It is the result you produce that determines whether you are a good baker or not. But do you know quite a number of factors determine your result? Here you are working your ass off just to produce the best cakes, but it seems everything is against you in this baking thing.
Have you considered getting new baking pans? No matter how skillful your hands are in baking, with the wrong pans, you will not always get it right.
It is high time you discarded those frustrating pans and set out for new ones. You would not have to do a nerve-wracking back-breaking search as we have helped you research the best cake pans America’s test kitchen of 2020.
See also:
Reviews of Best Cake Pans – Top 7 Picks of the Year
#1 – Fat Daddio’s PRD-1BOX Anodized Aluminum Best Round Cake Pan Celebration Set
This is one of the best cake pans on America’s test kitchen review.
It comes in a set of 3 with different sizes. Not only is this cake pan beautiful and durable, but it will also surely make baking fun for you. It is made of anodized aluminum, which will make this pan stay with you for a lifetime. This bakeware reaches baking temperatures faster and also cools faster than other traditional cake pans. As you know, the right temperature of heat is needed to achieve even cooking.
This anodized aluminum bake pan has a durable, non-reactive surface that seals the natural pores of the aluminum. So, instead of having all the dish soap, detergent, oil, and unwanted flavor leached into your baking the way natural aluminum does, everything is “safe-sealed,” and your cake comes out all nice with the right and perfect flavor.
Pros
- Heats evenly and cools faster
- Three pans of different sizes in one package
- Made with anodized aluminum with perfect baking surface
- Free of chemical coatings and extra metals
- Offers professional baking
Cons
- Inconsistency in brand
#2 – Wilton Easy Layers! Loaf Cake Pan Set
The Wilton Easy Layers come in a set of 4 pans. The pans are heavy-duty aluminum pans that would serve you for a long time. With heavy-duty aluminum construction, what you get are overly durable pans that offer even heating, therefore baking your food thoroughly.
Asides the durability and high performance of these pans, they also offer a touch of professionalism to your baking. With the pans, you can get easily creative with your layers of cake. Removing your cake is made easy with these pans. You would not even need to grease them or take some other precautions necessary for conventional pans. This is because these pans have the ideal silicone surfaces that pop food right out with just a quick twist.
Pros
- Heavy-duty aluminum, silicone surface
- Offers professional baking
- You can dishwash, microwave, freeze and refrigerate
- Easy to use and clean
- Four wonderful multi-purpose pans in one package
Cons
- The pans are a bit small
#3 – Fat Daddio’s PCC-33 Round Cheesecake Pan
Any day, anytime, you can always trust anodized aluminum pans. Anodized aluminum pans give you a hundred percent assurance of safe cooking without contaminants. They have no chemical coating or extra metal. The natural pores on the pan are already safe-sealed to avoid unwanted flavors and dish soap from leaching into your food.
It reaches baking temperatures faster than other conventional pans. Also, it cools faster, and you do not have to struggle with bringing out the cake after baking; this pan offers a non-stick surface and removable bottom that allow you remove your cheesecake with a simple push.
Pros
- Overly durable and highly efficient
- Offers professional baking result
- Heats and cools faster
- Lifetime warranty
Cons
- Very small
#4 – Wilton Performance Pans Aluminum Square Cake and Brownie Pan
This is not just a baking pan for cakes; you can trust your loaves of bread and cheesecakes with it; the result will surprise you. This is another of Wilton’s products made with the ideal material for baking. The high-quality aluminum construction allows your food to cook evenly and thoroughly. You would not have to bother about changing cake pans now and then; this one will stay with you for as long as you want it to.
Cakes do not have to be round always, step up your creativity with this square cake and brownie pan. If you are planning to make a tiered cake, you would need a pan like this to create the square shapes. To get the best result from this pan, wash in warm soapy water before using it. After use, repeat the same cleaning process.
Pros
- Durable and wide
- Easy to use and clean
- Multi-purpose pan cooks even
Cons
- Pan is a bit tricky
#5 – Baker’s Edge Nonstick Edge Brownie Pan
This pan has quite a number of features that would make you fall in love with it, even at first sight. If you are a terrible brownie lover, you should consider this pan. It is made of heavy-gauge cast aluminum that circulates heat thoroughly, thereby ensuring even cooking. For every baking, this pan adds two chewy edges to the brownie, and in case you don’t know, the perfect brownies have moist centers and plenty of chewy edges.
