Releasing baked goods from their pans

[CanadianBakin']

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The reason I asked you is because of how it cuts. If your item is warm when you drizzle, that drizzle will melt on and stick better. When you go to cut it doesn't it break?.........since it adheared so well, isn't it hard to cut through it?

I have found that if I mix margarine into the semi-sweet and vegetable oil into the white chocolate it cuts quite well. I still get a bit of breakage but not nearly as much. There may be a downside to this since it will melt easier and it takes longer to set up but so far I haven't run into any problems. I don't live in a hot climate though and I've only used this method for home. I'll be using it commercially soon (when the coffee house I will be baking for opens) so then I'll know if it works for this setting. I'm glad to hear how you do it. If my method doesn't work, I'll use yours.

[sugarhill]

could the freezing technique work for say a pound cake in a bundt pan? lately i've been having drama with my favorite and well seasoned bundt... well greased and floured. i even tried pan release spray and flour.

[Wendy DeBord]

  sugarhill said:

could the freezing technique work for say a pound cake in a bundt pan?  lately i've been having drama with my favorite and well seasoned bundt...  well greased and floured.  i even tried pan release spray and flour.

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I can really relate to that problem! I've never tried the freezing method on that, but now that you brought it up I'll give it a try next time I make one thats difficult. I typically use a blow torch as my heat supply on the frozen pan..........but you could set it over your stove top and use the flame to heat your pan.

In the mean time I've found a solution. Instead of using your bundt pan, use a angel food cake pan with a bottom that unattached. I spray the whole pan and insert a parchment paper ring to line the bottom/top of the pan. I can always get my cake out of that.

Also for me, it's not my bundt pan thats the problem. I can make 98% of my bundt cakes just fine in it. I have 2 recipes that just won't release out of that bundt pan or any other I've tried. I know that sounds weird but they are good enough cakes that I refuse to stop using them.

[melmck]

blowtorch, blowtorch, blowtorch everything in sight. We are all fighting for the blowtorch all day long!. Use it to unmold everything in site. Use it to soften buttercream in the mixer, to fix broken ganache etc etc etc. I can get even the stickiest thing out of a pan-"here, Mel you do it. " Patience, dear friends. You and your blowtorch must become one.

[melmck]

as to the other issue, buttering/flouring/spraying--don't use pan spray on a nonstick coated pan. There is a chemical in it that actually makes the stuff stick to the pan. Or so I was told by a rep.Use peanut oil on nonsticks, and/or always line everything with parchment. I never, ever cut anything directly in its pan. your pans will be ruined, and metal shavings can flake into your food. NO BUENO!

[Stuckey]

I've been trying my hand at making candies like fudge. Many recipes I've seen call for pans to be buttered, or pans to be lined with foil and then buttered. However, when the confection is poured into the buttered pans and allowed to cool, the butter then solidifies. I think it looks quite gross to turn out a batch of fudge which a thin layer of yellow butter all over it!

Is it really necessary to butter pans for things like this, or can one simply use baking paper or another alternative?

Thanks for any advice!

[SweetSide]

It sounds like your butter layer is too thick. You really want just a thin transparent layer on there to prevent the sticking.

How are you applying the butter?

[Stuckey]

  SweetSide said:

It sounds like your butter layer is too thick.  You really want just a thin transparent layer on there to prevent the sticking.

How are you applying the butter?

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I usually smear the tips of my fingers with some softened butter, or use a chunk of softened butter to rub against the pan.

[SweetSide]

I find it goes on too thick that way ^^ causing te problem you are trying to avoid.

I either really soften butter in the microwave (NOT melt it, it still has shape to it) and apply it with a pastry brush or I take a paper towel (because of the absorbency) and rub it on the butter and apply it that way. The only way you can tell my pan is butter is by the slight shine and greasy feel.

[Stuckey]

  SweetSide said:

I find it goes on too thick that way ^^ causing te problem you are trying to avoid.

I either really soften butter in the microwave (NOT melt it, it still has shape to it) and apply it with a pastry brush or I take a paper towel (because of the absorbency) and rub it on the butter and apply it that way.  The only way you can tell my pan is butter is by the slight shine and greasy feel.

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Thanks for your advice! Next time, I'll try applying with a paper towel and go a bit easy with the butter. Cheers!

[chiantiglace]

I take a piece of solid butter and rub it in like wax on a surfboard.

[devlin]

I've just gotten some new cake pans, and when I buttered them, the butter turned black as I was buttering , reminding me of those cheap dime store rings from when I was a kid that left a black ring around your finger.

Is this normal? Should I toss them?

[alanamoana]

silly question, did you wash the pans first? if they are the standard industrial aluminum cake pans, then this is totally normal. probably part of the machining process. happens with sheet pans as well.

edited to add: why are you buttering them? a piece of parchment on the bottom should be sufficient. if you're concerned about the edges (depending on what kind of cake you're baking) you can butter the sides, but it really isn't necessary and is sort of a time waster

Edited December 11, 2007 by alanamoana (log)

[devlin]

  alanamoana said:

silly question, did you wash the pans first?  if they are the standard industrial aluminum cake pans, then this is totally normal.  probably part of the machining process.  happens with sheet pans as well.

Not silly at all. Yes, I washed them first. Then the blackening. And so I washed them again. And then still had to repeat the whole process yet a third time. It just seemed to take more washings and hard rubbing than I'm used to, and so I worried that something might be going on I haven't seen before.

  Quote

edited to add: why are you buttering them?  a piece of parchment on the bottom should be sufficient.  if you're concerned about the edges (depending on what kind of cake you're baking) you can butter the sides, but it really isn't necessary and is sort of a time waster

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Hm. Well, the recipe calls for both buttering the sides and parchment on the bottom, and so I did both.

[Mrs.Geraci]

Hello, I am new here though I have been viewing posts here for 1 1/2 years so I feel like I kind of know some of you.

Anyways, now that I've gotten my hands wet on breads, sourdoughs, etc... the past couple of years, I would like to try my hand at making decorative cakes. I got the "Cake Bible" by Rose Levy at the library to start. I know one of the first possible problems to conquer is making sure the cake doesn't stick to the pan. Do you use the parchment paper method or the butter or shortening/flour method. I would like to start with a round cake of 2 layers. What sort of pans should I buy? Thank you for your help.

Edited March 31, 2008 by Mrs.Geraci (log)

[lilthorner]

hi! this is my first post.. I have been lurking for a long time too. I used to grease and flour the pans or use a baking spray, but lately I have been doing parchment.. I love it so much better.. One of the best things I learned in school.

As far as pans, I would purchase good professional weight aluminum pans. some popular brands are magic line and fat daddio's I'm unsure about posting links on the forums and I dont know where you are but there are a few places you can go online if you dont have a cake supply, or if the dont carry the pans. my fav cake from The Cake Bible is the sour cream butter cake, except I use 2 whole eggs instead of yolks only.

[gfron1]

Welcome to both of you! We just had a similar discussion in the genoise topic HERE with some great advice that I think is relevant.