How to Bake a Cake so the Middle Doesn't Bubble Up

Cakes frequently bubble in the center because the outer edges set and cook faster, giving the center more time to rise. Unless you allowed the outside to dry and overbake, the taste of the cake is not affected. However, you must cut off the bubbled centers if you want layers that stack flat. While many bakers resign themselves to cutting cakes with knives or dental floss as part of their routine, doing so is a great waste of cake that is completely avoidable. If you keep the outside of the pan cool, the edges to bake slower. The whole cake cooks and rises evenly, without the dome in the middle.

Things You'll Need

Ruler
Towel

Scissors
Toothpick

Instructions

Measure the height of the cake pan from the base to just below lip around the top edge. Measure the perimeter around the outside of the cake pan.
Cut a towel into two strips as wide as the cake pan height. The strips should be at least 6 inches longer than perimeter around the cake pan. Dish towels and terry cloth bath towels work well for this, depending on the size of the pan.
Soak the towel strips in water and wring out any excess so they are wet, but not dripping.
Tie the wet towel strips around the outside of the cake pan. Tie one towel on top of the other and adjust them so the sides are completely covered. If you have a very large pan and don't have a towel long enough to wrap around the pan, tie multiple towel strips together to form a long strip.
Bake the cake in the center rack of your oven for the amount of time indicated in the recipe. Insert a toothpick in the center to check for doneness. Remove the cake when the toothpick comes out clean or mostly clean.

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