How to Prepare a Cake Pan – Two Ways
Learn to two best way to prepare your cake pans for cakes that release perfectly every time! No more stuck on cake around here! Check out the buttered and floured and sprayed and lined techniques for great cakes.
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For a year before Ben and I got married I took a job as a cake decorating instructor at Michael’s teaching Wilton method to save up some extra money for the big day and our honeymoon. I had taken all the classes, loved them, left smelling like frosting and had cakes for days. Once I started teaching I was so excited to show off all the new skills, but then burned out on the 27 tupperware containers of frosting in my fridge and getting frosting tips stuck in my garbage disposal. So I hung up my cake baking. At least for a while.
But I’m back at it – and wanted to start from scratch with the basics of baking. Good baking leads to better decorating – true story! So today let’s start off with how to prepare your pans for success.
The biggest feeling of defeat you can get in cake decorating is having half of your cake left behind in a poorly prepped pan. My favorite method is this one below – the spray and line method.
Spray and Line Method
You will need:
Cake Pans
Parchment Paper – Not Waxed Paper
A Marker or Pen
Scissors
Non-Stick Spray
Lay your cake pan on your parchment paper.
Using your pen or pen, outline the outside of the cake pan.
Using your scissors, cut a circle on the inside rim of the parchment paper.
Next, lightly spray your cake pan with non-stick spray. Then line your cake pan with your circle of parchment paper.
You can find pre-cut parchment circles, but they are expensive for only a dozen or so. It’s more cost effective just to take the time to do it yourself.
Fill your cake pan half way and bake your cake. Once it’s ready to remove it from the pan, you’ll get a perfectly smooth bottomed cake. Just remember to remove the parchment!
Butter and Flour Method
I always remember my mom as the butter and flour cake prepper. The first time I prepped a pan this way, I’m pretty convinced I used about a quarter cup of butter in one pan. Awesome. But it doesn’t take much butter, or shortening, to prep a perfect pan .
What you need:
Cake pans
Softened Butter, or Shortening
Paper Towel
Flour
Using your paper towel, dip about a teaspoon of butter or shortening on to it. Swipe it around the entirety of the pan – making sure to get into the corners of the pan, too!
Next, add in a couple tablespoons of flour. Swirl the flour around the pan making sure to get the flour into the corners and  up the sides of the pan. If you see spots where the flour isn’t sticking, use your butter towel to make a little swipe and re-coat with flour.
Using your hand, tap the side of the pan to loosen any big clumps of flour that might remain and pour out. 
Then you’re ready to fill it half way and bake according to your recipe! Pan prepping is an essential part of perfect cake baking!! Make sure to practice this week and get ready for next week’s how-to on Cake decorating!
Try this method on these cake recipes!
Pear Almond Cake with Cinnamon Brown Sugar Buttercream
I love both ways, but mostly use parchment. Great tips!
I use mostly the parchment method too! Hasn’t failed me yet!
I’m a crisco and flour gal myself!
You can’t go wrong with Crisco and Flour!! 🙂
Great tip!
Why thank you, lovely lady!!
What a wonderful tutorial! If this part isn’t done right when you’re baking a cake, its impossible to have a beautiful end product. Great technique 🙂 Happy Tuesday!
I completely agree Kelly!! Better baking before leads to better decorating later!
Love all of these tips and that Pear Almond Cake… woah- sounds amazing!!! I could eat a slice of that with my coffee right about now 🙂
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