What are the best cake pans?

We cooked our way through many pans to determine which would ensure a flawlessly done cake!

When it comes to choosing a cake pan, the good news is that there are many nice alternatives, and even the most expensive ones are still reasonably priced. One differential is whether the pan is nonstick or not, but there are also depth, weight, and handles to consider. Most of the pans we examined functioned well, so it comes down to personal choice in terms of construction. Before you purchase, make a note of whether the pan is offered as a set or individually. If you’re preparing a layer cake, you’ll need at least two of these. These are some of our favorites that will make baking simple, enjoyable, and successful.

A word about our favorites: All of these pans worked well, producing uniformly cooked cakes with nice texture and release.

We acquired nine well-reviewed 9-inch round cake pans after checking consumer purchasing guides. We coated the pans with butter and gently sprinkled them with flour before baking. We prepared a typical boxed yellow cake mix according to the package instructions and divided it equally between two pans at a time, weighing the batter to guarantee accuracy. We then baked according to instructions, noting whether the cakes baked in the time the box indicated after testing with a cake tester and whether or not the cakes formed a dome at the top once fully baked. We slid the cakes out onto wire racks once they had cooled and observed the evenness of the color on the bottom. Next we cut a piece and assessed the texture and moisture level of the cake.

The pans were then washed according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. If the pan was dishwasher safe, we washed part of the pan by hand then ran it through the dishwasher and noted how easily it cleaned. We only hand-washed everything that wasn’t dishwasher safe.