To guarantee even baking in the center of cakes, use the Heating Core in pans that are 12 in. or larger. It's like a pan within a pan. Grease and flour it inside and out, insert batter to the same level as you will in the larger pan, place in the center of the larger pan and fill that pan with batter. After baking, remove the core, remove the cake from the core and plug the hole with it.