preparing cake pans

[toni]

I would appreciate any advice about preparing cake pans before baking. I tried searching for information about what to put on the pans but nothing came up, so I apologize if this is a topic covered in the past.

The last 2 cakes I made had the bottoms of the cake and the sides sticking to the pans and then those parts of the cake fell apart. One cake was a chocolate one and the other was a yellow one. In the past, I don't remember if I used butter, crisco, or an aersol spray to prepare the pans. I know they even have a no-stick spray with flour in it but I have never used that. For the last 2 cakes I wiped crisco (solid) on the pans before dusting with flour. I also used parchment in the bottom of the pans and wiped the parchment with the crisco before dusting with flour.

I would love to hear what is the best preparation and what you use. Thank you so much in advance.

[emmalish]

Wow, it sounds to me like you're doing all the right things, and yet your cakes still stick? Do you let them rest and cool for a bit before turning them out? I find that if I try to turn them out of the pan too quickly they're more likely to stick.

I use crisco and a dusting of flour. I've read here on the boards that the spray with the flour included is awesome, but I've never seen it in the stores so I haven't had a chance to try it. And I've also read here that butter isn't a good choice because its higher water content can cause things to stick.

I'm interested to hear what the professionals have to say.

[choux]

If it's just a flat round cake pan I only ever line the bottom with parchment. No butter, no flour. If it's a bit stuck on the sides I use a knife to loosen. I've never had anything stick this way. I can't figure out why there are directions out there to grease the pan and then line it with parchment. Is there sticky parchment out there? It boggles my mind.

Edited December 20, 2008 by choux (log)

[K8memphis]

The bottoms stuck with the parchment? ouch

Well I always hold my cake pan at an angle so gravity will assist me and I bump the pan a nice jolt to loosen the baked cake so it slides that little quarter inch in each direction so I know it's loose. However that's the last thing I do before de-panning.

If I use anything it's a combinatiopn of equal parts of shortening, oil and flour brushed on the pan but not under parchment. Pan goop is what some people call it, works great. I just keep it in my frige. Could be kept at room temp if it's used often.

I just cut a parchment to fit my pan. If it's a real big pan I piece it together with a generous overlap. Generally I do not do anything else so the cake climbs nicely up the sides.

After it's baked, I run a knife around the edges to loosen. Then I bang the pan on the edge of my hand looking for it to slide.

If the pan is cold and it does not slide that silly little millimeter, I run the entire base of the pan over a flame or hot eye for a few seconds to loosen any grease that might be holding baby to tight. Make it slide in the pan each direction, put plastic wrap over top, put cardboard circle on top of that, flip it, put more plastic wrap place rack on top, flip that. Viola.

I leave the parchment or plastic wrap on there for security--it makes it hold/handle better to torte and flip.

Tmi~~ but cold cake handles better for torting and flipping. However it is my understanding that butter cakes do not loosen up enough after coming back to room temp--hence the omnipresent comment that the cake is 'dry'. It's not really dry it's just heavy down the back of the throat from the cold butter--so be careful. If you can microzap your butter cake before assembling all the better.

Those are some really fine points and could be considered too much information but does classify under the 'any advise' request.

That's how I do it.

[Mayhaw Man]

I bake alot of cakes. I love cakes. More than pie.

I am a giant proponent of parchment usage. With the cake linked to above, I actually put butter on the UPSIDE of the parchment. It browns a bit, but always gives me a smooth takeaway. Additionally, I regularly butter the sides of the pan (9 inch rounds, in this case) and never have any issues with sticking.

[toni]

Wow, it sounds to me like you're doing all the right things, and yet your cakes still stick? Do you let them rest and cool for a bit before turning them out? I find that if I try to turn them out of the pan too quickly they're more likely to stick.

I use crisco and a dusting of flour. I've read here on the boards that the spray with the flour included is awesome, but I've never seen it in the stores so I haven't had a chance to try it. And I've also read here that butter isn't a good choice because its higher water content can cause things to stick.

I'm interested to hear what the professionals have to say.

←

[Lisa Shock]

I spray with Vegaline and use parchment rounds after spraying.

[toni]

Wow, it sounds to me like you're doing all the right things, and yet your cakes still stick? Do you let them rest and cool for a bit before turning them out? I find that if I try to turn them out of the pan too quickly they're more likely to stick.

I use crisco and a dusting of flour. I've read here on the boards that the spray with the flour included is awesome, but I've never seen it in the stores so I haven't had a chance to try it. And I've also read here that butter isn't a good choice because its higher water content can cause things to stick.

I'm interested to hear what the professionals have to say.

←

Yes, I let the last cake set on the counter for about 2 hours before turning out, and I ran a knife around the outside edges. Thanks for responding.

[toni]

If it's just a flat round cake pan I only ever line the bottom with parchment. No butter, no flour. If it's a bit stuck on the sides I use a knife to loosen. I've never had anything stick this way. I can't figure out why there are directions out there to grease the pan and then line it with parchment. Is there sticky parchment out there? It boggles my mind.

←

Next time I will definitely not grease under the parchment. I'd be nervous not to use any form of greasing, but maybe I should try that. Thank you.

