Greasing a cake tin is easy, just use butter or oil. If you want to add flavor, sprinkle some cinnamon or nutmeg on top.
How to line or grease a cake tin
1) Grease the sides of your pan with either vegetable shortening or cooking spray. This will help prevent sticking and make it easier to remove from the oven when done.
2) Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper or a circle of paper so that there are no gaps between the paper and the inside walls of the pan. You can also do this by lining the entire base of the pan with greaseproof paper first.
3) Place the greased side down in the center rack of the preheated oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F. Remove from the oven and carefully turn over onto an ungreased baking sheet. The paper should be facing up now.
4) Bake another 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Let cool completely before removing it from the pan.
5) To release any stuck bits, run a knife around the edges of the pan. Then gently lift out using the handles provided.
Why do you Grease and line a cake tin
A cake needs to have a smooth surface to bake evenly without cracking. A well-greased and lined cake tin makes sure that happens!
In addition, if you don’t use greaseproof paper and line your cake tin properly, then the batter may stick to the sides of the pan as it bakes. It’s not pretty!
Furthermore, if you’re making stubborn cakes like cupcakes, muffins, etc., they need to be baked in individual tin with baking paper because otherwise, they’ll all rise together instead of being separate.
If you’ve never made cakes before, I’d recommend starting off with one small batch. Once you get used to how things work, you can start experimenting with different sizes and shapes.
To line a square tin
1) Spray the sides of the tin lightly with nonstick spray.
2) Cut two pieces sheet of paper long enough to cover each lengthwise edge of the tin. Fold these into thirds like origami sheets. Make sure the folded ends meet neatly along the middle creases.
3) Unfold the base paper and place them in the corners of the tin. Press firmly against the sides of the tin to ensure good contact.
4) Repeat steps 1 through 3 for the other three corners.
To line a round tin
1) Spray both sides of the tin lightly.
2) Use a piece of greaseproof paper cut slightly larger than the diameter of the tin. Lay it across the width of the tin with flour and press it tightly against the wall of the tin.
3) Flip the paper over and repeat step 2 again.
4) Continue doing this process until you reach the opposite end of the tin.
To line a rectangular tin
1) Spray only the longer sides of the tin lightly.
2) Using a strip of paper about twice as wide as the height of the tin, lay it across the width of one of the longer sides of the pan. Press it tightly against the wall.
3) Turn the paper 90° clockwise and repeat step 2.
4) Do this same procedure for the remaining two sides.
To line a springform pan
1) Spray with flour the insides of the pan lightly.
2) Wrap aluminum foil loosely around the outside circumference of the pan. Be careful not to wrap too tight – just snugly fit the foil on top of the rim.
3) Carefully peel away the foil. If necessary, use scissors to trim the excess.
4) Gently pull back the foil to expose the inner ring of the pan.
5a) Line the bottom of the pan by placing the inside of the parchment paper directly on the base of the pan.
b) Lift the liner so that there is no gap between the liner and the pan.
6) Cover the entire pan with plastic wrap. This will prevent air bubbles forming during cooking.
7) Peel away the plastic wrap. You are ready to cook!
How to remove a cake from its tin
When removing a cake from its tin, make sure to keep the edges straight. To help release the cake easily, run a knife or spatula under the side of the cake where it meets the tin.
Then gently lift out using an offset spatula.
You might also want to try running a butter knife down the center of the cake after baking. The heat should soften the frosting enough to allow you to slide the knife underneath the cake.