How to prepare a cake pan so the cake doesn’t stick to it?

There will be no more crumbly cakes! I’ll show you how to keep cake from sticking to the pan.

A cake that adheres to the pan is one of the worst baking catastrophes. You put in the time and effort, you’re excited as you pull it from the oven, but when you go to remove it from the pan it sticks and comes out in pieces. I’ve been there, and it’s quite aggravating.

But it’s been a long time since I shed tears over crumbled cake, and I’m here to pass my knowledge on to you! Here’s how to make sure your cakes are always clean and in one piece.

How to Keep Cake from Sticking to the Pan

Always line cake pans with parchment paper

The most important preparation you can make when baking a cake is to line the pans (these are the pans that I use) with parchment paper. This prevents the bottom of the cake from sticking to the pan and guarantees that it all comes out in one piece. Without parchment paper, I never bake a cake! Are you considering skipping this step? Do not attempt it.

You can buy parchment rounds that will fit inside your pan, or you can trace around the outside of your pan onto a sheet of parchment paper with a pencil and cut it out. Place your pans pencil side down as you line them.

Next up, we need to grease the pan. You have the option of using butter and flour or baking spray.

Grease with butter and flour

Greasing your pan with butter and flour is one option. These two ingredients work together to create a barrier between the pan and your cake. To butter and flour your pans, follow these steps:

1. Butter the whole interior of your pan (or margarine or shortening). Use the paper liners from the butter that was used in the cake batter. These liners usually have enough residual butter to adequately grease your pans, and they’re a great vehicle too. But room temperature butter and a paper towel will work as well.
2. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and oil it with extra butter.
3. Sprinkle your greased pan with flour.
4. Shake and flip the pan until it is fully floured. Dump the excess flour into the next pan or back into the flour container.

For years, I lined all of my cake pans in this manner, and it worked flawlessly. Then I discovered that nonstick baking spray works just as well and is even easier!

Grease with Nonstick Baking Spray

To guarantee that your cakes come out of their pans cleanly, use parchment paper and a good spritz of baking spray. Make sure the spray contains flour, because flour + oil is the winning combo here. Look for Baker’s Joy (available at all grocery shops) or White Cap (sold at specialty stores or online and lasts forever).

Spray the interior of the pan completely. Spray the parchment paper with nonstick spray and place it in the bottom of the pan. That’s all there is to it!

Whether you use butter and flour or baking spray, you can be certain that the cake batter will come out clean and in one piece when you pour it into the prepared pan.

How to Remove Cake from the Pan

Let the cake to cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes after baking. If any of the edges of the cake appear stuck, run a knife around the cake to loosen. Then place it on a wire rack to cool entirely. I usually flip the cake out onto my hand and then quickly flip it back down onto the rack so that it cools parchment side-down, but that’s just my preference.

Are you ready to bake a cake? This chocolate sour cream cake is one of my favorites, so is this lemon blueberry cake.

How to Prevent Bundt Cakes from Sticking to the Pan

As you can see, there are a lot of comments below asking, “What about bundt cakes?” My biggest piece of advice is to use a quality nonstick bundt pan. That will greatly simplify your life! I’ve used this one for years and have never had a bundt cake stick, regardless of how I grease it.

Then, oil it thoroughly using one of the ways described above. Just make sure you go inside every nook and corner until you reach the top. When it’s baked and cooled for a few minutes, gently shake the pan up and down to ensure that it bounces softly inside the pan. That way, when you turn it out of the pan, you’ll know it’s clean.4.

Related Questions

• What is best to use to grease a cake pan?

  Vegetable oil or shortening is your best bet at ensuring your baked goods don’t stick to the pan; however, they do little to flavor your recipe. The trick to using butter is to use it sparingly, particularly in conjunction with a nonstick pan.

• Should you grease and flour a cake pan or just grease it?

  If you are baking a cake, always grease and flour the pan before adding the batter if you want the cake to unmold cleanly and easily. Whether you’re using a fancy bundt pan or preparing a tall, multi-layered cake, this is very vital.

• Should I line my cake pan with parchment paper?

  If you want a level cake that does not adhere to the pan, line it with parchment paper. If you want a level cake that does not adhere to the pan, line it with parchment paper. It’s an extra step that greatly simplifies the cake-making process later on.

• Can I use Pam to grease a cake pan?

  Spray Pam Cooking Spray Spray on your bread pans, muffin tins and cake pans to prevent your breads and cakes from sticking to the side. Your meal will glide out more easily, and there will be no crumbs clinging to the bottoms or edges.