A cake tin is a necessary part of the baking process and is the form that the cake takes. These tins play a vital role in creating beautiful baked goods, so knowing the best ways to care for your cake tins is vital.
Advantages of Looking After Your Cake Tins
A well-maintained tin:
- Outlasts a poorly maintained one. A longer service life means cheaper running costs and less inconvenience having to replace it.
- Minimizes health risks associated with the buildup of microbes or excessive amounts of rust or other undesirable chemicals leaching into cakes during baking.
- Produces more aesthetically pleasing results. The cake will be less likely to stick to the inner sides of the tin or suffer from rust-related spotting and discoloring. The presence of rust will also impart a metallic taint to the flavour of the cake.
Cake tins are made from many materials, such as anodized aluminum, ceramic, copper, silicone or stainless steel, and come in a myriad of shapes and sizes. Different materials have unique characteristics and these produce pros and cons for each type of cookware and bakeware.
Although manufacturers may give specific advice on how best to care for their product, there are some general principles one can apply.
Therefore, in this article we will tell you 12 of the best ways you can look after for your cake tins so that you can make delicious and good looking cakes time after time.
12 Best Ways to Care for Your Cake Tins
- Check the manufacturer’s label/instructions that came with the product on how to care for the tin. It is in their interest that you have an enjoyable experience with their product. They will give advice regarding the best way to season the tin, the best oils and greases to use with it, as well as general best practice guidelines.
- Prevention is better than cure regarding cake tins. Make sure to greaseproof paper line the tin or lightly grease (and sometimes flour) cake tins with butter or margarine prior to use. This step is important because it reduces the risk of food sticking and baking hard onto the surface of the tin. The cycle of having to remove hard, baked on food from the tins significantly shortens the life of the tin.
Mono-unsaturated fats such as olive oil can become sticky at the high temperatures associated with baking. Therefore, avoid using these for greasing agents. The recipe will normally advise you how to prepare the cake tin.
When greasing, aim for a thin, even coating using kitchen paper and pay particular attention to the corners of a square or rectangular tin. Given that cakes in these types of tins bake faster at the edges than middle, make a point of turning the cake tin around a few times in the oven whilst baking. - One of the most common reasons why cake tins get in a mess is that people overfill them with batter. Never fill a cake tin over two-thirds full.
- Try washing the tin straight after cooking. Leaving a dirty tin to dry out will make cleaning it far harder.
- Handwash your cake tins in soapy water with a non-abrasive cloth or sponge, then rinse under running water before and wiping it off with a dry, clean cloth.
- Avoid dishwashing. The chemicals in the washing pods/tablets, coupled with higher temperatures, can negatively impact the tins by damaging their finish and shortening their life.
- Never use sharp objects, metal utensils or abrasive materials to clean cake tins.
- For stubborn burnt on material, try soaking the tin in warm soapy water for an hour. If this does not work, repeat the process once more. For extreme situations, either soak the tin overnight in soapy water, or dampen the problematic area with water and sprinkle baking powder onto it before leaving it to soak overnight. By the next day, the material should have softened to be removed easily.
- Dry thoroughly before storing. Some people dry their tins in a warm oven for a few minutes to make sure there is no dampness in the corners and crevices. Air drying tins can lead to water spots forming because of minerals in the water. These spots can sometime impact the outer edge of cakes baked in the tin.
- Before you store a tin, take a little time to inspect it for damage. A tin that has deep scratches, rusting, pitting, or cracking to the surface – especially if the tin has a coating – increases the risk of chemicals leaching into the food during the cooking process. Replace tins that have significant wear and tear or damage.
However, a well maintained older tin can be perfectly usable. There is a big difference between tins that are rusty and damaged compared to those that are aging with some brown staining. - To avoid any premature rust from forming, you can use a food oil to coat the inside and outside of the tin and lid. The easiest ways to do this is by applying a light coating of cooking oil spray or by pouring a little cooking oil onto a piece of clean kitchen paper.
- Some people store their tins sealed in plastic kitchen wrap or aluminium foil to minimize air contact.
Summary
Learning the best ways to care for your cake tins is not complex and ensures they have a long life and function as designed. The key principles involved are:
- Prevention not cure – greaseproof line or grease tins before baking. Don’t overfill them with batter.
- Wash up after use – don’t leave it. Avoid dishwasher.
- Stubborn stains – don’t damage tins through impatience. Avoid sharp objects and abrasive materials. If all else fails, soak overnight.
- Dry, dry, dry! – Never store a damp cake tin.
- Oil before storage – A quick wipe over with a little cooking oil saves a lot of heartache in the long run.
