Wilton Bake-Even Strips Review

Wilton Bake-Even Strips are metallic strips you can place around a cake pan to help prevent the cake from crusting and rising too high (or "domeing"). Ideally, using these strips lets you skip the leveling step when baking and decorating a cake. Do the Wilton Bake-Even Strips work and are the Wilton Bake-Even Strips worth the money? Here's my Wilton Bake-Even Strips review.

I hesitated to buy the Wilton Bake-Even Strips because I am completely new at cake decorating. My thought was that these strips were just another ploy by Wilton trying to get you to spend your money on some novelty cake tool you really don't need. However, I had a 40% off coupon at Michael's craft store and couldn't' find anything else to buy. The coupon was burning a hole in my pocket, so I made my way over to the cake decorating aisle and broke down and bought these strips.

How to use the Wilton Bake-Even Strips

It's easy-just soak the strips in water. I ran them under running water and then used my fingers to rub the water into the strips more thoroughly so that it would sop it up quicker. Wrap the strips around the pan before putting your cake in the oven. The strips attach easily to the pan. Once attached, stick the cake in the oven and bake according to recipe or package directions. When your cake comes out of the oven, you'll notice how level it is-there's no dome in the center of your cake that you'll need to lob off later when it cools. The strips are reusable and are ready to be put back with your cake decorating supplies after they cool off.

How did my cake turn out when using the Wilton Bake-Even Strips?

PERFECT! Well, perfectly level, that is. I didn't need to use my cake leveler at all (to lob the top off anyway. You'll still need it, should you want to torte your cake); it was already done for me, thanks to the bake-even strips.

Price of the Wilton Bake-Even Strips

As of September 2010, Wilton sells the strips for $8.99 for the "small" set (good for 8 or 9 inch round cakes) and $18.99 for the "large" set (ideal for bigger cakes, obviously). I purchased the small set. If you can, try to local a Michael's, Joann's or Hobby Lobby coupon-often times these stores, especially Michaels, have a 40% off coupon on regular priced merchandise.

Overall opinion on the Wilton Bake-Even Strips

I'm really happy with my purchase. Like I said, I'm a cake decorating beginner. My "leveling a cake" skills aren't the best, yet even when using a cake level, so that particular task of cake decorating is a time suck for me. These strips save me time. I'd say that the only downfall to this product is that there isn't any delicious cake scraps! Those are always fun to eat!