We tested eight pop cake pans. These 3 gave u.s. fluffy, fifty-fifty cakes every time.

Hands holding a KitchenAid cake pan with a baked cake inside next to a yellow spatula, two eggs, and a stick of butter - best cake pans in 2022

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  • The best cake pans of 2022
  • Best cake pan overall
  • Best upkeep cake pan
  • All-time uncoated cake pan
  • What else we tested
  • Our cake pan testing methodology
  • Block pan FAQs
  • What are PFOA and PTFE?
  • Check out our other bakeware guides and roundups

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As a immature domicile baker, I by and large utilize well-loved, hand-me-down cake pans, and have spent a lot of fourth dimension dealing with the issues warped, discolored, and non-standardized pans can cause. Whether the mix came from a box or yous spent hours on the perfect chiffon, information technology'due south a real bummer when your cake sticks to the pan.

Having a quality cake pan is just as of import as using a tried and true recipe, allowing you to focus on flavor and texture without worrying about turning out a broken sponge. "I rely on quality pans and quality recipes that will give me wonderful results regardless of what I'grand baking," said Jocelyn Delk Adams, writer of the Grandbaby Cakes cookbook.

Nicole Garrett, executive head baker at Susie Cakes, echoed this, telling Insider Reviews the most common mishaps in cake baking are overbaking or cake not releasing from the pans and and so tearing. Loftier-quality pans tin limit or outright prevent both of those issues.

Nosotros chose to exam nine-inch round pans because they're a staple in whatsoever kitchen and the about common size chosen for in recipes. For brands without ix-inch rounds bachelor, we chose eight-inch pans. We consulted 3 professional person bakers to help u.s.a. identify common problems that ascend during cake baking and how cake pans can solve or worsen them. In addition to Adams and Garrett, we spoke with Aya Fuaki of Aya Pastry in Chicago.

For this testing, I tried eight cake pans and baked the same yellow cake mix in each; you tin read more than about how I tested and what criteria I looked for below.

Learn more about how Insider Reviews tests and recommends kitchen products.

The best block pans of 2022

Best cake pan overall: KitchenAid Nonstick 9" Round, $16.99 on Amazon
The KitchenAid Nonstick Cake Pan has a light greyness interior for even blistering and is dishwasher safe for easier cleanup.

Best upkeep cake pan: Amazon Basics 2-Pack Nonstick Cake Pan, ix" Rounds, $11.36 on Amazon
If you lot're an occasional bakery and looking for a set of pans that are inexpensive and will become the chore done, yous tin can't observe a better bargain than the Amazon Basics Nonstick Rounds.

Best uncoated cake pan: Nordic Ware Naturals Aluminum 9" Round, $14.63 on Amazon
Despite not having a nonstick blanket, the Nordic Ware Naturals Aluminum 9" Circular pan baked an even, fluffy block and released it without problem.

All-time block pan overall

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The KitchenAid Nonstick Cake Pan has a light gray interior for fifty-fifty baking and is dishwasher rubber for easier cleanup.

Pros: Even broil, dimensions imprinted on base, extended handles

Cons: Will scratch if used with metallic utensils

This KitchenAid pan features extended handles that made rotating the pan in the oven incredibly like shooting fish in a barrel, and I didn't have to worry about accidentally sticking a mittened finger into the cake batter when moving the pan. If I was baking a fragile sponge, I could see this characteristic being even more than useful when transferring the block out of the oven to the counter.

The KitchenAid pan has a grey-tinted color that produced an even broil. When nosotros made cake in darker-colored pans, the sponge tended to shrink back from the pan by several centimeters every bit it cooked; an indication that the outsides were baking faster than the center of the cake, which can make for an uneven texture. This didn't happen as much with the KitchenAid pan, and the block was tender and moist throughout.

The cake released easily from the pan, though it left a slight butter residue like all the nonstick pans I tested. The residue came off easily with soap and water, and none of the cakes were noticeably greasy considering of information technology. The KitchenAid pan cleaned upwardly easily with a nylon sponge and emerged with no discoloration or surface damage when I put it through the dishwasher.

Best budget cake pan

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If you're an occasional baker and looking for a set of pans that are inexpensive and will become the job done, yous can't find a better bargain than the Amazon Nuts Nonstick Rounds.

