Cake tins
Helpful Tools
Cake-making is a precise skill, if a recipe specifies the type of tin, it's essential to use the right size. A mixture meant for a shallow tin won't cook properly in a deep tin. Dark, dull tins absorb more heat than pale shiny ones, so for example, batter cooks more quickly and has a darker crust.
Construction
Buy sturdy tins made in a material which gets heat to the mixture quickly and evenly. They might be pricier, but you'll get better results, and run less risk of ruining delicate cake batters. The best tins have a good solid base, with a rolled rim to stop warping.
Materials
Aluminium is an excellent heat conductor which doesn't rust. It's light-weight but fine for quickly-cooked shallow cakes.
Anodized aluminium is stronger than ordinary aluminium. It has a hard, corrosion-resistant coating and conducts heat well. An excellent choice for all types of cake.
Heavy-gauge tinned steel is super-strong and conducts heat brilliantly. Professional bakers wouldn't use anything else.
Flexible silicone feels like rubber but miraculously doesn't melt. It's completely non-stick so your cakes pop out like magic. You may find that cooking times are a bit quicker because of the dark surface.
Basic tins
For dense fruit cakes that need long cooking, you'll need a deep, round tin with a removable base. The base should be thick enough to stop the cake scorching on the bottom. A reinforced rolled rim will help the tin keep its shape. The most useful sizes tend to be 21-23cm, and at least 7cm deep.
For slab cakes and gingerbread, use a sturdy rectangular tin about 25 x 21cm and 4-7cm deep. The best ones have a reinforced rolled rim and securely welded corners.
Handy for layered cakes are two or three straight-sided round tins, at least 5cm deep and about 20-23cm wide. For a sponge sandwich, you'll need a couple of shallow round tins, with or without a removable base. The most useful sizes tend to be 18cm and 20cm.
Preparation
To avoid that slightly anxious moment when you turn out a cake, spend a little time preparing the tin before you add the batter. A well-written recipe will tell you how. Sometimes, it's enough to grease and sprinkle with sugar or flour.
Sometimes you need to grease, line with paper then grease again. Don't be tempted to skip this even if your tins are non-stick - they sometimes do.
Shop
Mermaid has an unsurpassed reputation for the robustness and non-stick elements of their hard anodised bakeware and cake tins. They also have a budget range of aluminium bakeware.
Click here for Mermaid cake tins
Silverwood silver anodised aluminium has an award winning range of cake tins, including their adjustable square cake tin.
Click here for Silverwood cake tins
Bakers Pride is good quality cake tin for entry level cake makers.
Click here for Bakers Pride cake tins
Construction
Buy sturdy tins made in a material which gets heat to the mixture quickly and evenly. They might be pricier, but you'll get better results, and run less risk of ruining delicate cake batters. The best tins have a good solid base, with a rolled rim to stop warping.
Materials
Aluminium is an excellent heat conductor which doesn't rust. It's light-weight but fine for quickly-cooked shallow cakes.
Anodized aluminium is stronger than ordinary aluminium. It has a hard, corrosion-resistant coating and conducts heat well. An excellent choice for all types of cake.
Heavy-gauge tinned steel is super-strong and conducts heat brilliantly. Professional bakers wouldn't use anything else.
Flexible silicone feels like rubber but miraculously doesn't melt. It's completely non-stick so your cakes pop out like magic. You may find that cooking times are a bit quicker because of the dark surface.
Basic tins
For dense fruit cakes that need long cooking, you'll need a deep, round tin with a removable base. The base should be thick enough to stop the cake scorching on the bottom. A reinforced rolled rim will help the tin keep its shape. The most useful sizes tend to be 21-23cm, and at least 7cm deep.
For slab cakes and gingerbread, use a sturdy rectangular tin about 25 x 21cm and 4-7cm deep. The best ones have a reinforced rolled rim and securely welded corners.
Handy for layered cakes are two or three straight-sided round tins, at least 5cm deep and about 20-23cm wide. For a sponge sandwich, you'll need a couple of shallow round tins, with or without a removable base. The most useful sizes tend to be 18cm and 20cm.
Preparation
To avoid that slightly anxious moment when you turn out a cake, spend a little time preparing the tin before you add the batter. A well-written recipe will tell you how. Sometimes, it's enough to grease and sprinkle with sugar or flour.
Sometimes you need to grease, line with paper then grease again. Don't be tempted to skip this even if your tins are non-stick - they sometimes do.
Shop
Mermaid has an unsurpassed reputation for the robustness and non-stick elements of their hard anodised bakeware and cake tins. They also have a budget range of aluminium bakeware.
Click here for Mermaid cake tins
Silverwood silver anodised aluminium has an award winning range of cake tins, including their adjustable square cake tin.
Click here for Silverwood cake tins
Bakers Pride is good quality cake tin for entry level cake makers.
Click here for Bakers Pride cake tins
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