basic MUST HAVE baking pans

[cognitivefun]

The number of baking pans called for in cookbooks seems to be daunting. What do you recommend as the short list, the ones that we must have? Thanks!

[SweetSide]

2 8 x 2 rounds

angel food/tube pan

9 x 13

8 x 4 or 9 x 5 loaf pans

bundt pan

sheet trays (1/2 sheet for home ovens)

8" square pan

9" pie pan

That's my most used list. I have tons of others. Too many when they come avalanching out of the cabinet....

But, regarding the pans, I will say this -- I absolutely HATE non-stick pans or pans with dark surfaces (other than my bundt pan). Any new cake pans I buy are Magic Line only -- I absolutely love them. Budgetary constraints prevent me from pitching my older pre-discovery of Magic Line pans.

[Lindacakes]

I vote for Chicago Metallic, NOT nonstick, or Pyrex and a shorter list for the beginner:

9 x 13

8 x 8

9 inch pie, two of them

9 inch round cake, two of them

loaf pans, two of them

jelly roll pans, two of them

muffin tins, two of them

I had this for years, in Pyrex only (except jelly roll and muffin) and did just fine. I've added Chicago Metallic of all sizes since.

Other useful pans:

7 inch by 3 inch round cake pans, 3 of them

miniature heart shaped pans

angel food with removeable bottom

tube pan without removeable bottom

miniature pie pans

larger or smaller loaf pans

[ludja]

These look like good lists.

If you think you might like to make Southern/American style 3-layer, frosted cakes I think it is a good idea to buy three 9-inch round cake pans all at the same time so that they are the same size and have the same baking properties.

I make a lot of European-style cakes and also like making cheesecakes so another potential pan would be a springform pan, 9" or 10", perhaps.

If you like to make tarts, a 10-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom would be another item to add on to the list.

(I make a lot of tarts so I've eventually acquired 8, 9 and 10 inch tart pans. Now I want a rectangular one... and individual tart pans )

[SweetSide]

I vote for Chicago Metallic, NOT nonstick, ...

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I use these at work -- another excellent choice. The heavy weight of Chicago Metallic or Magic Line and the even heating make them WELL worth the increased cost.

[miladyinsanity]

As a newbie...

3 8 or 9 inch round pans

2 muffin pans--I love these!

3 half-sheet pans

1 9 inch round pan with a removable bottom--or you can just get your round pans with a removable bottom

2 8 by 8 square pans

2 loaf pans--8 by 4 or 9 by 5

These are the ones I use most often. I've a set of mini pie pans that occasionally double as tartlet pans that are pretty useful too.

[etalanian]

Don't forget cupcake pans.

You're not going to use all of them at once, so you might want to make a list and buy the pans as you need them.

My advised SHORTLIST would be:

A mercury oven thermometer (always use an oven thermometer when you bake)

Three 8-inch or two 9-inch round pans

a square baking pan, 8-inches or 9-inches

9 x 12-inch baking pan (pyrex or corning ware)

at least 2 cookie sheets with 4 sides (can double as jelly roll pans) measure your oven to be sure

they will fit before you buy them. Some are too large for smaller ovens.

two 12-cup cupcake pans

a 9-inch glass or corning ware pie pan

a 10-inch loose bottom tart pan

one or two large, stainless cooling racks

if you like angel food or pound cakes, a 10-inch angel cake pan

9-inch springform pan for cheesecakes or souffle cakes

Don't waste your money on the silicone pans; I have ended up using mine just for molding unbaked items. I think non-stick is fine to use if you are on a budget. Make sure you get heavy weight pans.

Eileen

Edited September 25, 2006 by etalanian (log)

[browniebaker]

I wish I had bought the good stuff from the outset, which I now own after donating the bad stuff to charity. These I think are the bare essentials:

two or three 9-inch round aluminum cake pans (Magic Line, available with or without the bottom's being removable, a feature useful for cheesecakes and, more generally, for easily removing the baked cake from the pan.)

one 8-inch or 9-inch square aluminum cake pan (Magic Line; see above, re removable bottoms.)

one 9-x-13-inch rectangular baking pan, aluminum or glass (Glass is more versatile for baking and storage, but Magic Line aluminum has nice, straight sides and perfect corners and, if you wish, removable bottoms.)

one tube or Bundt pan (Nordicware cast-aluminum Bundts are great and come in beautiful shapes.)

two heavy aluminum half-sheets (Nordicware's has a clear plastic cover great for covering dough during proofing, storing baked items, and transporting baked items.)

one 9-inch round glass pie-plate (Anchor-Hocking has a level rim that holds the crust-edge nicely.)

one 12-cup muffin pan (Ekco non-stick performs well, lasts, and is cheap.)

