What you need to know when buying cake tins

Every home baker needs a basic collection of cake tins, but what should you look for when making your selection?

Here are 4 simple guidelines to make shopping a little easier.

1. Cake tins are available in a vast range of different materials with numerous finishes – too many to mention here. As a general rule of thumb, you get what you pay for. The more durable and long-lasting tins will be the more expensive ones, so buy the best quality you can afford.
2. Remember that heavy tins (made with a thicker gauge metal) and those coated with a dark, non-stick finish will absorb heat and create a more golden, slightly thicker crust than lighter bakeware that has an uncoated finish.
3. Cake tins come in numerous shapes and sizes, which do vary slightly between brands. Remember, not all (actually very few!) measurements on the packaging or stamped into the bases are correct. I have come across a range of springform pans that are actually 2cm/¾in smaller than the measurement given! So never think that someone else has done the work for you and, particularly if you are after a specific size, make sure you measure it across the base before buying (it may sound crazy, but taking a measuring tape with you is not such a bad idea!).
4. Buy round and square tins with straight sides that join at right angles at the base, to give the most uniform look to your baked products (especially those used to make multi-layer cakes). However, if this isn’t a priority, then those with rounded corners are fine.

A Basic Cake Pan Kit

To get you started, I would recommend the following basic cake tins (all measured across the base):

• 20cm/8in deep round tin
• 20cm/8in deep square tin
• 16cmx26cm / 6¼inx10½in shallow slice tin
• 20cm/8in and/or 22cm/8¾in springform tin
• 9cmx19cm / 3½inx7½in loaf tin
• 12-hole 80ml (⅓ cup/2½fl oz)muffin tin
• 2 x large baking trays with low or no sides

Taking care of your cake tins

Clean all your cake pans in hot, soapy water, then rinse well and place back in the oven – the residual heat will make sure they dry completely before you store them in the cupboard. If the oven has cooled, just reheat it to about 100°C/200°F (80°C/175°F fan-forced).

Measure and mark

It’s a good idea to measure all your bakeware in centimetres across the centre of the base. Then use a permanent marker to note the size on the base so you can see the correct measurement at a glance next time you go to use them.