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For all the time and effort you put into baking a cake, it could be frustrating if the result isn’t visually appealing. When you make a layered cake, trimming it to the right dimensions will need to be done with precision.
Whether you’re a professional baker or an amateur, a cake leveler is a handy one among the many baking tools you must own. It will help you get an even and level cake, perfect for frosting and cake decorating.
Read on to know all there is to find the best cake leveler.
Do You Need A Cake Leveler?
A baked cake with a domed top implies a delicate, tender crumb inside. While that’s a perfect bake, the dome could make it difficult if you’d like a smooth and level frosting.
With a good cake leveler, the dome of the cake can be sliced off for a conveniently flat surface to stack and decorate. After all, who wouldn’t want to make a professional-looking cake that looks perfect?
For a multi-layered cake, stacking multiple layers of domed cakes could cause the whole cake to crack and crumble with too much pressure on the cake’s center. Cake levelers ensure each cake of yours is elegant and well-structured.
The main thing to remember is to let the cake cool down before cutting. Hot or warm cakes might crumble when slicing, while frozen or dense cold ones could break the wires.
What to Keep in Mind Before Buying A Cake Leveler
A perfectly level cake makes cake decorating easier. You’ll have a lovely cake once you’re done rather than a multi-layer cake with a dangerous lean.
Here’s what you need to be sure about before you buy a cake leveler:
Straight Vs. Wavy Wire
A cake leveler with a straight wire makes a clean cut and is suitable for cakes with a more delicate crumb; the cake tears less.
The slightly regular waves of a wavy wire are similar to a serrated knife. Working like teeth, the waves slice easily through more dense cakes.
Width of the Cake
A 10-inch cake leveler isn’t much use if you bake 12-inch cakes regularly. The cake leveler must match the overall cake width. It would be better to purchase a larger one since you can use it on a smaller cake, but not vice versa.
Layer Height
Typical cake levelers can work through 2 – 4 inches of height. You’ll need a taller leveler if you’ve to cut through a 6-inch tall angel food cake.
Things to Look Out for in Quality Cake Levelers
For impressive results with each cake you make, here are a few features that determine a good cake leveler:
Frame Material
Plastic levelers might cost less and seem appealing, but they’re bound to warp and bend eventually. A good and sturdy cake leveler will have a stainless steel or aluminum frame that’s more durable and as lightweight as the plastic ones.
Design
The different designs of a cake leveler include a straight end or one shaped like a paddle. The straight cake leveler fits into the middle of the cake with its flat end for easy leveling.
The blade of the curved, semi-circular paddle-shaped leveler can be easily raised above the cake.
Adjustable Height
If you make cakes with varying sizes, an adjustable-height cake leveler will be more suitable. Apart from leveling the cake’s top, you can also cut the layers in half.
Grip
With a good grip, leveling cakes can be done comfortably.
Most brands use plastic material, but those with silicon provide a more comfortable grip. For an affordable product, you could get one with a rubber coating on a plastic handle; this provides a good grip while getting your cake layered.
Easy to Use
A large leveler with sturdy rubber or plastic feet makes it stable and easy to use. As a result, you can cut through your cake with ease and make professional-looking cakes.
Dual Wires
If you’re one to routinely bake and decorate many cakes at once, cake levelers with dual wires are a great time-saving choice. The 2 wires let you level the dome and simultaneously make a clean layer slice.
Best Cake Levelers
Here are some of the best cake levelers that help you make a perfectly layered professional cake.
Wilton Cake Leveler
One of the trusted names in professional tools for baking, this Wilton leveler is a good pick for home bakers and professionals.
For cakes with a diameter of 10 inches or less, this leveler offers 10 adjustable heights for making even cake layers with a consistent height.
The ergonomic plastic handle and high-quality steel holder make it easy to hold. With its flat and hard plastic feet, the leveler will remain stable and slides easily across the cake.
The wavy wire functions like a serrated knife, allowing a cleaner cut even through the brown-crusted or dense cakes. A numbered guide on the side helps adjust the wire settings for even, smooth cutting of each cake layer.
The leveler measures 12″ x 6.25″, and its wire adjusts up to 2″ high. It’s dishwasher-safe and comes with a complete guide that explains how to install and adjust the blade for cutting cakes perfectly. It’s suggested to wash it before and after use with a damp cloth.
PME 18-inch Stainless Steel Cake Leveler
This cake leveler with a high-quality stainless steel serrated blade effectively cuts through when working on large cakes. As a result, this is a better choice than other levelers with thin cutting wires.
With a gentle sawing motion and extra patience, it can cut through even the densest cakes.
The serrated blade precisely levels and cuts the cake into even layers. A good hack is to wipe the cutting blade with a warm, damp cloth to get it clean and ready to use.
Made of stainless steel, it is corrosion-resistant and highly durable.
Mrs. Anderson’s Baking Adjustable 2-Wire Layer Cake Cutter and Leveler
This durable 13″ x 6.5″ all-stainless steel leveler makes cake leveling easy for batter-based cakes up to 12″ in width.
The 2 wires can be set at different heights to slice through the cake. With a gentle pull of the wires through the cake, you’ll have even layers for precision decorating.
The stainless steel handle and wires are rust-free and dishwasher-safe. The wires need to be adjusted to the same height on each side. However, since the wires aren’t wavy, cutting through browned crust could be slightly difficult.
The handle provides a good grip for cutting the cake evenly.
Since it’s easy to use, it can be an excellent tool for professional decorators and even home bakers.
Bonviee Adjustable Cake Leveler Professional Layer Slicer Cutter
This is a high-quality baking tool with 3 adjustable wires for a clean cut at any depth.
Made of stainless steel and aluminum alloy, it’s quite durable and is suitable for any professional and home pastry cook.
The easily adjustable sharp, 18″ serrated blades and a measure size range (ranging from 1 to 9 cm) on the stand allow for clean cuts of any thickness.
It provides stable cutting and doesn’t slip, owing to its 2 hard plastic feet and an anti-slip frosted plastic handle. This is also dishwasher-safe, making it easy to clean.
Splitting cakes evenly is easy with this cake leveler, which also reduces the debris falling. The product package includes 2 additional plastic scrapers; once you’re done leveling, you can apply frosting and scrape it perfectly.
RFAQK 64 pcs Cake Decorating Kit
This kit has the entire work to help you decorate cakes!
In addition to a cake leveler, there’s also an 11″ rotating cake turntable, 24 easy-to-use icing tips, 11″ straight and angled spatulas that are used as an icing smoother, 3 cake scraper sets, 2 couplers, 30 icing bags, and a cleaning brush.
The revolving cake turntable turns smoothly clockwise and anti-clockwise, making it easy to work on your cake. For the numbered icing tips, there’s a pattern chart that provides the outcome of each tip for easier selection.
The cake leveler in this kit has 2 adjustable wires for evenly cutting the required depth.
Upon purchase of this kit, you’ll also have access to the e-book user guide for beginners, making it easy to bake and decorate.
Final Thoughts
A cake leveler has an equally important role among the many basic cake decorating tools like a cake stand, turntable, spatula and scraper, and piping accessories.
So take your pick out of the best cake levelers to make a smooth, professional-looking cake.
By cutting out the cake’s dome and perfectly even layers, decorating is an easier task. A good cake leveler must be made of durable material, have adjustable wires, a handle that gives a good grip, sturdy feet to avoid slips or wobbles, and must be easy to use.
Gone are the days when you had to use a knife to cut through cakes; pick up a cake leveler, and see the amazing difference in your multi-layered cakes.