[honorspianist]

hi there.

i'm new here, and have been lurking around the boards for a while. i really love this place! there is so much to learn and you all seem like a wonderful group of people.

i've been baking for a while, so my cupboards are packed. i use most often:

one each of 'jumbo' muffin pans and cupcake pans

three or four half sheet pans

3 cake pans (9 inch)

1 springform

2 pyrex pie plates

1 loaf pan

i have tons of little tartlett pans, brioche pans, and ceramic things of all sorts. i bake a lot of bread, so i also have my la-cloche, which i absolutely adore...

i like the dark muffin, cupcake, and cake pans because i like a nice crust and a little bit of browning on my cakes. same thing on the pyrex pie plate. i really find the pyrex to do a much better job at the browning.

-honorspianist

[Dailey]

magic line... love, love, love them! trying to sell my old wilton ones.

[browniebaker]

magic line... love, love, love them!  trying to sell my old wilton ones.

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I love Magic Line, too!

One way to get rid of your Wiltons is to bake some cinnamon rolls or coffee cake -- something with an attractive icing, glaze, or crumb topping on top -- in the pan, put the pan on a square of cellophane, gather up the cellophane above the pan, and tie a ribbon. Makes a great gift, with a reusable pan.

[highchef]

Before you buy, I'd make sure the cake pans of whatever diameter are 2" high. This will get you through about any regular cake recipe.

I have 4 9"X2" round and the same in 9" square. I have 4 half sheet pans with sides, for cookies and sheet cakes, rolled cakes etc.

The thing I use the most though (besides the square pans, which are ideal for brownies and bar cookies as well) are small loaf pans. These work beautifully for the holidays. You can freeze half and bring them out before company comes etc. Any recipe that calls for a loaf pan can be baked in the smaller pans, just watch them cause they obviously won't take as long to cook. This is great for gifts, bake sales, church events etc.

I have a tart pan w/removable bottom that I got from a McCall's mag. a long time ago that is a wonderful thing. Quiche, tarts, pies, anything with a crust will do wonders. I don't know where one would find it anymore, but I believe it's made by Chicago Metallic.

I have an angelfood pan w/removable bottom, as well as one that isn't. I also pick up pyrex pie pans when I see them on sale. sometimes you can get them for 2/5 bucks, which is a small enough price to pay if your giving someone a pie and don't want to use Emile Henry. After all, you really never know if your gonna get it back. I don't use tin pie pans though, they're cheap, but burn my crust.

[K8memphis]

My first and best answer is, "All of them"

But don't forget the fun you can have with mini muffin pans--metal for muffins, silicone for mini tart shells.

Whatever cake pans you get be sure they have straight up sides, not angled at all.

I bought great cake pans from Ultimate Baker, also called Cook's Dream in Washington state.

I gotta get one of these. Be still my heart. And I make lotta roses too. I think the rose pans are essential for a new baker, new homemaker ~~ I got one for each kid infact ~~ they glorify your muffins or cupcakes instantly. We want our baked goods to be beautiful. Instant gratification. Use a mix of equal parts oil, shortening and flour to grease the pan with. And use a bit heavier type batter, not a light cake recipe has been my experience. Slap on some glaze, sprinkle on some edible glitter from the cake store. You have a beautiful yummy baked good.

[prasantrin]

I think before deciding basic pans to buy, you should consider what you most want to make. I bake cookies, muffins, loaf cakes, and carrot cakes the most. So for me, sheet pans, muffin tins, loaf pans, and a 9x13 pan are the basics. I rarely make layer cakes so my round cake pans mostly go untouched, ditto for my pie pan (I suck at pie crusts). I've never even used my tart pans, but I do use an 8x3 round cake pan with a removable bottom (exclusively used for quiche). My square pans get used once in a great while (I don't make brownies or bars as often as I used to).

If you start with the pans you think you'll use most, you can expand your inventory as you expand your baking skills.

[Mottmott]

Don't forget cupcake pans.

You're not going to use all of them at once, so you might want to make a list and buy the pans as you need them.

My advised SHORTLIST would be:

A mercury oven thermometer (always use an oven thermometer when you bake)

Three  8-inch or two 9-inch round pans

a square baking pan, 8-inches or 9-inches

9 x 12-inch baking pan (pyrex or corning ware)

at least 2 cookie sheets with 4 sides (can double as jelly roll pans) measure your oven to be sure         

    they will fit before you buy them. Some are too large for smaller ovens.

two 12-cup cupcake pans

a 9-inch glass or corning ware pie pan

a 10-inch loose bottom tart pan

one or two large, stainless cooling racks

if you like angel food or pound cakes, a 10-inch angel cake pan

9-inch springform pan for cheesecakes or souffle cakes

Don't waste your money on the silicone pans; I have ended up using mine just for molding unbaked items. I think non-stick is fine to use if you are on a budget. Make sure you get heavy weight pans.

Eileen

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Where can one get mercury thermometers? Are they even legal anymore? I'm oarticularly interested in the standing ones that close up.