don’t have any serrated blades on hand.
