Embarrassingly stupid question about Lakeland (or any) loose bottom cake pans

[megapixels]

I've never baked in a loose bottom pan before, so I was wondering which way up the bottom goes in the pan? The way it's packed suggests completely-flat-side down, but then there's a little ridge running all around the other side so the cake wouldn't have nice sides would it?

Want to have nice sides and no leakage too.

You shouldn't have a leakage problem anyway. Most UK cake recipes would be quite thsk enough that they do not leak. Some Americam recipes are rather more liquid and there may be a very slight risk, but if you place your pan on a baking sheet (or put a baking sheet on the next shelf down to catch any leakage) it shouldn't be a problem. Provided you put your pan into a preheated oven it should cook its own seal very quickly anyway.

If you are really worried about it, then to be absolutely certain, it rather depends on how the bottom of the body is shaped. If the bottom of the body (where the base sits) is rounded to take the bead on the base, then you can put it beaded side down, giving you a totally flat bottom to your cake. If it just turns 90 degrees and then the flange on the base is flat, then you should probably have the flat side of the base against it.

Not a problem with pans that have no bead on the base, just flat base against flat flange. The flange is generally rather wider.

Thank you 4merly. You were right about the batter cooking too quickly to have much leakage. I used flat side up and the cake turned out fine.