The Best Type Of Knife To Use For Cutting Cake Layers
By Allie Sivak
A serrated knife is a must-have tool for cutting cakes into even layers without smashing and compacting their delicate, airy crumb structures and textures.
Compared to a smooth chef's knife, which relies on downward force and pressure to cut, a serrated knife has jagged or scalloped edges and employs a gentle sawing motion.
Any bread knife with sharp, ridged edges will do the cake-cutting job well. If you don't already own a serrated knife, you can buy a good serrated bread knife for $25 or less.
To create your cake layers, remove your baked and cooled cake from its pan, invert it onto a stable cutting board or work surface, and place it on a flat base.
When cutting the cake into two even layers, use one hand to hold your knife perpendicularly to yourself while you stabilize the base of the cake with your other hand.
Use the edge of your knife to outline the edge of the cutting area and make a framework for an even cut, then gently saw the cake in half horizontally until you have two layers.
If your cake top is rounded, remove the top with your serrated knife to create a flat surface using the same sawing motion before creating your cake layers.