Have you ever wondered why we always have cakes for every celebration? Well, it is believed that the Ancient Greeks offered rounded cakes to honor the goddess of the moon, Artemis. They usually put candles on top of it to symbolize the glow of the moon. They also believed that smoke coming from the candle would send their prayers to the gods whom they also believe lives in the skies. The term cake derives all the way from the Vikings period, the word itself comes from the Old Norse word “kaka”. One theory suggests that the first birthday cake was actually made in Germany during the Middle Ages. Those birthday cakes are usually served during children’s birthdays or what they call Kinderfest. 

Back then, cakes were expensive and somehow exclusive to affluent and upper-class people. This has changed during the 18th century when prices of food and baking utensils and materials were much more affordable and way more accessible to the general masses. Today, we usually celebrate our birthday with a cake and a candle on top of it. Cakes are also present not only on birthdays but also on other occasions as well as weddings, anniversary, and other milestone achievements. 

Of course, making cake requires some necessary ingredients and materials but it also needs some extra time and practice to perfect such one recipe. Aside from learning how to bake a cake or learning some cake recipes, it is also an important step to learn some of the different types of cake pans. As such, different types of cakes require different types of the pan to use in baking. For example, when you want to bake cupcakes you must use a specific pan in making it since it has a specific shape and size. There are also specialty pans with unique shapes and sizes that are perfect for those who want something creative.

Here are 8 types of cake baking pans that we think are essential and a must-have in every kitchen. 

Sheet Pan

This type of pan is not only useful in baking but also it is also an all-in-one pan that can be used in baking potatoes and cookies. Usually, parchment paper is put on a sheet pan and the edges of the pan or its rim will secure the paper. Sheet pan comes in different sizes. There are sheet pans that are small which is ideal when you have you have a smaller oven. There are also larger sheet pans that are ideal for larger ovens and it works best when doing large quantities. 

Traditional Cake Pan

Traditional cake pans are usually circle, square, and rectangle. It also comes in different sizes and has flat bottoms. Traditional cake pans are ideal for those who like to decorate cake and are learning to do cake frosting. This type of pan can be used when doing wedding cakes, strawberry shortcake, and chocolate cake frosting. 

Loaf Pan

Loaf Pan is quite essential especially when you like making homemade sandwich bread and banana bread. It can also be used in making a delightful meatloaf and puddings. A loaf pan usually has a narrow rectangular shape that enables a much more convenient way of doing uniform slicing. Bread pan or loaf pan is commonly used in making sandwich bread, raisin bread, and brioche.

Pie Plate 

When we talk about pie plates, one thing comes to our mind, apple pie! Well, it’s no surprise considering the name, Pie Plate, which speaks for itself. This type of pan is usually used in making pie but it could also be used in baking other stuff. Pie plates are round baking dishes with shallow slanted sides and it comes in several sizes. It is also available in ceramic, aluminum, glass, and stonewares. A pie tin or pie plates are usually used in baking single and double-crusted pies. 

Springform Pan

If you love cheesecake then you definitely must have a springform pan somewhere in your kitchen. A springform pan is a type of bakeware pan that features a side that can be removed from its base. Usually, the side and base of a springform pan is held together when the groove of the walls is aligned to the base. You can remove the walls after baking thus eliminating the need to transfer the cake to a serving plate. 

Bundt Pans 

Bundt Pans are usually used in making coffee cakes, rum cake, and bundt cake. This type of pan has holes in its center and the cake is baked upside-down and turned over for removal once done and already cool. Usually, a baking spray is used as a coating when using this type of pan. Bundt pans can also be used as Jell-O mold or use it in making meatloaf. Bundt pans are also similar to angel food cake pans and tube pans. 

Mini Cake Pans

Mini cake pans or cupcake pans are one of the most common pans used by pastry chefs and caterers when making mini dessert displays for meal services and events since this type of pan allows multiple small proportioned cakes at once. Usually, standard mini cake pans can make a dozen cupcakes but there are also larger ones capable of producing more than a dozen. 

Specialty or Novelty Cake Pans 

This type of pan is ideal for those who want something personalized or something creative. Specialty or novelty cake pans come in several unique shapes and sizes. These shapes include hearts, stars, clouds, and even cartoon character face shapes. Specialty cake pans are usually ideal for those who wanted to eliminate the need for cake sculpting since you just simply put your cake mixture into the pan and you’ll end up with a cake that has a unique shape.

This list is just some of the handful cake pans that you can use and are easily accessible but there are also other cake pans out there that are not included on this list. This list is just some of the few cake baking pans that we think are the most commonly used and we considered essentials in our kitchen. Always remember that choosing the right cake pan for a specific type of cake is an essential process for a perfectly baked cake.