Prepping Cake Pans

Ever get so excited to bake a cake, that you hurry along and don't take the time to properly prepare your cake pans? When it comes time to release the cake you find that it has stuck to the pan. Don't let this happen to you. If you are going through all the trouble to bake a cake, bake it well! Take the extra few minutes to prep your pans, to ensure success.

Start by tracing the bottom of the cake pan onto parchment paper. If you are out of parchment paper, feel free to use waxed paper, as I did in this photo demonstration.

Cut the waxed paper, on the inside of the pencil line. You want to cut away the lead, because eating lead is never a good idea! If the thought of using a pencil bothers you, use a pen, or a pointed object to score the line, before cutting.

Grease the pan, liberally, with shortening. Crisco is my brand of choice. This is when rubber gloves come in handy.

Center the parchment or waxed paper cut out in the pan.

Give the paper another coating of shortening.

Then dust the inside of the pans with all purpose flour. If you are making a chocolate cake, you can use sifted cocoa powder.

* I would like to note: Coating the pan with flour is optional. I've never had a pan stick, just using the parchment and Crisco. However, I am including the dusting method, because it is how I learned, in Home Economics class. It is a trusted method.

Prepping cake pans will ensure that your cake won't be a wreck! If you are going through the effort to make something, do it right.