Vertical Layer Cake Tutorial

I really need to preface this tutorial with... I am sorry.  I am SURE there are easier ways to do a Vertical Layer Cake.  

But I was being a brat for my birthday.

I wanted real cake, and not sponge cake.

I wanted two different flavors. (that might be a pregnancy thing)

I wanted massive amounts of frosting. (that might be a pregnancy thing too)

Hence, I bucked every traditional mold I had seen for a vertical layer cake and made my own.

Sorry.

The second time making the cake I was surprised by how quickly everything went.  Its amazing how much smoother life is with a plan.

Huh.  I gotta remember that.

Anywho... I made two cakes.  One red velvet and one white cake.  I made them in 8in pans and used these methods for creating a level cake.

Here is an important step... IMMEDIATELY out of the oven, like say within five minutes at most, I removed the cakes from their pans and cut of the top crusty layer of cake of both 8in cakes.  

I then placed the cut parts together.  (It should look like a two layer cake here, except without frosting) Then put it in the freezer for no less then five hours.

The reason I do this is:

1. I want the height of a two layer cake. (four or five inches)

2. I do not want a frosting seam.

3. This helps to meld the layers together so they appear one complete layer.

If you have a 5in deep cake pan and can successfully bake a 5in cake then just do that! (lots easier BTW)

Now!  Once the cakes have firmed up nicely (after a good five hours, but give it six if you can!) you can remove them from the freezer.

We will begin to cut out our layers!

I simply used a cardboard cake round as my guide.  I traced out three evenly (ha!  I am so not a perfectionist, so bear with me) spaced concentric circles.

I am now going to cut off the outside circle.

Place the template back on the cake.  Now I need to carve around that circle!  Its important to try and get your knife at a 90 degree angle... you want a very straight up and down cut.

Follow the template as close as you can.  A sharp knife here is a great idea!!

You are going to do this with BOTH cakes.

Now I cut off another circle and started the process again.

Do this to both cakes.

Then cut off another circle so you are left with the center portion. (FYI, if you want to do another circle, therefore making your center smaller, you certainly can!)

 You are now left with two cakes that have concentric circles cut in each.

 The next step might go against everything you know about cake... but just do it anyway.

Wow that was bossy.

Take a nice big sharp knife and cut from the OUTSIDE of the center circle through the cake.

You are going to gently separate the layers into individual sections.  This is why it is SO important to have a very chilled if not frozen cake!

Choose which center you want to start with. (I choose the white cake) 

Take the next larger layer of the other cake and place it around the center.

Keep doing this... alternating the layers... until you have a complete cake assembled again!

And there you go!  Easy right?

Now... were you worried about the layers not staying together?  I fixed that with three easy steps.

1. Pour a simple syrup over the re-assembled cakes. (not too much!!)

2. Place a wax paper "belt" around the cake and bind it together with a cord or towel scrap.

3. Place it back in the freezer for a bit!

 A couple hours before you are ready to decorate, place the cakes in the fridge so they can "thaw" without sweating.

(I wouldnt recommend decorating a frozen cake.)

 Now... please forgive me but I didn't decorate the outside with the roses.  

I just did a smooth layer of frosting then wrote out a romantic quote I found from Shakespeare.

 Its nothing fancy, but it was easy.  You weren't here for the outside right?

 "When I saw you I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew."

And there are the vertical layers!

If you make this cake please let me know, I would love to see!  And of course, love to know if you came up with an easier way. :)

Comments

[Lynn]

Been waiting on this!!! Couldn't stand the wait! I made a typical jelly roll fashion cake, with regular cake, was cool, but not as great as this!! I will try! and hopefully not be too much of a failure so I can share!

Thanks for sharing your awesome ideas!

[Ema]

WOOOOW LOVELY N KINDA DO-ABLE

but i wanted to ask is there any frosting between the layers???

[Paula (Salad in a Jar)]

Brilliant! Can't wait to try it.

[Kenni]

This is so simple! Honestly I don't think there could be an easier way to do this. I may have to try this someday.

[Becki D]

You know I'm gonna have to try this one!

You're awwwwesome - thank you so much for your awesome ideas, and then going ahead and sharing how to recreate them!

Love ya!

