| In preparing to bake cake recipes, it's all in the cake | | | | trimmed off to make a level vertical surface to hold |
| pan -- the metal, surface texture, and shape -- that | | | | the frosting. And, what a waste that would be to |
| bakes a quality cake. This is what determines how | | | | have to toss the trimmings. You would also have to |
| the oven's heat is absorbed by the pan's contents. | | | | deal with loose crumbs while trying to frost the sides |
| The right pan bakes evenly without over-browning | | | | of the trimmed cake. |
| the cake. | | | | 5. The Right Size... |
| Select a cake pan that is: | | | | As well as the right shape. There are many shapes |
| 1. Heavy Metal | | | | and sizes of cake pans available. But, the standards |
| No, not the rock band by that name. The cake pan | | | | are: |
| should be made of heavy metal, preferably thick | | | | * Round "layer cake" pans -- measuring 8, 9 or 10 |
| aluminum. Heavy aluminum cake pans are highly heat | | | | inches and 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep |
| conductive and produce an evenly baked cake. The | | | | * Square pan -- measuring 8 x 2 inches |
| thickness of the metal helps the pan to maintain its | | | | * Rectangular "sheet" pan -- measuring 9 x 13 x 2 |
| shape. It won't warp from the heat of the oven like | | | | inches (NOTE: A 12 x 2 inches round pan can be |
| other pans made of thin material. | | | | substituted for a sheet pan.) |
| 2. Dull Surfaced | | | | * Round springform pans -- 9 or 10 inches and 2 1/2 |
| For cake pans, dull is not boring. A dull surface | | | | to 3 inches deep |
| absorbs heat better than a shiny heat-reflective | | | | * Loaf pan (small) -- 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/4 inches |
| surface. Better heat absorption helps the cake to | | | | * Loaf pan (large) -- 9 x 5 x 3 inches |
| bake evenly. | | | | There are also plain tube, fluted tube, and bundt pans |
| 3. Light Colored | | | | in many designs that produce large cakes that are |
| Black or dark colored metal absorbs heat too quickly | | | | usually glazed instead of frosted. And, there are pans |
| and over-browns the crust. It also causes the cake | | | | made especially for cheesecakes that have |
| to bake unevenly. The outer edges bake too quickly | | | | removable bottoms which are easier to use instead |
| before the center of the cake is done. | | | | of the standard springform pan. |
| 4. Straight-Sided | | | | In summary, for the best results in baking layer |
| Slanted won't do. The sides of the pan must be | | | | cakes use heavy aluminum, dull-surfaced, light-colored, |
| straight 90 degree angles for baking layer cakes. A | | | | straight-sided cake pans in sizes appropriate for the |
| cake baked in a slanted pan would need the sides | | | | recipe being used. |