Cake Tins. Silicone or Non stick?

nesbitt

I need to buy some bake ware.

Searched the forum but did not find specific advice so....

Are silicone cake 'tins' any good. I'm guessing they peel away well and good when cake is done but what about an even bake without hotspots?

If I am going to buy metal cake tins, that need to be greased and lined with baking paper anyway, is cheapo okay? Do I need to invest in good heavy cake tin for even bake etc? Is this a must?

Don't mind investing a little bit, as bake ware is not mad money and I look after my kitchen stuff. Some items I have for donkeys years...:)

Any bakers advice would be great. Thanks.

MandyM

What type of oven do you have?

If it's fan assisted, silicon bakeware isn't ideal at all. The best baking tins for a fan assisted oven are black tins, not even silver, if you can help it.

In general, I'm a fan of metal bakeware, it holds its shape unlike flexible silicon.

I'm not knocking silicon all together, it's definitely useful when it comes to more moulded type bakeware 'cause it is much easier to remove your baked goods from them.

If you're a home baker you don't have to spend huge amounts on expensive metal bakeware. I bought 3 round cake tins from Dunnes when I moved to Ireland about 2.5 years ago and they're still happy as ever. I line the bottom with a round cut out parchment paper and grease/flour the sides if the recipe instructs it.

Apart from one huge square heavy duty bake tin I bought, most of my baking sheets/cupcake trays/cake tins come from Dunnes or Homebase which I have no problems with for home baking.

More importantly than the type of bakeware you use, is knowing your oven, that's what makes successful baking.

I know that I have a hot spot in the back right side of mine (and it's fan assisted so this is not supposed to happen), so I know I need to rotate whatever's baking. My oven also under-reads by about 20dC which is huge, so if I set it to 160dC, it's actually sitting at about 175-180. So buy an oven thermometer, they're cheap and really do make a difference.

nesbitt

MandyM wrote: »

What type of oven do you have?

If it's fan assisted, silicon bakeware isn't ideal at all. The best baking tins for a fan assisted oven are black tins, not even silver, if you can help it.

In general, I'm a fan of metal bakeware, it holds its shape unlike flexible silicon.

I'm not knocking silicon all together, it's definitely useful when it comes to more moulded type bakeware 'cause it is much easier to remove your baked goods from them.

If you're a home baker you don't have to spend huge amounts on expensive metal bakeware. I bought 3 round cake tins from Dunnes when I moved to Ireland about 2.5 years ago and they're still happy as ever. I line the bottom with a round cut out parchment paper and grease/flour the sides if the recipe instructs it.

Apart from one huge square heavy duty bake tin I bought, most of my baking sheets/cupcake trays/cake tins come from Dunnes or Homebase which I have no problems with for home baking.

More importantly than the type of bakeware you use, is knowing your oven, that's what makes successful baking.

I know that I have a hot spot in the back right side of mine (and it's fan assisted so this is not supposed to happen), so I know I need to rotate whatever's baking. My oven also under-reads by about 20dC which is huge, so if I set it to 160dC, it's actually sitting at about 175-180. So buy an oven thermometer, they're cheap and really do make a difference.

Many thanks for that detailed advice. I will buy the square tin I looked at in Dunnes Homeware for a fiver!:D I can also have a rummage in TK Maxx.

I cook with gas, a cannon gas cooker. I read your comment on oven temp with interest. Did a cookery course recently and noticed how different the ovens were even between work stations!

MandyM

nesbitt wrote: »

Many thanks for that detailed advice. I will buy the square tin I looked at in Dunnes Homeware for a fiver!:D I can also have a rummage in TK Maxx.

I cook with gas, a cannon gas cooker. I read your comment on oven temp with interest. Did a cookery course recently and noticed how different the ovens were even between work stations!

It's a pleasure! I hope it helps you. It's taken me a while to learn all these things by trial and error so only happy to help others.

