Tube Pans: Line Or No Line?

Tube pans are round baking pans with a hollow tube in the centre, which helps large, deep cakes bake faster and release more easily from the pan. However, two-part tube pans are known to leak, and there are several suggested solutions to this problem. One solution is to use wax paper or parchment paper to line the bottom of the tube pan before pouring in the batter. Another solution is to use flour or cornflour in the groove of the pan to prevent the batter from leaking through.

Using parchment paper to line a tube pan

Step 1: Prepare Your Parchment Paper

Before you start, ensure you have parchment paper that is larger than your tube pan. Parchment paper is available in rolls or pre-cut sheets. If using a roll, cut a piece that is slightly bigger than your pan.

Step 2: Create a Template

Place the tube pan upside down on the parchment paper. Use a pencil to trace the outline of the pan's base onto the parchment. This will give you a circle that fits perfectly inside your tube pan.

Step 3: Cut the Parchment Circle

Cut along the traced line to create your parchment circle. To ensure a snug fit, cut slightly inside the line to account for the thickness of the pan.

Step 4: Fit the Parchment Circle

Place the parchment circle inside the tube pan, ensuring it covers the entire base. If using a two-piece tube pan with a removable bottom, you can place the parchment on the bottom piece before snapping or screwing it into the side piece.

Step 5: Additional Tips

For extra leak protection, especially with thin batters, some bakers suggest wrapping the outside of the pan with foil or using a paper bag circle between the pan and the parchment. You can also grease the pan and the parchment, although this is not necessary as parchment paper is non-stick.

Step 6: Pour Your Batter and Bake

Your tube pan is now lined and ready for batter! Remember, tube pans are ideal for light and airy cakes like angel food or chiffon cakes. Once your cake is baked, let it cool before removing it from the pan for the best results.

Lining a tube pan with parchment paper can seem tricky, but with these steps, you'll be well on your way to creating beautiful, leak-free cakes!

The difference between a tube pan and a Bundt pan

Tube pans and Bundt pans are similar in many ways, but they have some significant differences that may come into play depending on how you plan to use them.

A tube pan is any type of round baking pan with a hollow tube in its centre. The tube conducts heat, which helps large, deep cakes bake faster, and it also helps the cake release more easily from the pan after it has been baked. Tube pans typically have straight sides and an uncoated finish. They are ideal for cakes with a light and airy crumb, like angel food or chiffon cakes, and are often called "angel food pans" for this reason. Angel food cake recipes don't typically contain leaveners; the air whipped into the egg white-based batter is what makes them so lofty. Because of this, you will need a straight-sided pan that's uncoated (and ungreased) so that the batter can cling to the sides of the pan as it expands, helping it rise. Once the cake is out of the oven, invert the pan and let it cool upside down. This is why tube pans often have removable bottoms and "feet" to prevent the delicate cake from collapsing and make it easier to remove the cake from the pan after it cools. Tube pans are also good for baking pound cakes, sponge cakes, and even fruitcakes.

A Bundt pan is a type of tube pan, but it has fluted sides that give cakes a decorative sculpted shape that requires little embellishment—no fancy frosting techniques are needed. The pans can be ceramic, aluminium, or even cast iron. No matter the material, they are ideal for dense, buttery cakes with a tender, moist crumb, like butter, coffee, and pound cakes. The ideal Bundt pan is non-stick and has a light-coloured interior. Dark grey or black pans tend to over-brown cakes because they conduct heat better. While you can make Bundts, coffee cakes, and similar cakes in a tube pan, Bundt pans are less ideal for a chiffon cake or angel food cake. Recipes that specifically call for a tube pan and use whipped egg whites for a light and fluffy batter should not be baked in a Bundt pan. The cake may not rise properly, and an airy angel food or chiffon cake will stick in the intricate crevices of the pan, resulting in a messy-looking cake when you remove it.

In summary, the main differences between tube pans and Bundt pans are the shape of their sides (straight vs. fluted) and whether or not they are coated. Tube pans are best for light and airy cakes, while Bundt pans are better for denser cakes. Additionally, tube pans often have removable bottoms, while Bundt pans do not.

Why tube pans are used for angel food cakes

Tube pans are used for angel food cakes because of their shape and design. A tube pan is any type of round baking pan with a hollow tube in the centre. The tube helps conduct heat, allowing large, deep cakes to bake faster, and also makes it easier to release the cake from the pan after baking.

