3 Smart Ways to Divide Cake Batter

updated May 1, 2019
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(Image credit: Faith Durand)

Dividing cake batter between multiple pans can be a make-or-break situation. Pour a whole lot into one pan and whatever is left into the otherm and you may be left with two baked cakes with two very different heights, which will lead to a layer cake that tastes great, but looks uneven. Friends, there’s a better way.

Eyeballing the cake batter in each pan unfortunately just doesn’t work. To guarantee even cake layers, you have to seek out a method that’s a little more accurate. I spoke with Tessa Huff, a pastry chef and frequent Kitchn contributor, to get some insight.

1. Reach for a scale.

Using weight as a measure is always a great way to keep things precise. If you have a kitchen scale, this is a perfect opportunity to put it to good use. Weigh the bowl that the cake batter is going to be in while empty, and then weigh it again with the cake batter in it. Subtract the bowl’s weight from this number and you’ve got exactly how much the batter weighs. Then you just have to divide the cake batter’s weight into the number of cake pans you’re using.

2. Use an ice cream scoop.

If you don’t have a kitchen scale, you still have options. “Alternatively, you can use a large mechanical ice cream scoop to divide the batter going back and forth between pans,” says Huff. She also likes to do this when dividing the batter in cupcake pans. When you’re done, simply level out the batter with a spatula.

More on Using an Ice Cream Scoop: The Easiest Way to Divide Cake Batter Evenly

3. Try a liquid measuring cup.

“If the batter is on the runny side, you can pour it into the pans using a liquid measuring cup instead.” Just measure out the quantity of total batter you have first, then use the liquid measure cup to divide it evenly.

How do you divide your cake batter?