With this pan, cleaning up is hassle-free. It is coated outside and inside to make the cleaning process easy. The heat circulates the edge, making the edges chewy, just like the way a perfect brownie would.
Pros
- Durable, non-sticky and effective
- Easy to use and clean
- Bakes the perfect brownies with chewy edges
- Free of chemical coatings, heavy metals, etc
- Features handle for easy carriage
Cons
- The batter does not really get evenly dispersed because of the pan’s design.
#6 – Wilton Perfect Results Premium Non-Stick 9-Inch Fluted Tube Pan
Just like its name, you would get a perfect result with this Wilton product. The 9-inches fluted pan is a kitchen accessory that you should always have handy. One of the signs that you are a good baker is how creative you can get with your baking. The fluted tube pans add a whole lot of creativity to your cooking.
In just one package, you will get two fluted tube pans that give fantastic and professional results. Since the pans are made of steel, you would not have to bother about corrosion; these pans would serve your cooking needs for a lifetime. They are dishwasher-safe, but to enhance their longevity, you can hand wash with warm soapy water.
Pros
- Durable, reliable and highly effective
- Non-stick surface, hassle-free cleanup
- 2 pans in one package
- Limited 10-year warranty
- Makes baking creative and fun
Cons
- A bit too small
# 7 – Springform Pan set, Cake Pan Bakeware Cheesecake Pan
If you want the value for your money, you should go for this particular cake pans. This is, undoubtedly, one of the best cake pans America’s test kitchen. It comes in a set of three different sizes of pans. Added to the three packs are 50 pieces of parchment paper liners. These pans are also oven safe. They can withstand heat temperatures up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
These pans are of high quality. They are safe and totally free of BPA, PFOA, and other contaminants. They will not give you trouble releasing your cakes as they have non-stick surfaces. They feature spring latches that ensure the seals are tight so as to avoid messing up your kitchen.
Pros
- Durable, reliable and safe
- Three pans in one package
- Oven safe; high heat-resistance
- Non-toxic, non-stick coating
- 6-month warranty
Cons
- Not totally leak-proof
Best Cake Pans – FAQs
How much batter for cake pans?
One of the things that make you a professional baker is knowing the amount of batter a cake pan of a particular size would take. But then, it is not an easy job determining, especially if you are not an everyday baker.
The quantity of batter you fill a pan with depends on the size of the container. Normally, you are not expected to fill your pan with batter to the brim; there should be enough space for rising. If you need the batter capacity for a particular recipe or special pan, here is a quick method of calculating how much batter your cake pan would hold. For cake pans that are 1 or 2 inches deep:
1. Fill the pan to the brim with water. While doing this, use a measuring cup so that in the end, you would be able to tell the number of cups that filled the pan.
2. Now subtract half of the number of cups that filled the pan from the total number. The result will be the batter capacity of the pan. For instance: if four measuring cups of water fill a 1″ deep cake pan, half is 2 cups. Subtracted from the total amount is 2- this is how much the pan can hold.
If the pans are 3 or 4 inches deep, you will repeat the filling process with a measuring cup then subtract ⅓ of the number of cups from the total number. For instance, if 6 cups fill a 3 inches deep pan. ⅓ of 6 cups = 2. Subtract 2 from 6, you get 4, which is the batter quantity.
You can also get a batter capacity guide/chart if you do not have the luxury of time.
Where can you get cake pans?
Getting cake pans is a very easy task. You can shop for them online as Amazon, Walmart, BestBuy… or visit your local stores. They are available in their various sizes, models, and shapes in supermarkets, stores, and marts. Ordering online will actually save you the stress of having to walk around, finding the perfect one.
How to Prep a Cake Pan video
Conclusion
All the best cake pans reviewed in this article are of high quality. You can, however, help enhance their longevity by how you maintain them. Although some of these pans are dishwasher safe, it is far better if they are hand-washed.
Wash them with warm water and very mild soap immediately after use to avoid scrubbing. Also, read the instructions that come with the pans carefully to know how much heat your pan can withstand.