Angel food cakes are light and airy, and their recipes usually involve whipping air into an egg white-based batter to achieve their lofty texture, instead of using leaveners. This means that the batter clings to the sides of the pan as it rises and expands. Therefore, a straight-sided, uncoated (and ungreased) pan is necessary for angel food cakes, so that the batter can cling to the sides as it rises. Tube pans usually have straight sides and an uncoated finish, making them ideal for angel food cakes.

Tube pans also often have removable bottoms and "feet" to prevent the delicate cake from collapsing and make it easier to remove the cake from the pan after it cools.

Angel food cakes cannot be made in a Bundt pan, which is a type of tube pan with fluted sides that give cakes a decorative shape. The intricate design of a Bundt pan would cause the airy angel food cake to stick in its crevices, resulting in a messy-looking cake.

How to prevent a two-piece tube pan from leaking

A two-piece tube pan is prone to leaking, especially when used for batters that are thin and runny. Here are some ways to prevent leakage:

Use a Baking Sheet

Putting a baking sheet underneath the tube pan in the oven is a simple solution to catch any leaks and prevent a mess in your oven.

Choose the Right Cake Batter

Some batters are less likely to leak than others. Angel food cake and thick foam cakes, for example, are less likely to leak from a two-piece tube pan. On the other hand, batters that are thin and runny are more likely to leak.

Line the Pan with Paper

One effective way to prevent leakage is to line the pan with paper. This can be done with parchment paper, wax paper, or even a paper bag. First, place the tube pan on the paper and trace around the base. Cut out the circle, slightly smaller than the outline. Place the paper circle in the bottom of the tube pan, ensuring it covers the central tube as well. You can also try lining the groove of the pan with paper before snapping the pieces together.

Seal the Pan with Corn Flour

Another method is to seal the pan with corn flour. Mix equal parts corn flour and water, and pour or spoon it along the join of the pan. This will cook and set, creating a seal to prevent leakage.

Wrap the Pan with Foil

Wrapping the exterior of the pan tightly with aluminium foil can also help prevent leaks. Some people also recommend using foil on the inside of the pan, but this may not be as effective as other methods.

Use a One-Piece Tube Pan

If all else fails, it may be best to invest in a one-piece tube pan, which is less prone to leaking.

By trying out these methods, you can hopefully find a solution that works for you and prevent your two-piece tube pan from leaking.

How to turn any pan into an angel food cake pan

Tube pans are any type of round baking pan with a hollow tube in the centre. They are often used for cakes with a light and airy crumb, such as angel food cakes, and are therefore sometimes called "angel food pans". Angel food cakes are particularly delicate and require a specific type of pan to ensure they don't collapse.

If you don't have a tube pan, you can follow these steps to turn any pan into an angel food cake pan:

Wrap an empty aluminium can in parchment paper

Secure the parchment paper with a piece of tape so that it just barely overlaps itself. Trim away any excess paper.

Fill the can with a weight

You can use water, rice, dried beans, or pie weights. Fill the can about halfway.

Place the can in the centre of a non-non-stick springform pan

The pan should not have a non-stick coating, as the angel food cake batter clings to the sides of the pan as it rises. The pan should have the same diameter as the recipe calls for, and it should have removable sides.

Cut a round of parchment paper the same diameter as your cake pan

You can either buy pre-cut rounds or make your own by folding a square of parchment paper into quarters, and then into a triangle. Align the centre point of the triangle with the centre of the pan and cut the end of the parchment in an arc along the side of the pan.

Cut a starburst in the centre of your parchment round

Place your drink can in the centre of the round and trace it. Fold the round in half and cut a slit from the folded edge to the traced circle. Unfold the circle, fold it in half in the opposite direction, and cut another slit. Repeat this two more times at points equidistant from the first two folds.

Fit the parchment round into the pan

The parchment round should go over the can with the points of the starburst pointing up against the parchment-lined can.

Fill the pan with cake batter

Fill the pan no more than two-thirds full with batter.

Follow the instructions for baking

Adhere to the time and temperature listed in your chosen recipe.

Invert the baked cake

Turn the cake pan upside down over a sink so that the weight can empty. If the can falls out, return it to the centre of the cake and turn the cake upside down until it is completely cool.

Remove the cake from the pan

Turn the cake right-side-up. The can should lift out easily, leaving the parchment behind. To release the cake from the sides, run an offset spatula or thin butter knife around the edge of the pan. Remove the sides of the pan and then run the spatula around the bottom of the cake to release it from the base. You should then be able to peel away any remaining parchment.

Frequently asked questions