The Best Way To Slice a Cake, According to a Pastry Chef

You carefully measured out all the ingredients for the batter, baked the cake, let it cool, and dressed it up beautifully with your favorite frosting. Now, it’s time to dig in. The last piece of the puzzle is slicing the cake. What’s the best way to do it without mangling it into a crumbly, sticky mess? 

While there really isn’t a wrong way to cut a cake, there are ways to achieve the best looking slices. With tools you likely already have on hand, and a few smart tips, you can easily slice a cake at home like a pro. 

Tools for Slicing a Cake Like a Pro

According to pastry chef and four-time James Beard Foundation Award finalist Natasha Pickowicz, the best way to slice a cake is with a long, sharp serrated knife, also known as a bread knife. 

Pickowicz says that by sawing gently with a serrated knife, you won’t run into the issue of compressing the tender cake layers as you might with a straight chef’s knife. In addition to a serrated knife, you may want to use a cake server or a large offset spatula to help transfer each slice to a plate. 

How To Slice a Cake

If you’d prefer to start with a guide before slicing all the way through, go for it. “You can score or gently nick the outside of a cake with a knife before you go all the way in,” says Pickowicz. “Always cut a cake slice with your dominant hand and use your other hand to ‘catch’ or support the slice, especially if it's a towering cake with many layers.”

Using your serrated knife, gently move through the cake’s layer or layers until you reach the bottom, and then transfer the slice to a plate. The same method can be used whether you’re slicing a multi-layer cake, a Bundt cake, or dishing up a sheet cake. From there, all that’s left to do is grab a fork and take a bite.

Always Wipe Your Knife

Cakes with fillings will naturally run together slightly as you slice down through the layers. Wiping your knife clean between each cut will help remove remnants from the previous slice. 

Pickowicz advises running the blade of your knife under hot water and wiping it dry right before cutting for an extra neat look. This is especially helpful for cakes with a jam or curd filling or a flourless chocolate cake. 

To Chill or Not To Chill

What temperature should a cake be when you slice it? It all depends on the type of cake. “Some cakes taste better chilled, like carrot cake or red velvet,” says Pickowicz. “Flavor becomes more pronounced when some cakes warm up to room temperature, especially for butter-based cakes, like pound cake, génoise, or chiffon.” 

Pickowicz notes that you should keep in mind that it may become trickier to slice cakes with a whipped or mousse-type filling once they’re warmer than fridge temperature, but those topped with buttercream frosting taste better at room temperature. 

Chilling a cake for 15 to 20 minutes can help with achieving cleaner slices, but it does require a bit more planning around serving time. Overall, it’s all about determining the best timing for your type of cake.