# Cake sticks to pan **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 22, 2005, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cake-sticks-to-pan/332325 "2005-11-22T21:17:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cake-sticks-to-pan/332325/1 "2005-11-22T21:17:04Z")
Following the recipe exactly, using cake flour, using non stick cake pans, spraying the pan with Pam, and then flouring it, then allowing it to sit for 10 minutes, I still end up with half my cake sticking to the pan. This has happened several times. Are there any tricks I should be using? Do I simply need new pans? If so, what kind should should I get for the greatest stick resistance? ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cake-sticks-to-pan/332325/2 "2005-11-22T21:25:43Z")
Humm - what sort of pans (other than “non-stick”) are they? ---
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cake-sticks-to-pan/332325/3 "2005-11-22T21:33:26Z")
I’m not a fan of sprays, I would rather hand grease the pan. Are you sure the cakes are done? Maybe try leaving them in a few more minutes, oven thermostats vary widely. You could also try those pans w/ a slider to loosen the cake before inverting it. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cake-sticks-to-pan/332325/4 "2005-11-22T21:35:07Z")
I haven’t tried one of the new silicone pans yet. Anyone? ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cake-sticks-to-pan/332325/5 "2005-11-22T21:36:09Z")
Aluminum, I believe. The surface does not seem to be Teflon, but is dark gray. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cake-sticks-to-pan/332325/6 "2005-11-22T21:45:30Z")
[http://www.thebakerskitchen.com/BAKEWARE\_SHOPPE/Silicone\_Bakeware/silicone\_bakeware.htm](http://www.thebakerskitchen.com/BAKEWARE_SHOPPE/Silicone_Bakeware/silicone_bakeware.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cake-sticks-to-pan/332325/7 "2005-11-22T22:15:30Z")
Check the temperature of your oven with a baking thermometer. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cake-sticks-to-pan/332325/8 "2005-11-22T22:33:01Z")
Aluminum is the pan that works the best for me. Use shortening to grease the pan bottom and sides. Do in about a 1/8 cup of flour, and over the sink tap the side of the pan while tilting it until the bottom and sides are coated. Add flour until you have all the surfaces finished. Flip the pan up side down over the sink and give it a couple sharp raps. The pan is ready in less time than you spent reading this. Do not use margerine or oil either, you’ll end up with a stick surface instead, as the oil reacts to the heat. Some more delicate recipies require parchment paper in the bottom to facilitate removal. You coat the pan bottom with shortening , put in the paper in the bottom, and coat the paper with shortening and flour. The paper is necessary to make cake fo jelly rolls, ice cream rolls and other mostly egg white body cakes. You also must cut along the sides of a pan to loosen the cake. Put the tray on top of the cake pan and holding tight turn the cake pan and tray as one unit so the tray is on the bottom. A little tapping should release the cake fully, if not use the paper next time. You have to remove the cake at the correct temperature or it breaks apart. Do not over beat a cake or the glutten in the flour will react like your making bread. Over beaten cake is tough, heavy, and likes to stick to the pan. Over cooked cake likes to break into crumbs and is dry. Overcooking, and over mixing are the biggest reason most people do bad at cakes. I hope this helps all the want to be cooks. I gave directions for what I know works best in my case. Don’t write to tell me a different pan is better or such. I end up with a good cake. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cake-sticks-to-pan/332325/9 "2005-11-22T22:58:14Z")
Use butter or shortening instead of Pam ---
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cake-sticks-to-pan/332325/10 "2005-11-22T23:35:23Z")
If you want a no-fail, “this cake must release” method, then after you grease the pan, cut a circle of waxed paper or parchment the size of the bottom of the pan, place that in the pan, flatten it out, and grease the paper. It works every time, even if it’s a little more effort. ---
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2005, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cake-sticks-to-pan/332325/11 "2005-11-22T23:40:50Z")
You should also let the pan cool for about 15 minutes before attempting to remove your cake. ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cake-sticks-to-pan/332325/12 "2005-11-23T00:47:30Z")
I used a fancy silicone bundt pan (that my non-cooking brother bought me) and was very surprised at how well it worked! ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cake-sticks-to-pan/332325/13 "2005-11-23T02:38:38Z")
Well, we went out and bought the kitchenaid silicone pans. I will let you know how they work. They sure are weird to hold though, all soft and squishy. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cake-sticks-to-pan/332325/14 "2005-11-23T02:48:00Z")
> [@dauerbach](#): > > Do I simply need new pans? If so, what kind should should I get for the greatest stick resistance? Line your baking pans with baking parchment paper like bakers do. They also may brush the pans with canola oil to hold the parchment in place. ---
**Author:** ![Cillasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@Cillasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cillasi)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cake-sticks-to-pan/332325/15 "2005-11-23T03:42:21Z")
Your recipe tells you to do all that?!? Seems like overkill to me. If your pans are non-stick, you shouldn’t have to use anything. I don’t know if PAM and the like mix well with flour either. And letting it sit for 10 minutes? Sounds like you’re creating a messy goo on the bottom of your pans before you even put the batter in them. I am notorious for forgetting to flour pans and my baked goods still don’t stick. They may be a little harder to shake loose, but are otherwise fine. > [@dauerbach](#): > > Following the recipe exactly, using cake flour, using non stick cake pans, spraying the pan with Pam, and then flouring it, then allowing it to sit for 10 minutes, I still end up with half my cake sticking to the pan. This has happened several times. Are there any tricks I should be using? Do I simply need new pans? If so, what kind should should I get for the greatest stick resistance? ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cake-sticks-to-pan/332325/16 "2005-11-23T06:07:24Z")
Sorry to not be clear, the 10 minute wait is after the cake is taken out of the oven. The silicon pans, strange as they are, worked like an absolute charm. One thing that is different is that since you let the cake cool in the pan the bottom of the cake comes out moist rather than dry, but I am assuming that it will dry to normal consistancy after it sits out of the pan for a little while. ---
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cake-sticks-to-pan/332325/17 "2005-11-23T06:34:35Z")
> [@dauerbach](#): > > Sorry to not be clear, the 10 minute wait is after the cake is taken out of the oven. > > The silicon pans, strange as they are, worked like an absolute charm. One thing that is different is that since you let the cake cool in the pan the bottom of the cake comes out moist rather than dry, but I am assuming that it will dry to normal consistancy after it sits out of the pan for a little while. I’m back to what I said before, your oven thermostat may be off and the cakes are not sufficiently baked, while thay shouldn’t be completely dry they shouldn’t be overly moist either. You might try getting a good quality oven thermometer and checking the temp. against the thermostat setting. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2005, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cake-sticks-to-pan/332325/18 "2005-11-24T01:19:52Z")
Cooking threads are best suited to Cafe Society. Moved from GQ. **samclem** GQ moderator