Special occasions demand special attention and baking manufacturers have created a variety of specialty cake pans like dinosaur-shaped birthday cake pans or intricately designed wedding cake pans. Each one is designed to bring out the artist in you, and each promises to turn every occasion into a special event.
Traditional Baking Pans
There are several cake pans that every frequent baker should have on hand. A traditional round cake pan-perfect for a two-layer birthday cake-and the versatile sheet cake pan are essential in every baker's pantry. An aluminum angel food cake pan and at least one or two metal or cast iron bundt cake pans will also be needed. You may want to include a stainless steel or aluminum wedding cake pan as well.
With the exception of today's silicon bakeware, most cake baking pans have been made out of metal for many centuries. Cakes bake evenly in metal pans, but removal is not always easy. Though non-stick bakeware is popular, the non-stick coating can flake off and be ingested. Instead of using non-stick bakeware, use bakeware that requires a light coat of oil.
Specialty cake pans such as angel food cake pans are usually aluminum, while bundt cake pans can be metal, ceramic or cast iron. (Aluminum pans should be discarded when they begin to pit). Bundt pans are very similar to the cast iron kugelhupf pan that is common in European countries. These pans are shaped like inverted flowerpots with a cylinder in the center.
Improving a Traditional Cake Pan Style
Because round cakes are the easiest shape to create, the circular or round cake is a classic design that will never go out of style. Instead, the design will be improved upon, and many variations of decorating will be added, as will a variety of new cake pan styles.
In an attempt to make life easier, cake pans made of new materials such as silicon have invaded pantries across the globe. In most cases, these pans have accomplished their goal.
Silicon Baking Pans
Silicon cake pans are easy to clean and can be used in a variety of products. Cake baking pans created from this material are flexible, and almost floppy. Cakes tend not to brown in them, as they can withstand oven temperatures as high as 450 degrees. Be sure to only use your silicon baking pans as directed.
While there are several types of silicon baking pans on the market, it is wise to purchase only food-grade silicon bakeware that has been approved by the FDA. When heated, these silicon pans do not transfer particles into the food. Cakes pop out of the molds easily.
Due to the silicon bakeware's floppy state, it's best if cake pans are placed on a cookie sheet before pouring batter into them. The cookie sheet will keep the silicon pan more stable as it cooks, making it easier to remove from the oven.
Novelty Cake Pans
If you enjoy entertaining and creating unique treats for your party guests, head to a kitchen or specialty bakeware store. These stores have a variety of designs and shapes for baking pans from palm trees to cartoon characters to wedding paraphernalia to vehicles, animals and fish designs.
Be careful when choosing a cake pan design. Some cake pans come in detailed and intricate designs that can be difficult to remove from the pan and even more difficult to frost.
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