[Leah]

When I first saw your vertical cake I thought immediately of the checkerboard method but without swapping the different coloured layers. I have the checkerboard step by step on my blog, I use large cookie cutters to make rings (no separate set of pans required) http://cakesandbakesni.wordpress.com/2010/08/03/step-by-step-checkerboard-cake/
It would be pretty simple to just keep the same colours on top of each other and avoid having to make a template or cut into the rings.
I definitely want to give this a go as it's such a beautiful effect and I'm in awe of your rose piping so might try that too, although my piping skills are very lacking!

Thanks for sharing your tricks.

[Amanda Rettke]

Thanks for the heads up Journeyfromself.wordpress.com! I got the quote from herehttp://www.love-poems.me.uk/valentines-day-quotes-shakespeare.htm. It is the last one listed. I am sorry if I got it from a flawed source!

[heidi]

I've pretty much been waiting for this tutorial all week. How are you so brilliant? Amazing. Thank you so much!

www.aweekfromthursday.wordpress.com

[Heather]

You never cease to impress :) Thanks for the tutorial, making this cake looks like fun!

[Gayatri Kumar]

Aah! So this is how the vertical layering is done.. cool! never would have thought it - just keep pondering how you did that in your earlier posts! :) Thanks for the info! Looks beautiful and the quote idea is great and elegant! :)

x G

http://lookwhoswearing.blogspot.com/

[MandyM]

I had an idea that this was how you did your vertical layers, glad I figured it out! :)

I guess the only downside (if there ever is a downside to cake) is that you end up with 2 rather large cakes. Not a problem if you're feeding lots of people, but a slight problem if you're not. (I can't be trusted with cake, I will always find an excuse to have another slice ;))

That said, I think I'd definitely do this if I was going to be feeding a lot of mouths and wanted the wow-factor :)

I absolutely love the simple but elegant way you decorated the cake. What a lovely idea to put a simple quote around the side. Beautiful!

[Paula]

You have got to be one of the most creative and ingenious cake bakers ever. Your tutorial is wonderful and certainly helps get my head around what I often ask myself when reading your blog... *How does she do that!*

[susan]

You make me CRAZY! You are so patient! Both kids birthday's are this weekend - with a party to boot! Do I have the patience to do this???? I am now obsessed! Fantastic tutorial! You rock!

[HeatherChristo]

I have never done anything like this- but you made it seam possible :) thanks for the tutorial!

[Dottie]

I now know that I am not Nancy Drew, the mystery is solved. I adore this vertical cake. I had thought about using the checker board cake idea, still not a bad one(maybe ) What about making the cakes in a spring form pan? That way you could eliminate one step, and be quaranteed that the layers would come out less damaged.Would brushing between the layers with the simple syrup be better than pouring on top? I have also had very good luck with frosting a frozen cake. It was easier, and very fresh tasting. Why is this wrong ? Amanda, I am new to you site,I find everything about it perfection. Your ideas, skill, and generosity about sharing is a wonderful thing to observe. Many thanks.

[Maria]

Thanks for sharing your tips and tricks!

[susan]

Love the tutorial, love the cake, love the quote. Love you!

[linda]

A M A N D A …you are T O O M U C H !!

K U D O S !!

B R A V O !!

this is such a great tutorial…i will need to re-read this several times…
you truly are inspirational & help me to strive for a new level of baking!

[Amy Nguyen]

I LOVE IT SO MUCH!!! Thank you for posting this tutorial. I am going to attempt this this week!!!

[Gwendolyn]

I gave much thought as to how I would write to you to express my wonder and amazement. Those two words seemed somewhat inadequate. I think perhaps like the prose for the cake, you too will read this and just smile because you know....how wonderful it is and that you have taken great care to share it with us so that we might replicate it and make our loved ones "Smile" also.

[Stacey]

I was thinking the checkerboard cake pans also. Looks like it would work. I would love to try this one day.

Everything you do is just lovely.

[Jenn]

Amanda, I do want to hear about the outside of this cake. I love how you decorate it. The frosting looks like it's fondant. Is it? Also your writing looks so good.

[June G]

Oh Lordy! Thank you! In my mind I pictured this much more difficult!

[Paula {JustABiteDesserts.com}]

I have just picked myself up from the floor, still stunned by this cake. Have been wondering since you posted the first one how on earth you did it and now I know. Baking will never be the same. LOL Thank you for this!

