Baking bands are a baker’s secret ingredient to baking level cakes every time and achieving professional results! These are super easy to make with this how to make your own baking bands guide and some more good news is once you have made these you can use them over and over again!
If you have read the guide on 8 Tips for How to Bake Perfectly Level Cakes, you will know baking bands or baking strips as they are also known are a must for baking level cakes in my opinion! So, I thought it might be helpful if i showed you how to make your own baking bands. If you have not read this yet and you struggle wit baking even cakes, have a read and see if there are any tips that help you with your baking.
Baking bands are used to wrap around the outside of a cake pan and these help your cakes bake evenly and rise flat. Baking bands work by being soaked in cold water prior to being wrapped around your cake tin, when you pop your cake it in the oven. The moisture from the strips helps to cool the edges of the cake while it bakes. If you cool the outside of the tin this slows down the baking process, giving the centre of the cake time to bake properly before the edges dry out and overbake. With a homemade baking band, you can achieve a perfectly baked cake every time.
Some of the benefits of using baking bands
Even baking
One of the main benefits of using baking bands is that they help your cake bake more evenly. The moisture from the bands helps to cool the edges of the cake while it bakes, which slows down the baking process and gives the centre of the cake time to bake properly before the edges dry out and overbake. This results in a cake that is evenly baked from edge to edge, with no dry or overbaked spots.
Flat top
Baking bands can also help your cake rise flat. When a cake bakes, the edges of the pan get hotter than the centre, which can cause the cake to dome in the middle. This can make it difficult to stack and ice your cake evenly. By keeping the edges of the cake cooler, baking bands help to prevent this dome effect, resulting in a cake with a flat top that is easier to work with.
Moisture retention
Baking bands can also help your cake retain moisture. As the moisture from the bands evaporates during baking, it creates a steamy environment that helps to keep the cake moist and tender. This is especially useful for cakes that are prone to drying out, such as sponge cakes.
Time-saving
Using baking bands can also save you time. When a cake bakes unevenly or domes in the middle, you may need to trim the top or level the layers before icing your cake. This can be time-consuming and messy! By using baking bands to achieve a flat top you can skip this step and move straight to icing and decorating your cake.
Cost-effective
Finally, baking bands are a cost-effective tool for achieving professional-looking cakes. They do not cost much to make and they are easy to make at home too, using materials that you probably already have lying around the house. By using baking bands, you can achieve bakery-quality results, it won’t cost you much to get this professional finish to your cakes and once you have made your bands you can use these over and over again.
What do you need
Tools and Equipment
- Clean, thin, and absorbent cotton fabric – I used a pattern for the front and plain white for the back.
- Scissors
- Measuring tape
- Pins
- Sewing machine and thread
- A cake tin if you want to make a different sized baking band to this one. This baking band fits tins up to a 12inch round tin.
How to make your own baking bands – your 14 step guide to successful baking band making
Measure your tin
If you want to make your own sized band measure the circumference of your cake pan with a measuring tape and then custom the below instructions to your measurements If not skip to the next step.
Measure out the fabric
Take your main or front fabric and measure 43 inches long, mark this with pins. This includes a ½ inch seam allowance at each end.
Choose the height
Measure the hight that you want your band to be, I am making make mine about 2.5 inches as this is suitable for deeper pan cakes too. As you will be doubling / folding your fabric in half you want to measure 5.5 inches high on your fabric (this is 2.5 inches x 2 plus ¼ inch x 2 for your seam allowance). Again, mark this out with your pins and then cut your strip.
Time to line it
Next you need to measure out the size of your lining fabric, start by measuring the length, as before measure 43 inches and use your pins to mark the length on your fabric. For the height you want to be able to fold this over 3 times so you have good insulation around your pan, I made mine 7 ¼ inches high including the seam allowance, mark this with your pins on your fabric. Cut out your lining strip.
Fold and sew
Fold your front band in half, wrong side to wrong side and sew ¼ inch along the top open edge (make sure you leave the ends open though!).
Double the lining
Take your lining fabric and fold this over 2 ¼ inches then press, then fold this over again 2 ¼ inches and press, you should be left with ¼ inch seam allowance, to also fold over and press. You now have a strip that is three layers thick to sit on the inside of your baking band.
Sew it
Take both of your pressed bands and turn these so they are right side to right side and then run your sewing machine along one end.
Make two strips
Take your front fabric and measure two strips that are double the Height of your band plus and extra half an inch for the seam allowance. Measure the strips to 1 ½ inches wide so when you fold these in half they are ½ inch wide plus the seam allowance. Cut these out.
Sew the strips
Fold your two strips so they are both right side to right side and press these in half. Run your sewing machine along the ¼ inch seam allowance and turn the strips back so the right side is facing out and seam allowance is hidden inside and press the two strips flat. This part can be a little tricky but you can use a skewer to poke this through all you need is a little patience!
Make loops
Fold each strip in half to create a loop and stitch the ¼ inch seam allowance, then press these open and flat so they are facing inside the loop.
Attach one loop
Take one of the loops and thread this onto the band towards the end of the band that you have already stitched together. Set this loop in about 2 inches from the end of the baking band, this does not have to be exact.
Pin the lining to the front
Fold the lining of the band over showing about quarter inch of your top fabric at the end and then press this and pin the lining to the front of the band all the way along.
Trim and fold
Once you get to the end of your baking band trim off any excess of the lining and fold over your top front layer ½ inch to hide the raw edge and then fold half of this fold under to hide the raw edges and pin into place.
Stich and finish
Stitch round the edge of your baking band approximately quarter of an inch to attach both pieces of fabric together and then thread on your second loop and that’s it you have made your own baking band. All thats left now is to bake a cake so you can use this!
How to use Baking bands
To use your baking band, soak the baking band in water for a few minutes, then wring it out so it is damp but not dripping wet. Wrap the baking band around the outside of your cake pan, threading the band through the loops to secure this to your cake tin, then bake your cake as usual.
After your cake has finished baking, carefully remove the baking band so you don’t burn yourself and then allow your cake to cool in the pan for a few minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Final word
Baking bands are the secret ingredient for any wanna be baker who wants to bake perfectly level cakes, just like the pros! Baking bands are simple to make, an effective tool for achieving perfectly baked cakes and cost effective too …. What more could you ask for! So pick your cotton fabric and get your sewing machine out and make your baking wonder ingredient!
Happy baking, creating and making, I look forward to seeing some of your designs. If you post these on social media, please tag Party, Party, Disco as I love to see what you have created.
Don’t forget if you share your post on social media to tag Party, Party, Disco and add the #partypartydisco #PPD #imadethiswithppd.
Here Are Some Other Posts You Might Like
8 Tips for How to Bake Perfectly level Cakes
Make sure you are signed up to the mailing list to be the first to hear about latest post, crafts and any special offers. Also follow Party, Party, Disco on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest too.
Happy Making!
😊
