How to keep the surface of the cake from splitting?
I have read and heard that to minimize the cracks you should tilt the batter back and forth in the pan prior to baking. If you let the batter climb the walls about 1/8" - 1/4" it supposedly helps with not only a consistent rise, but keeps the batter from clinging to the wall while rising and stretching the surface of your cake while it rises.

I have done this with white cakes since I began baking a few months back in a springform and had good results, however I have never not done it.