Cake Tins

Every cook should have a few cake tins in their cupboard. Even if they are not a prolific baker, a few basic cake tins are very versatile and well worth buying.

Materials

Heavy Gauge Steel
Very strong, durable and conducts heat well. The material of choice for professional bakers.
Aluminium
Rust-proof and a good heat conductor. Its light weight means that it should only be used for quickly-cooked, shallow cakes.
Anodised Aluminium
Stronger than standard aluminium tins, it conducts heat well and can be used for all types of cake.
Flexible Silicone
A non-stick, flexible container that releases cakes quickly and easily. Its dark surface will usually mean that cakes also take slightly less time to cook than normal.

Springform Tin

A useful style of tin used to make all varieties of cake, and are especially good for making fragile cakes or moulded desserts, such as cheesecakes and for layered mousse cakes. The sides of the tin may be tightened or loosened using a spring-clip mechanism and removed from the base for easy unmoulding.

Swiss Roll Tin

Excellent for making Swiss rolls or roulades, this rectangular, shallow tin may also double as a baking tray.

Sponge Cake Tin

A relatively shallow (approx 5 cm or 2 in deep), round tin used for making layered sponges and Victoria sandwiches. Make sure you buy at least two tins, so that you can cook both layers at once. A 18cm (7 inch) tin takes a 2-egg/4 oz sponge mixture, whilst a 20 cm (8 in) takes a 3-egg/6 oz mixture.

Fruit Cake Tin

Dense, rich fruit cakes require longer cooking than sponge cakes and so need a tin that conducts and retains heat well, such as heavy tinned steel. This type of tin should be at least 7 cm (3 in) deep and should also have a double bottom to prevent the cake from burning during long cooking.

Loaf Tin

A deep, rectangular tin for cooking bread, cakes, pâtés and terrines. Enriched doughs, such as brioche have a tendency to burn and should be cooked in a pale shiny tin (for example tinned steel). Conversely, everyday doughs are best cooked in a blackened steel loaf tin, as they conduct heat well, giving the loaf a dark, crisp crust.