What can a cake tin be used for?
We all know that cake tins make wonderful cakes, but that’s not all they can be used for. A high-quality cake tin can also be used for cheesecakes, tarts and even savoury bread and share loaves. The options are fairly limitless, just check the size and shape of your tin to make sure the size and depth are suited to the quantity of your ingredients.
What's the best cake tin size to buy?
This totally depends on the cakes you plan to bake. While it might seem like a larger tin is more versatile, baking is a pretty precise science and the size and shape of the tin can have a big effect on how well your cake turns out. The most common sizes you’ll find in cake recipes are around 18cm to 26cm so these sizes are a good place to start.
What shape is best for a baking tin?
Cake tins come in a variety of shapes and sizes and which is right for you will very much depend on the type of cake you’re planning to make.
Round: A round cake tin is the most traditional shape for a baking tin. The ideal choice for birthday cakes and Victoria sponge, it creates round flat bakes that can be stacked on top of each other to add some height to your showstoppers.
Square: As well as creating uniform square-shaped cakes (which can be handy if you’re trying to cut and combine pieces to make a specific design), square cake tins are also ideal for creating sweet treats such as blondies and brownies – the crispy corners and edges are the best part!
Loaf: These versatile cake tins are great for baking sweet breads such as banana bread, as well as lemon drizzle cakes, carrot cake, marble cake or any cake that you wish to serve in small, even slices.
Bundt: Bundt tins are the best way to ensure an even bake of cakes with the wow factor for your dining table – a great option for special occasions such as Christmas and parties. Usually creating a deep sponge with a swirled design and a hole in the middle, they’ll need to be well greased to ensure an easy release.
What’s the best cake tin to buy?
The best cake tin is the Anolon Advanced Baking Non-Stick Cake Pan. It’s a great weight and features a durable non-stick coating. We love that it's designed to ensure an even bake, too, making it ideal whether you're a seasoned baker or a total beginner.
How we chose our recommendations
We first headed to the Mumsnet forums to find out which cake tins discerning Mumsnetters recommended and had bought themselves, noting their feedback on these brands. We then drew up a shortlist of those that were repeatedly mentioned.
From there, we did some research across the wider web, consulting independent review sites and taking into account what customer reviews and experts had said about the products featured. Having collated all that information, we picked the cake tins we thought were worthy of taking the titles in an array of interest categories.
About the author
Lucy Cotterill is a Content Writer at Mumsnet, specialising in lifestyle product roundups. Having written product reviews on her own blog Real Mum Reviews since 2012, Lucy loves to research and explore the pros and cons of products, scrutinising reviews and exploring consumer feedback to help parents make confident purchases that benefit their families.
Lucy loves to bake with her kids, having created some impressive showstoppers (and a fair few baking disasters) in her time, so she was the perfect person to provide a balanced overview of the cake tins we think Mumsnetters will love.
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