OP here. Thanks for the great tips! I have a feeling I will use them at some point in the future. But my "trifle" was a success so it all worked out in the end.

If you were planning to frost and layer it, another trick is to get the cake out of the pan, line the pan with plastic wrap, and put the broken bits of cake back in. Freeze it. The freezing will make it solid enough to frost and layer, and then the icing holds it together once it’s defrosted.

Anonymous wrote:This may be too late if you wanted it for tonight, but if you were planning to serve it tomorrow — you can almost always swaddle a cake out of a pan. Put the pan upside down in a sink. Soak a bath towel in boiling water, then wrap it around the sides of the pan. Put another bath towel over top of the sink, trapping the steam in the sink. You may have to repeat a couple of times, but it works.

This is why I enjoy DCUM. What a clever hack!

Anonymous wrote:Don't forget the layer of meat!

“Tastes like feet”. 😂

I’m PP — and just reread my post and realized it might not be clear. The cake should be facing up in the pan when you swaddle it. So metal pan bottom on the bottom of the sink, towel soaked in boiling water wrapped around the sides of the pan — you don’t want any of the wet towel touching the cake surface itself.
I have also been known to blow dry a flan out of a pan that didn’t want to release, but for cake I find swaddling is the most foolproof method.

This may be too late if you wanted it for tonight, but if you were planning to serve it tomorrow — you can almost always swaddle a cake out of a pan. Put the pan upside down in a sink. Soak a bath towel in boiling water, then wrap it around the sides of the pan. Put another bath towel over top of the sink, trapping the steam in the sink. You may have to repeat a couple of times, but it works.

Yep. Trifle.

Next time think about greasing and then dusting the pan with almond flour. I've never had a cake, even a bundt, stick with this combo.

You could make cake pops with it as another option.

You could make a quick custard to layer along with the berries and whipped cream. If custard is too frustrating to make at the last minute (I've had it fail on me), you could substitute some boxed pudding you make on the stovetop. Add a bit of liquor to give it some zing or a bit of vanilla extract.

Don't forget the layer of meat!

Trifle for sure (yum!)

Trifle with whipped cream and berries sound awesome.

Yes: trifle. Some sort of bread pudding would be another option, but I’d go with trifle as the easiest and most appealing option.

Don't have time to redo, is a trifle a best way to fix? Thinking of whipping cream and layering cake pieces and strawberries in a large glass bowl. Other suggestions welcome.