TK Maxx are great for finding the odd bakeware here and there and, like I said, I have tins from Dunnes and haven't had a problem

The way ovens can be so different to each other really amazes me! When I'd moved here and started using the oven for baking I would get so frustrated 'cause of the uneven rising or burning etc. Getting a thermometer was the best thing I did!

Acoshla

Yeah I use relatively cheap tins...well no not relatively, very cheap There's a local shop near me where the most expensive tin is a tenner, majority are about a fiver, I have a lot of these and they are all perfect and working well. I personally don't use silicone as I'm normally baking biggish cakes and it's easier to handle and tip them out of regular ones. Also I have a slight paranoia about things leeching out of heated silicone, probably ridiculous I know but bad experience in a place I worked with food tasting of what it was warmed in so I stay away.

This is probably incredibly obvious but stay away from springform tins unless you specifically need them, for cheesecakes etc, as they lose their shape quite easily. I bought one in Tesco last year, not a cheap tin, and within months it was no longer circular, which I only noticed when I went to put a cake in the oven, the bottom popped out and the cake mix went everywhere.

MandyM

Spadina wrote: »

This is probably incredibly obvious but stay away from springform tins unless you specifically need them, for cheesecakes etc, as they lose their shape quite easily. I bought one in Tesco last year, not a cheap tin, and within months it was no longer circular, which I only noticed when I went to put a cake in the oven, the bottom popped out and the cake mix went everywhere.

I've had luck so far with the 2 spring forms I bought at Dunnes, but I only use them for cheesecakes and I don't make those all the time. So yeah, I agree, if you don't specifically need a springform for the height or whatever, go with normal cake tins.

Lol, having batter pour all over the place would have annoyed me to no end! I hope you had someone else around to clean it up so that you could storm off (that's what I would do ) Ah, when baking goes wrong (and to no fault of your own!)

Acoshla

MandyM wrote: »

Lol, having batter pour all over the place would have annoyed me to no end! I hope you had someone else around to clean it up so that you could storm off (that's what I would do ) Ah, when baking goes wrong (and to no fault of your own!)

It wasn't a batter it was a thick chocolate cake, and it fell on the door of the oven, then onto the floor, so it cooked into the door a bit and then plopped like giant poo on the floor. I had to clean it up, clean off the tin and start again because the oven was all ready to go and I couldn't waste the time or electricity!

MandyM

Spadina wrote: »

It wasn't a batter it was a thick chocolate cake, and it fell on the door of the oven, then onto the floor, so it cooked into the door a bit and then plopped like giant poo on the floor. I had to clean it up, clean off the tin and start again because the oven was all ready to go and I couldn't waste the time or electricity!

Ah the pain!

nesbitt

Spadina wrote: »

It wasn't a batter it was a thick chocolate cake, and it fell on the door of the oven, then onto the floor, so it cooked into the door a bit and then plopped like giant poo on the floor. I had to clean it up, clean off the tin and start again because the oven was all ready to go and I couldn't waste the time or electricity!

Definitely not getting a spring form one so!:D Thought this kind of thing only happened to me;)

curly from cork

could i just ask what s the difference between parchment and greased proof paper ?

nesbitt

curly from cork wrote: »

could i just ask what s the difference between parchment and greased proof paper ?

As far as I know, greased proof paper must be greased after lining the tin and parchment does not require any greasing. Don't know ought else as to their specific uses or which paper gives better results etc.

johnnycee66

When i use silicon bakeware, i find that baked goods dont brown or turn golden, other than the exposed tops. The sides and bottom in contact with the silicone tend to remain pale, so i dont use them anymore for anything that requires a nice traditional baked finish, keeping them for stuff like chocolate sponges etc. Anyone else notice this? Their usefulness is probably in their flexibility, and the ease of removal afterwards. I've gone back to metal for most other baking.

nesbitt

johnnycee66 wrote: »

When i use silicon bakeware, i find that baked goods dont brown or turn golden, other than the exposed tops. The sides and bottom in contact with the silicone tend to remain pale, so i dont use them anymore for anything that requires a nice traditional baked finish, keeping them for stuff like chocolate sponges etc. Anyone else notice this? Their usefulness is probably in their flexibility, and the ease of removal afterwards. I've gone back to metal for most other baking.

