A dark metal pan absorbs and distributes heat more quickly and thoroughly than lighter-colored pans. So not only does your cake bake more quickly in a dark pan, its crust can potentially burn (or at least brown unpleasantly) due to over-exposure to oven heat. But why does that matter?

Table of Contents

What are coated baking pans?

A cake baked in a nonstick, carbon steel cake pan. These pans are usually coated in a standard nonstick coating. They are dark in color, which affects the cake. The dark color absorbs heat instead of reflecting it, causing the edges of the cake to bake quickly too quickly.

Is a bundt pan metal or coated?

Most bakers prefer bundt pans that are made of metal—either aluminum or steel—because metal pans are sturdy and heat evenly. Glass, stoneware, and silicone bundt pans are also available.

Are dark pans nonstick?

Dark colors absorb heat faster than light colors, causing the tops of things to brown way before the center is cooked. This is why we stay away from darker-colored pans when baking (nonstick or other) and go for light grey pans, like this one from Calphalon.

How do you bake a dark pan?

ANSWER: When baking with darker pans, the general rule is to lower the oven temperature by 25 degrees. The timing also may need to be adjusted — typically you’ll need to increase it. This applies to cakes, cookies and quick breads as well as cheesecakes.

What type of pan is best for baking a cake?

Why are my cakes dark?

If your oven is too hot, the outside of your cake will bake much more quickly than the inside, leading to a peak or crack. The top of your cake may also get too dark. Oven thermostats can be wildly off, so if this often happens, invest in a separate oven thermometer.

What is a dark cookie sheet?

Dark cookie sheets absorb extra heat – which causes cookies to burn or overbrown. Shiny Cookie Sheets. Shiny cookie sheets reflect heat, which prevents cookies from browning evenly. Thin Cookie Sheets. Thin cookie sheets can warp, which means they’ll heat unevenly.

What is a dark or nonstick cookie sheet?

Nonstick cookie sheets may be made of aluminum or steel, but (as the name suggests) are coated in a smooth nonstick finish and usually are darker in color. These are best used for cookies that should have a slight crunch or crispiness to them. Additionally, the nonstick properties should make for easy clean up.

Is it better to bake a cake at 325 or 350?

Baking at a lower temperature slows the spring in the leavening, which prevents a dome from forming on your cake. Most cakes bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Reducing the temperature to 325 degrees is all you need to do to get a flat-topped cake.

Article first time published on

Is it better to bake with glass or metal?

Glass bakeware is heavier and slower to heat than metal, but once it’s hot…it retains that heat for much longer. So when using a glass pan to bake something like a cake or batch of brownies, you may find that the sides and bottom are brown at a much faster rate than the interior cooks.

Are insulated cookie sheets better?

Insulated cookie sheets are designed to bake cookies evenly, but that causes a few problems for sugar cookies. The insulated sheets bake things a bit more slowly. Since they bake slower, your cookies can spread and lose their shapes.

What is a jelly roll pan?

A jelly roll pan is a type of flat sheet pan that features a 1-inch rim around the pan’s sides. It is designed to make thin sponge or sheet cakes that are sturdy enough to coat with creme, jelly, or other fillings and roll into a cylinder shape.

What is an angel food cake pan?

The standard version is called a Tube Pan, most often found in a 9″ diameter size. Angel food cake is very light, with only beaten egg whites to form the cake structure and hold up the heaviness of the suspended flour. … The tube pan’s inner cylinder takes up space and omits the mass of the cake middle.

What is Nordic Ware made of?

As our products are made from cast aluminium rather than cast iron, you do not need to do a one-time seasoning of your new Nordic Ware pan.

Does the color of a baking sheet matter?

It’s a Matter of Absorption and Radiation The same goes for bakeware placed in the oven. Darker materials and black pans typically absorb and also radiate more heat.

What temperature do you bake a cake in a dark pan?

Dark-colored metal pans make cakes, cupcakes or cookies bake faster so it is a good practice to lower the oven temperature by 25F. The standard baking temperature is 350F although some recipes do require a higher or lower temperature. When we use a dark colored metal baking pan, we set the oven temperature to 325F.

Should you grease non stick cake pans?

You need to grease your pans even if they’re nonstick if you want to be sure your cake will come out of the pan.

What are the 3 types of cakes?

Why is my cake pale yellow and not golden brown?

You can always cover the top of the cake with tin foil if it is starting to look a little bit too brown. It could also be because there is too much sugar in the recipe. Likewise, if your cake isn’t brown enough it is likely because it is under-cooked or the recipe used insufficient egg or sugar.

Why is cake crispy on top?

When the cake is baked the heat falls directly on top and sides of cake so it is overcooked and become crispy that is cut off before topping while the inner part is soft and moist because of proper heat reaches inside. Because it’s exposed to direct heat.

What pans do professional bakers use?

  1. 1 – USA Pan Bakeware, Round 9 Inch (Top Pick) …
  2. 2 – Cuisinart AMB Non Stick Round Cake Pan, Silver (Budget Pick) …
  3. 3 – Chicago Metallic Professional Non Stick Round Pan. …
  4. 4 – Elite Bakeware NonStick Pans Set with Silicone Handles.

What metal is best for baking?

A staple in many restaurant kitchens, carbon steel is pressed from raw, heavy-gauge steel, making it a stronger, more durable option than aluminum. Carbon steel baking pans are ideal for casseroles, cakes, breads, pies, and other desserts.

What type of pan is best for baking cookies?

Aluminum. Aluminum is the material that’s preferred by many cooks, since it’s thick, durable, and affordable. Pans made from this material seem to hold up well in the long run, and it’s possible to avoid scuffs and discoloration, as long as you keep them out of the dishwasher.

What type of pan is best for baking biscuits?

What cookie sheets do chefs use?

What about stainless steel? As a designer of professional cooking equipment and working hand in hand with a professional chef, the type of baking sheet most often used by professionals is the heavy aluminum with 4 sides. Aluminum takes on the heat very evenly and gives the best baking results overall.

What is the difference between dark and light cookie sheets?

Light baking pans reflect heat, while dark pans tend to absorb it, which can make a difference in your baking. If you want foods to brown on the bottom, reach for a darker metal sheet pans because dark pans will absorb more heat and therefore more heat will radiate off the surface.

What color cookie sheet is best?

Stick with Light: Use cookie sheets that are a light to medium color. (Don’t go too dark—dark-color pans absorb more heat and can cause your cookies to overbake.) Don’t worry about shiny and nonstick surfaces; they won’t affect your results.

Is a bundt pan the same as a tube pan?

A Bundt pan is a type of tube pan. … While you can make Bundts, coffee cakes, and similar cakes in a tube pan, this shape and type of pan is ideal for cakes with a light and airy crumb like angel food or chiffon cakes. They are often called “angel food pans” for this reason.

What is the best temperature for baking a cake?

Cakes typically bake between 325 to 450 degrees F (see chart with Tip #9). Most convection ovens require lowering the temperature by 25 to 50 degrees F, as well as turning off the fan.

Can I bake something at a higher temperature for shorter time?

It is true that there is a negative correlation between cooking time and temperature: the higher the temperature, the shorter the cooking time.