Possibly a very stupid question but...

[ComeOVeneer]

When making a cake is there any way to stop it rising in the middle and get it nice and flat without cutting the top off?

ComeO, they have a tool for this in the baker's catalog, don't know if lakeland will have it:

cakestrips

When you stick the mixture in the tin, make it higher round the sides, with a bit of a dip in the middle.

Don't know how that would work Posey as it heats up it all goes level, doesn't it?

I've done what Posey does and it is flatter - but does still rise a bit

Ok then, guess you won't have to buy the cakestrips then Como! And where are you Como?

When you're letting it cool down on a wire rack, turn it over. This flattens the "top" (now on the bottom) and the new top is lovely and flat anyway.

This is not something I have actually done, though . I have turned a cake upside down when it collapsed and had a horrid crater in the middle. I'm assuming it would work if your cake had risen properly.

It definitely works with my banana loaf. Normally dip it in the middle and get it pretty flat, yesterday in a rush. dd put it in the tin, smoothed it flat and it was really curved on top once cooked.