Pans and cakes suitable for all occasions.
Special pans and fancy gadgets are fun and tempting, but home bakers only need a few basic parts to solve most recipes.
Simple and clear is the best. Spend your money wisely and invest in sturdy, well-made works that can be used for years. High-priced pans don’t necessarily perform better. Dark, heavier than necessary pans with colored finishes and non-stick coatings sound helpful, but they usually interfere with the formulation and can cause more problems than solve them. At the other end of the continuum, fragile disposable pans rarely work properly and cost almost as much as real pans.
It is easy to find reliable baking utensils online and in kitchenware stores, although restaurants and baking supply stores, as well as some warehouse-style chain stores, provide professional-quality products at low prices. To maximize the use of pans and help them continue to use, please clean and store them as directed.
The bakeware is made of metal. The bakeware is made of ceramic, tempered glass or pottery. They conduct heat differently, which affects the baking time and the texture of the baked goods. If the recipe specifies one of them, there are good reasons, and it is best to follow the instructions.
These are the pans of choice for any home baker.
Our choice: American Baking Pan Rectangular Cake Pan
Our choice: Wilton's Angel Food Tube Cake Pan
Our choice: Nordic Ware Pro Cast Original Bundt Pan
A 12 x 16 inch pan (often called a half-sheet) is the most useful and versatile, and most cooks need at least three. Some people refer to the baking tray as a cookie tray, but the actual cookie tray is borderless and not very useful, although serious cookie bakers may also want one of them.
Our choice: Nordic Ware natural aluminum commercial bakers half sheet (2 pieces)
Three 8-inch pans and three 9-inch pans. Choose a pan that is 2 inches deep to avoid overflow.
Our choice: American Baking Pan Baking Pan Round Cake Pan
Purchase: Starting at $14.99; Amazon.com
One 8-inch pan and one 9-inch pan.
Our choice: USA Pan Bakeware Square Cake Pan
Purchase: Starting at $14.99; Amazon.com
One 8 x 4 inch pan and one 9 x 5 inch pan.
Our choice: Wilton Perfect Results large non-stick bread pan
Our choice: Wilton Excelle Elite non-stick pie and quiche pan with removable bottom
Our choice: Nordic sanitary ware leak-proof spring plate
Our choice: CorningWare French White 9" Pie Pan
Our choice: Wilton Perfect Results premium non-stick mini muffins and cupcake pans
Our choice: Chicago Metallic Professional 6 cup non-stick muffin pan (buy two)
Purchase: $15.90 each; Amazon website
Of course, this is not a pan, but almost all baked goods should be cooled on a metal rack to allow air to circulate under the pan.
Our choice: OXO Good Grips Nonstick Pro cooling and baking rack