What is the best brand of cake pans ?

Well, I'm not sure if you want them for baking or for show, but I use Chicago Metallic in my bagel shop for muffins and am very happy with them. I use them every day and they get banged around a lot. Probably

If you go to a great bakery and see what they use, you might be surprized.

I have a combination of Wilton Performance and Magic Line cake pans. I have used them for years and have no complaints. My Magic Line pans appear to have perfectly straight sides. Unless you are planning to really bang these pans around, I don't see any need to get extremely heavy pans. All my pans eventually become dull but not dark. They bake evenly. A few years ago Cook's Illustrated reviewed cake pans. They concluded that All-Clad cake pans were the best. They had better luck with the cake releasing than with aluminum pans. I don't have problems with cakes sticking and therefore, I couldn't justify paying $80+ for a cake pan.

I think it all depends on whether youre going for non stick or using paper: if using paper, stove enamelled is hard to beat. But almost anything will work with paper lining.

Thick ali will help spread the heat if your oven isnt heating evenly. I've not noticed that problem myself, but I dont do a great amount of baking. I've found non stick is a pretty poor substitute for paper.

Regards, NT

These pans will definately be used for baking. Great idea about finding out what the bakeries use !

"Vox Humana" wrote

I hear you !!! $80 is definately out of my price range for a cake pan as well. I guess that would go in the "cost no consideration" category.

I have one Wilton Performance pan already and am not happy with it because the sides aren't straight and so when I stack two cakes, they do not line up correctly. I don't have any Wilton Decorator Preferred pans. I hope I won't be banging these new pans around (unless it's against DH's head. LOL), but I would like to start baking wedding cakes on the side and consider these pans an investment.

What about the Perfection Bakeware ? Does anyone know anything about these pans ?

I did not know that about aluminum spreading the heat if the oven isn't heating evenly. That would be a selling point for aluminum for me. I don't know if my oven doesn't heat evenly, but better safe than sorry ! Plus, even if this oven does heat evenly, when we move the next one may not. I assume this would keep me from having to turn the cake pan in the middle of the baking time ?

I don't usually use paper when baking and haven't had a problem with my cakes releasing. I just use crisco & flour now or a homemade "cake release" - no paper. I am not opposed to paper, though, if necessary. I don't *think* I need/want nonstick pans. I have heard that they brown the outside of the cake more than regular pans. But I am certainly open to everyone's opinions on this subject !

I did find something interesting - on the 2 websites I mentioned above, they both have a page comparing their product to other products. They are set up exactly the same which leads me to believe that they have their product manufactured for them and privately labelled to be sold as "ultimate bakeware" or "perfection bakeware". I cannot find either of these products sold by any other stores on the internet.

Well, if you need to do that now, then maybe, it would help to some extent anyway. Copper and aluminium are the 2 best heat conductors.

Well FWIW I have a mixture of baking goods, from the very superior to the cheapskate, and as far as cooking performance goes, I find that, when using paper, theres no difference. One is built like a tank, another will bend and twist under the weight of the food in it, but once in the oven theres no difference.

When not using paper its another matter, but Ive learnt to use paper for good results. THe cheapo stuff is bad news wihout paper, it sticks like glue.

When you think about the science of what the trays actually do, I wouldnt expect to see much difference between them, so long as you get your antisticking measures right. I've seen exorbitantly priced all-clad etc sold for oven use, but I think its just intended to take money off people who dont understand why all-clad really offers no advantage inside an oven.

All a baking tray need do is contain the food, conduct the heat through, not stick, be dishwashable, and survive daily life. Few fail to meet those, with the exception of sticking.

Regards, NT

Personally, I like either the Professional (gray "non stick") or Commercial series from Chicago Metallic. As a kicker you get a U.S. made product. My second choice would be Kaiser La Forme (German.) Any of these will withstand quite a lot of abuse in the kitchen. Cook's Illustrated agrees with me on the Chicago Metallic Professional series if you like their recommendations.

Fred The Good Gourmet

Cheers

Thanks for all the responses, everybody. I am leaning towards the Perfection Bakeware right now. Even though noone has responded yet that has used them ! I talked to the guy at the company last week, and they sound really nice. Please keep your opinions coming, however. I am checking into all the other brands that have been recommended as well. Some of them I hadn't even ever heard of before.