Pros: Comes in a 2-pack, loftier oven-rubber temperature

Cons: Darker colored coating, unclear if PFOA-free

Fukai told the states that nonstick pans are bang-up for cake layers yous intend to stack considering the coating ensures the sides and the bottoms emerge as uniform as possible. These Amazon Nuts pans are smashing for layer cakes because they're non just nonstick, only come in inexpensive packs of ii, assuasive yous to make multiple layers in i batch.

Cake baked in these inexpensive pans did non stick and came out evenly browned. The pans are the near lightweight of all we tested, with thinner construction of the base of operations and sides. We did non detect whatsoever negative effects from this construction. In fact, the light weight plus the extended handles make these pans piece of cake to maneuver when filled with batter.

Metal utensils do scratch the surface of this pan and it is not dishwasher safe. Information technology's also unclear from the production description if the pans are PFOA-free. We reached out to Amazon to confirm, just the company did non respond.

All-time uncoated block pan

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Despite non having a nonstick coating, the Nordic Ware Naturals Aluminum 9" Circular pan broiled an even, fluffy cake and released it without problem.

Pros: Dishwasher prophylactic, cake releases hands, a good option for those who don't similar nonstick coatings

Cons: Easily scratched, parts of block may stick

For those who adopt an uncoated pan, the Nordic Ware pan was easy to use and clean. Subsequently running a knife along the border, block released from the pan without whatever effort. Though a sparse layer of the exterior crust stuck to the sides and bottom of the pan, the layer was negligible in terms of the overall cake size and appearance.

Like the KitchenAid pan, the Nordic Ware pan is a calorie-free color, which ways the cake shrunk back from the sides less than information technology did in darker-colored pans and was perfectly cooked in the center. Additionally, this pan produced the tallest cake out of all the pans we tested, merely information technology was ultimately not our elevation choice because of the small sticking issues.

Because of the thin layer stuck to the pan, cleaning information technology required more scrubbing and fourth dimension. However, there was no discoloration later on baking and the scouring pad did not impairment the surface. Information technology can also go in the dishwasher. Metal utensils practice scratch this pan, only surface impairment will not touch on baking performance.

What else nosotros tested

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What else we recommend and why:

Wilton Operation Pan Aluminum 8" Round: This is another proficient option for those who prefer uncoated pans. The cake came out with relative ease, just compared to our electric current choice for all-time uncoated pan, a thicker layer of crust stuck to the Wilton pan. Ultimately, I did not have major bug with this pan and I'thousand a large fan of the price.

Goodcook Nonstick ix" Round: This nonstick pan performed similarly to the Amazon Basics pan; block released smoothly and baked in the suggested fourth dimension. The Goodcook Pan produced slightly darker edges, just the texture of the cake was not over baked.

Chicago Metallic Nonstick 9" Round and Cuisinart Chef'south Classic Nonstick 9" Circular: These pans performed almost identically. In both, the cakes released immediately without any sticking. Neither suffered impairment from the dishwasher or being scrubbed with a scouring pad, but both were scratched by steel wool. Additionally, the baked cakes in both pans shrunk dorsum almost a full centimeter, indicating overcooking likely due to the pans' night color. This tin can be remedied past adjusting the baking time, and then these pans are still worth purchasing, but did not make our height picks.


What nosotros don't recommend and why:

Fat Daddios Anodized Aluminum 9-inch Round: This pan does not have a nonstick coating. Though I thoroughly greased the bottom and sides of the pan before baking, the cake still stuck, even after completely cooled. It took a few minutes of tapping on the bottom of the pan and holding information technology upside down for the cake to release, leaving a thin layer of crust on the bottom and sides of the pan. This pan must be lined with parchment newspaper to prevent sticking.

Our cake pan testing methodology

Isabel Fernández/Insider

Our testing included multiple phases. We consulted 3 experts on their professional person experiences with different types of cake pans: Jocelyn Delk Adams, writer of the Grandbaby Cakes cookbook; Nicole Garrett, executive caput baker at Susie Cakes; and Aya Fuaki of Aya Pastry in Chicago. Their input informed our own testing methodology and the answers to our FAQs.

