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Cake tin

Cookware & bakeware · Bakeware

Cake tin

A round, square or loaf-shaped metal tin for baking cakes; the general catalogue term for cake and loaf tins.

Essential in most kitchens · No power needed · 23 recipes

Photo: Douglas P Perkins, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-3.0)

What it is

A metal tin with straight sides, usually round (18–23 cm sandwich or deep tins) or square, used to hold cake batter while it bakes. In this catalogue the label 'Cake / loaf tin' covers general cake tins in any shape; when a recipe specifically needs a long rectangular loaf shape it uses the separate loaf tin, and for cheesecakes and delicate cakes the springform pan.

What it’s for: Giving cakes their shape and supporting the batter until it sets.

How to use it

  1. Grease the tin and line the base (and sides for long bakes) with baking paper.
  2. Pour in the batter, level it and tap the tin to remove large air pockets.
  3. Bake on the middle shelf of a preheated oven.
  4. Test with a skewer, cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack.

Good to know

Tasks
baking sponges and layer cakes, baking brownies and traybakes, baking fruit cakes, making loaf cakes
Cooking methods
Oven-baked
Materials
aluminium, anodised aluminium, non-stick steel, silicone
Care and cleaning
Wash by hand and dry fully to prevent rust on steel tins. Avoid cutting cakes inside non-stick tins.
Limitations
Tin size matters: a different size changes baking time and depth. Fixed-base tins make delicate cakes hard to release.

Safety

  • Use oven gloves; thin metal heats quickly.

If you don’t have one

Equipment guide

How it works: The tin's walls and base conduct oven heat into the batter from the outside in. Light metal tins heat evenly and give a pale, tender crust; dark tins absorb more radiant heat and bake edges faster. Batter sets first at the walls and rises in the centre, so straight, even walls give level cakes.

MaterialGoodWatch out
Anodised aluminiumEven heat and pale, even crust; does not rust.Not for very acidic batters if uncoated; dents.
Tinned or carbon steelRigid and cheap.Rusts if left wet; darker results.
Non-stick (PTFE or ceramic sol-gel coating on aluminium)Eggs, fish and pancakes release with little fat; easy to clean; forgiving for beginners.Coatings wear out (ceramic often faster than PTFE); PTFE should not be heated empty or above about 260 °C; poor at building fond; needs non-metal utensils.
SiliconeFlexible, so bakes pop out; non-stick; does not rust.Poor heat conductor, so browning is weak; floppy when full and needs a tray underneath.
Round sandwich tin
Layer cakes; usually 20 cm.
Deep round tin
Fruit cakes and tall sponges.
Square tin
Brownies, traybakes.
Loose-bottomed tin
Easy release without turning out.

Buying guidance

Starting out: Two 20 cm round tins (with loose bases), light-coloured aluminium.

  • Size matching your recipes (18–23 cm most common)
  • Straight sides at least 5 cm deep
  • Light finish for even baking
  • Loose base or a springform for delicate cakes

No brands or prices — check current reviews before buying.

Techniques:Baking

Related tools

Recipes that use it

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