[emmalish]

Yes, I let the last cake set on the counter for about 2 hours before turning out, and I ran a knife around the outside edges.  Thanks for responding.

←

I'm thinking cooling for 2 hours causes the crisco to set up and adhere to the pan. I usually let cakes cool for just 10-15 minutes. Then I'll shake the pan from side to side until I feel the cake loosen and will turn it out.

[toni]

The bottoms stuck with the parchment? ouch

Well I always hold my cake pan at an angle so gravity will assist me and I bump the pan a nice jolt to loosen the baked cake so it slides that little quarter inch in each direction so I know it's loose. However that's the last thing I do before de-panning.

If I use anything it's a combinatiopn of equal parts of shortening, oil and flour brushed on the pan but not under parchment. Pan goop is what some people call it, works great. I just keep it in my frige. Could be kept at room temp if it's used often.

I just cut a parchment to fit my pan. If it's a real big pan I piece it together with a generous overlap. Generally I do not do anything else so the cake climbs nicely up the sides.

After it's baked, I run a knife around the edges to loosen. Then I bang the pan on the edge of my hand looking for it to slide.

If the pan is cold and it does not slide that silly little millimeter, I run the entire base of the pan over a flame or hot eye for a few seconds to loosen any grease that might be holding baby to tight. Make it slide in the pan each direction, put plastic wrap over top, put cardboard circle on top of that,  flip it, put more plastic wrap place rack on top, flip that. Viola.

I leave the parchment or plastic wrap on there for security--it makes it hold/handle better to torte and flip.

Tmi~~ but cold cake handles better for torting and flipping. However it is my understanding that butter cakes do not loosen up enough after coming back to room temp--hence the omnipresent comment that the cake is 'dry'. It's not really dry it's just heavy down the  back of the throat from the cold butter--so be careful. If you can microzap your butter cake before assembling all the better.

Those are some really fine points and could be considered too much information but does classify under the 'any advise' request. 

That's how I do it.

←

I will read your reply very carefully tonight and I appreciate all details, so I thank you so much. I always make things more complicated in my mind, so any extra explanations really do help me.

Do you use wax paper or parchment on the bottoms before turning over? I am wondering if regular seran-type plastic wrap might stick to the baked cake especially if the cake sets on the plastic for a while. Thank you again.

[toni]

I bake alot of cakes. I love cakes. More than pie.

I am a giant proponent of parchment usage. With the cake linked to above, I actually put butter on the UPSIDE of the parchment. It browns a bit, but always gives me a smooth takeaway. Additionally, I regularly butter the sides of the pan (9 inch rounds, in this case) and never have any issues with sticking.

←

Thank you, Mayhaw Man. No dusting with flour, huh?

[toni]

Yes, I let the last cake set on the counter for about 2 hours before turning out, and I ran a knife around the outside edges.  Thanks for responding.

←

I'm thinking cooling for 2 hours causes the crisco to set up and adhere to the pan. I usually let cakes cool for just 10-15 minutes. Then I'll shake the pan from side to side until I feel the cake loosen and will turn it out.

←

That may be a solution. Thank you, emmalish!

[K8memphis]

Do you use wax paper or parchment on the bottoms before turning over?  I am wondering if regular seran-type plastic wrap might stick to the baked cake especially if the cake sets on the plastic for a while. Thank you again.

←

The plastic wrap generally does not stick. There might be a tad of the top stuck but I am fixing to cut that off anyhow.

Just to be clear:

I use parchment in the pan to bake in.

I sometimes use waxed paper in the pan to bake in but not on brownies--only cake.

I use plastic wrap to flip the cooked cakes on-- doesn't stick.

[toni]

Do you use wax paper or parchment on the bottoms before turning over?  I am wondering if regular seran-type plastic wrap might stick to the baked cake especially if the cake sets on the plastic for a while. Thank you again.

←

The plastic wrap generally does not stick. There might be a tad of the top stuck but I am fixing to cut that off anyhow.

Just to be clear:

I use parchment in the pan to bake in.

I sometimes use waxed paper in the pan to bake in but not on brownies--only cake.

I use plastic wrap to flip the cooked cakes on-- doesn't stick.

←

Very clear, and thanks, again.

[shaloop]

I bake a lot of cakes, all 3 layers so I use what I've found to be the easiest, quickest, but yet effective method for me. I cut either parchment paper or wax paper rounds to fit the bottom of the pan. There are a few places to order pre-cut parchment pan liners in the size round pan you're using, but it's a lot cheaper to buy a $1.00 roll of wax paper and get 75 feet worth of pan liners out of it. I usually use wax paper for that reason. I spray the bottoms only of the pan with nonstick spray and then place the wax paper circle on top of that and make sure it's smoothed out. Spread the batter, bake and cool for about 10 minutes. Run a thin, small spatula around the inside of the pan (between cake and pan) and place cooling rack on top, invert, place second rack or cardboard on top and invert again. I also leave the wax paper on until I'm ready to finish the cake for ease of handling the layers. (Although I generally unstick it while it's turned over and then replace it before turning it back over.)