I tested the pans based on my extensive inquiry and experience equally an gorging habitation bakery and kitchenware reporter. We will continue to use the pans we recommended and update this guide with whatever new data.

Baking: I baked a Betty Crocker Butter Yellow Super Moist Box Cake in each pan. Per the instructions on the box, I set up the oven to 350 degrees F for shiny metal pans and 325 degrees F for nonstick ones. When a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake came out make clean, I cooled the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. I looked for even browning on all sides of the cake, with no excessive shrinking or dry, overcooked spots.

Ease of apply: As I used the pans, I noted how easy they were to fill, concur, and rotate in the oven.

Durability: I cutting one piece of the cake while it was still in the pan to see if a serving utensil scratched the surface.

Release: I turned the cake out onto a wire rack, noting how hands information technology released from the pan or if it stuck to the sides or bottom.

Cleaning: For dishwasher-safe pans, we ran them through a regular wash cycle with other dishes and looked for warping, discoloration, or any other surface harm. For paw-launder only pans, we washed with a condom sponge and a scouring pad and looked for scratching. We besides considered how hard nosotros had to scrub to become off burnt pieces and how easy information technology was to make clean the edges of the pan.

Block pan FAQs

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How tin can I catechumen pan sizes?

When substituting pans, recollect to adjust baking times. Going from a larger expanse to a smaller one means the batter will spread out more, and thinner layers cook faster.

When substituting foursquare pans for round pans, follow this uncomplicated rule: add together one to the square side length and that's the diameter of a roughly equivalent round pan.

Successfully substituting 1 pan for some other is about matching volume capacity without changing the depth and shape too much. For case, a nine-inch circular pan with a ii-inch depth has the same volume every bit a standard nine-inch loaf pan. Notwithstanding, the depths and shapes are so different that a cake meant for 1 shouldn't be baked in the other considering the texture and density will be affected.

The first time you attempt a recipe, endeavour to follow the instructions exactly. "After y'all become familiar with the way the cake batter rises and falls during the baking progress, you will have a amend idea of how to increase or decrease the batter size to fit different molds," said Fukai. If yous're not making intricately constructed baked appurtenances, well-thought-out pan substitutions are fine.


How do you line a cake pan?

To line or grease a cake pan, cutting a parchment paper round to fit the lesser of the tin and either leave the sides untouched or glaze them in butter or cooking spray. Pan sprays tin can impairment nonstick coatings, so go with butter in nonstick pans.

If you don't take parchment paper, you tin can grease the entire tin with butter and a low-cal dusting of flour. Some cakes are meant to be baked in ungreased tins, and so read the recipe advisedly. If information technology says "prepare the pan," that means you should line or grease it. "To avoid cakes non releasing I use circular parchment paper at the bottom of my block pans forth with using a high oestrus pan spray," said Garrett.

What are PFOA and PTFE?

When researching nonstick coatings for our guide to the best hard-anodized cookware, nosotros learned most two cardinal chemicals that are significant in the product of nonstick cookware: PTFE and PFOA. Here's what we said near each in our guide to hard-anodized cookware, which is applicable to cake pans, too:

The acronyms PFOA and PTFE are everywhere in cookware descriptions. Here's what you need to know most each:

PTFE stands for polytetrafluoroethylene, and is more commonly known past its make name: Teflon. In that location have been concerns over the wellness furnishings of PTFE and PFOA, and while studies take been mostly inconclusive, PFOA was isolated as the more dangerous chemical.

PFOA, or perfluorooctanoic acrid, was used in the production of PTFE since Teflon was invented in the 1970s. In the manufacturing procedure, most of the PFOA burns off and merely trace elements remain in the cookware. These elements are then only released if the cookware is overheated to temperatures of 570 degrees F. However, since 2010, the EPA has put programs and regulations in place to phase out the use of PFOAs in American manufacturing. The majority of cookware fabricated in the United States since 2015 is PFOA-costless, then are all of our top picks.

International standards are non the same equally American ones, so PFOA may even so be used in products from other countries.

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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you lot might discover interesting. If you purchase them, we may go a small share of the acquirement from the auction from our partners. We may receive products free of accuse from manufacturers to test. This does non drive our decision every bit to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advert team. We welcome your feedback. Electronic mail us at reviews@insider.com.