[Zoe Says]

This is gorgeous! I have a quick question and it's about the smooth white icing on the outside. A friend of mine's father made the best red velvet cake I've ever had and one of the secrets was to this smooth white icing. Is yours made from milk? Is it silky smooth? I guess what I'm really asking is what your recipe is. I'm going to stare at the photo of the cake some more.

[Christa]

That is actually my favorite Shakespeare quote! :) hardly anyone knows it! I may try this cake for stress relief this weekend! Thank you so much for taking the time to share.

[Journeyfromself.wordpress.com]

No worries, no worries!  I was just wondering what play it was from and finding Arrigo Boito sited as the author.

[mindy]

Beautiful!! You made that totally do-able. Now I can't wait to stump my children. ;)

[Sweetpea]

Awesome! Thank you for sharing! One question how much is too much of the simple syrup?..I don't have a sense about how much to use.

Thank you

[Mary]

Can you help with any hints on how to do the writing on the side? I feel like if I tried this, it would run down the side and look horrible!!!! HELP!! LOL

[Helia Silva]

I will certainly tried to do this vertical layer cake, cause I loved it.

When I do I'll tell.

Kissses

Hélia

[Meg]

My friend and I are LOVING the rose covered stripey cake. But your birthday cake was pink and chocolate--what, pray tell, did you make for your birthday version?

[Stephanie]

That is gorgeous! Lots of work but worth the effort. Happy belated birthday Amanda!

[gaby02]

First I want to say that you are very creative. I love how clean the lines look. I also thought of the checkerboard cake when I saw this for the first time. Another suggestion could be instead of making a template or using large cookie cutters (like one of the comments mentioned) you could just use the rings that come in the checkerboard cake pan package as your cutters. Keep up the great work. Happy baking!

[Patti]

I "wondered" if that is how you did this cake!!! I was particularly stumped on how you did this without frosting between each layer. GREAT idea!

Thank you SO much for sharing.
Patti

[Georgia]

That is just amazing! I'm gonna have to try that! Fascinating how the two layers of cake melded together like they were one cake that had been baked in a 5 inch pan.

How cool would that be for candy cane themed Christmas cake?!

Thank you, Amanda.

[Rindy]

Very exciting baking! I have to confess that it is a bit beyond me.....for now.

[cookienurse]

I hope you will seriously consider writing a book. You have a great talent and I love your creative ideas!

[mandy]

I can't wait to make this cake! And I am going out tomorrow to buy a 1M tip to try my hand at decorating it with roses. THANKK YOU for the inspiration.

[sunflowers8]

Hi Amanda I love your cake tutorial ^_^
Have a good day!
Sonia

[Bridgette]

That looks absolutly beautiful! Also this is my new favorit blog (shhh dont tell the others) I am new to baking and LOVE to make pies! I am branching out and trying some cakes now too. Thank you for all your posts I am so happy I found a sight that gives great "How To's" and such beautiful work!
~Burns

[Flora]

Thank you for sharing this. I can't wait to try it.

[Eliana]

This is a visual masterpiece! And it looks super delish too.

[Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles]

So beautiful!!!

[Danielle]

Wow, I seriously can't wait to try this Amy!
Anything worth having is worth a little work right?!
I love the simplicity of the outside of the cake, AND I adore the quote you chose. <3

[Amanda]

That is so cool, bookmarked, stumbled and pinned! :)

[Jai]

i just had to let you know how excited i am to attempt this cake for valentine's day this weekend. i am a big fan of all of you work. you are my idol.

[Sparklewolfie]

Ooh yay! Haha I tumblr'd your original cake and my friends kept asking me how it was done and I guessed that it was cut in rings :P Never would have thought of freezing it though - I want to try this now!!

[Pampered Sweet Tooth]

You seem to always out do the your last baking creation. I ♥ this cake. I'm sure that it was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Keep the post as well as tutorials coming. I am going to challenge myself this year in attempting to recreate some of your amazing confections. Key word here is "attempting". (-: Nothing like sweet baking challenges. Thanks for sharing!

[Darla @ Bakingdom]

This is gorgeous! And it's not bratty to have exactly what you want for your birthday!! It doesn't seem too difficult, really. I haven't seen any other vertical layer tutorials to compare it to, but this seems very straightforward. Can't wait to try it!