Baking success depend on the relationship between an cake recipe and a cake pan. A cake pan is a container that hold batter while the batter bakes in an oven. The shape and the size of a cake pan affect how heat enters the batter and how the batter cook.
If you use a cake pan that dont match the requirements of a recipe, the cake may not bake correct. A cake may be burnt on the outside or raw in the middle if the cake pan isnt chose properly. This occurs because the geometry of the cake pans dictates how heat penetrate the center of the cake.
How to Choose the Right Cake Pan
The surface area and the depth of a cake pan change the environment of the baking process. A wide and shallow cake pan allow for more evaporation and allows heat to transfer to the batter more quick. Because a wide and shallow cake pan allows for faster heat transfer, people use wide and shallow cake pans for items like jelly rolls.
A deep and narrow cake pan keep moisture inside the center of the batter for a longer period of time. If you put a large volume of batter into a deep and narrow cake pan, the outside of the cake may burn before the center of the cake is finish cooking. Thus, you must choose a cake pan that match the volume and the depth require by the recipe.
Round cake pans is common in baking, and different round cake pans serve different purpose based on the diameter of the round cake pan. Small round cake pans are used for small desserts, but small round cake pans bake quick because the batter is thin. Medium round cake pans is often used for traditional layer cakes.
Large round cake pans can feed more people, but a large round cake pan may result in a cake that is too thin if you do not increase the amount of batter. You must ensure that the volume of the batter is appropriate for the diameter of the round cake pan. Square and rectangular cake pans provide different uses then round cake pans.
A square cake pan is a common choice for brownies or bars because a square cake pan provide structure in the corners. Large sheet pans are rectangular cake pans that have a large surface area. A large sheet pan is used to spread batter in a thin layer, and a large sheet pan is used for making jelly rolls.
A rectangular cake pan with a large surface area will behave differently in the oven than a deep square cake pan, even if the rectangular cake pan and the deep square cake pan holds the same amount of batter. Specialty cake pans is designed to solve specific structural problem during the baking process. A Bundt pan have a central tube that acts as a heat conductor.
The central tube in a Bundt pan ensure that the middle of the cake cooks at the same rate as the edges of the cake. A springform pan have a removable side, and a springform pan is used for delicate items like cheesecakes. If you attempt to bake a cheesecake in a standard solid sided cake pan, the cheesecake may break into piece when you try to remove the cheesecake from the pan.
Therefore, specialty cake pans is engineered to solve specific challenge in baking. When you swap one cake pan for another cake pan, you must match the volume of the batter. You should not simply match the name of the cake pan.
You must ensure that the total amount of batter fit inside the new cake pan. You should never fill a cake pan more than two-third of the way full. The batter must have room to expand as the leavening agent work in the batter.
If you fill a cake pan more than two-third of the way full, the batter may overflow and create a mess in the oven. Changing the cake pan also require you to change the baking time and the baking temperature. Shallow batter bakes faster than deep batter.
If you move batter from a deep cake pan to a wide and shallow cake pan, you must check the cake for doneness much earlier than the recipe instruct. You can use a toothpick to test if the cake is done. It is better to remove a cake from the oven slightly early than to leave a cake in the oven until the cake is dry or overbake.
Finally, the success of a cake depend on using the correct math and using the correct tool. Tools such as cooling rack, offset spatula, and cake leveler can help a person achieve a professional result. Using parchment paper can prevent the cake from stick to the cake pans length.
Ensuring that butter is at room temperature can also help the baking process. Baking require you to respect the relationship between the recipe and the cake pan. You should of checked the pans size first.