If baking is your thing, then you know you need top-quality equipment and ingredients to get you the best result. No matter what flavour of cake you’re looking to make, you need the proper pans before you do anything. Apart from the specialty-shaped pans, there are a few different styles of cake pans you could have at your disposal.
See also: 7 Tools to Buy that will Up Your Cake Decorating Skills
Cast Iron Skillet
We all know that a cast iron pan has many different uses but did you know you can use yours for cake?! Well now you do. There are an infinite amount of recipes out there that’ll give you all the info you need but just ensure your oven doesn’t get too hot because cast irons are notorious for giving breads and buns a crispy bottom.
Bundt Pan
Looking to impress your family and friends? Use a bundt pan instead of a basic one to take dessert to the next level. This style of cake pan comes in a variety of different designs; some can get pretty intricate to yield exquisite results. While it might look like lots of fun, grease the pan like there’s no tomorrow because with all those nooks and crannies, you’d hate for your cake to get stuck!
Loaf Pan
This goes without saying but here goes nothing — if you’re whipping up any kind of loaf, then you need a loaf pan. These pans can be used for much more than just bread. Use them for banana bread, meatloaf, and even storing homemade ice cream. When baking in a loaf pan, it’s important to note that baking times are often longer due to how deep they are. This cake pan is one of the more versatile, so I’d definitely recommend having one in your kitchen.
8×8 Square Pan
A classic cake pan, the 8×8 square pan has loads of uses in the kitchen. Besides being used for baking dinner in the oven or marinating your proteins, its prime use is baking. You can find these square pans available in glass, metal and ceramic. All are fine but just be aware that glass conducts more heat than ceramic and metal which means whatever you’re baking might be done sooner than the recipe states.
9×13 Rectangular Pan
Another pan that’s a classic is the 9×13 rectangular pan. Like the square pan, it has many different uses but one of my favourite ways to use mine is by making sheet cakes. Sure, layer cakes are great but there’s something beautiful about cutting a square of cake and dolloping frosting on top and calling it a day. Leave the decorating and nitty-gritty details to the pros!
Mini Loaf Pan
If you love all things mini, then go the extra mile and snag yourself a mini loaf pan. These little guys are perfect for packing school lunches. Plus, everyone is always fighting for an end piece of cake and this way, everyone can get one every single time!
Springform
A timeless cake pan is a springform. Usually saved for the more tricky desserts that are a bit finicky, a springform is easy to use when used correctly. It’s imperative to make sure that your cake is baked through and cooled completely before you try to un-mould it.
