How to Cut Cake Layers: Step-by-Step Guide to Cutting Cakes

A few simple tools will make the process of cutting your cake layers a bit easier.

1. 1. Cake leveler: If you’re making lots of layer cakes, it’s worth investing in a cake leveler, which works particularly well for cutting the domed top off a freshly baked cake. Still, a serrated knife or dental floss will also work if you don’t have a leveler on hand.
2. 2. Serrated blade: A long serrated knife is ideal for getting even strokes as you slice without losing too much crumb or smashing your tender cake.
3. 3. Dental floss: You can use unflavored dental floss if you don’t have a bread knife or cake leveler on hand. Dental floss will cut through the cake smoothly without tearing it. Use dental floss over a non-serrated knife.
4. 4. Cake stand: A cake stand elevates your cake and makes it easier to see the layers and mark the sides of the cake. However, you don’t need a cake stand to cut your cake properly; simply position your cake on a cutting board or another clean surface instead.
5. 5. Toothpicks: Use toothpicks to mark where you plan to cut into the cakes. Toothpicks are an easy way to set a guide for your slices without buying extra cake decorating equipment or special tools.

Follow these easy steps to cut even layers for your next celebration cake or torte. This method works for sheet cakes, round cakes, and any other shape. Just make sure your cake recipe yields a thick enough cake to slice into layers once baked.

1. 1. Cool the cake. Set your baked and cooled cake on an even surface, such as a cake stand or cutting board. Always cut cake layers once your cake has cooled to room temperature, as a hot cake may fall apart when sliced.
2. 2. Remove the dome. Start by slicing off the domed portion of your cake. Use a long serrated blade, a twelve-inch strand of dental floss, or a cake leveler to smoothly slice across the top of the cake to create an even, flat surface. If you’re unsure where to cut, hold the cake pan you used to bake the cake upside-down next to the top edge of the cake and use it as a guide to determine where the doming starts.
3. 3. Use toothpicks to mark the edge of the cake. To separate one cake layer into two, start by marking the center with toothpicks. Use six to eight toothpicks to mark around the sides of the entire cake so you can easily see where you need to slice.
4. 4. Make a shallow cut. Once you’ve marked the center with toothpicks, cut a strand of dental floss that’s long enough to wrap around the cake. Wrap the floss just above or below the toothpicks. Pull the floss toward the middle of the cake to make a quarter-inch incision around the entire cake. This action will help mark and guide your final cut.
5. 5. Remove the toothpicks. Once you’ve made the initial mark with the dental floss, you should have a visible line around the center perimeter of the cake. Remove the toothpicks.
6. 6. Cut the cake. Using the dental floss or a long serrated knife, carefully slice the cake along the marked line, using a gentle sawing motion.
7. 7. Transfer to parchment paper. Once you’ve sliced the cake in half, carefully remove the top layer with a long cake spatula and the support of your non-dominant hand, and transfer the dessert to a piece of parchment paper for easy moving. Leave the bottom layer on the cake stand, and start decorating—here’s how to frost cakes (and cupcakes) properly.

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