I have two silicone sandwich size 'tins' and will keep them for cheesecake and banofee(?) pie. I hate throwing stuff out so will put them to use for all 'fridge' cakes!:)

MandyM

curly from cork wrote: »

could i just ask what s the difference between parchment and greased proof paper ?

Info on greaseproof paper

Baking paper which is also called a baking parchment is used when baking things such as cookies or biscuits.

Greaseproof paper also known as wax paper is known for behaving like grease. It is resistant to water and does not allow water to permeate from both the inside or outside. It is useful to both baking and cold storage. One can keep his foods inside the refrigerator for a long period of time without having to be afraid of water linings between the food and the container.

In baking, greaseproof paper is not recommended because it uses a coating of wax to prevent the sticking of the foods. In an oven use, the heat from the oven or the food can heat up the wax coating rending the paper ineffective.

So the moral of the story is, bake with parchment - it's got a coating that stands up to the heat of the oven so you can bake on it and it will maintain its non stick surface without having to pre grease it, it also doesn't transfer any of the non stick surface to your baked goods.

Wrap and store things with greaseproof/wax paper - it does not stand up to heat and the wax melts leaving your baking stuck to the paper. But it's great for wrapping up meat or keeping baked good separated from each other like cookies or un-frosted cupcake.

MandyM

nesbitt wrote: »

I have two silicone sandwich size 'tins' and will keep them for cheesecake and banofee(?) pie. I hate throwing stuff out so will put them to use for all 'fridge' cakes!:)

They'll be perfect for fridge set cakes! Nice and flexible to get the goods out to eat

Sigma Force

I tried the silicone bun 'tin' and I found when I tried to take the buns out they just started to break because it wobbles about so much, imo anyway I think regular cake tins are better but non-stick springform are brilliant and save so much heartache.

I just use baking paper and bit of butter/flour around the sides depending on the recipe. I want to try the Wilton cake spray stuff so see if that's any good for extra sticky cakes though.

Dunno something about the silicone ones don't like the smell from them.

biddywiddy

In general, I prefer metal baking tins over silicone ones. I got a round silicon cake mould in aldi/lidl a few years ago and it nearly broke my heart getting the cake out of it. I think it was just too big. I prefer to use metal tins (TK Maxx is great for picking up baking sheets and tins) and I find I get better results if the tin has a bit of weight to it. I have a set of light sandwich tins I got in Asda a few years ago. Pretty flimsy yokes. They do the job, but the cakes don't bake as evenly as in a stronger tin. I do use silicon cupcake cases and I find them great. Cupcakes pop straight out!

Sigma Force wrote: »

I just use baking paper and bit of butter/flour around the sides depending on the recipe. I want to try the Wilton cake spray stuff so see if that's any good for extra sticky cakes though.

I have been using Wilton Cake Release lately and I find it great. It felt a bit strange greasing a tin with something from a bottle in the beginning, but it does work. This stuff isn't a spray, you just squeeze some out. I spread it around using a pastry brush. Yet to try it out on my bundt tin - that will be the ultimate test! The last time I made a bundt cake half of it stuck to the tin, despite all my greasing and flouring. Had to cover the whole thing in two layers of icing - one to stick all the bits on and one to make it look "smooth". It tasted nice, but still, what an ordeal!

nesbitt

I use a 'mild & light' olive oil (Don Carlos) that is especially suited to baking. They don't stock it everywhere but my local Superquinn have it. I just brush it around with a silicone pastry brush (these wash really well after use too).

It is excellent when a recipe calls for melted butter or oil, for example muffins.