I received numerous inquiries about "CAKE CIRCLES". What is it? How to use it? and of course, how much?
Cake Circle is a dry wax paper which is great for lining the bottom of round cake pan. These convenient cake liners facilitate clean up and easy release of a baked cake from the pan. They prevent cakes from sticking to the pan during baking and to give the cake a protection from the heat of the oven.
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| cake circles, pans, butter and small amount of flour |
I will admit that I used to hate preparing pans before I start baking. I find it time-consuming to trace the bottom of the circles, fold a wax paper, cutting it and having an inaccurate round paper lining (arrrgh). Then, one fateful day during my trip to a local cake decorating supplies store, I saw those pre-cut cake pans liners....whooooohooo! CAKE CIRCLE it is! I was happy in knowing that my baking will be less tedious and will not be tiresome. Now, I don't hate preparing pans anymore. It is easy as counting 1-2-3. When there are days that I have to bake more than 3 cakes, cake circles are surely my best friend!
These are the following steps for preparing cake pans....
First, prepare desired size of cake pans, cake circles, unsalted butter or vegetable oil and small amount of flour.
Grease the bottom and side of the cake pan with unsalted butter. If baking chocolate cake, use vegetable oil. Don't overdo greasing the bottom and side of the pan because it might affect the taste of the cake. Just enough to grease the surface. TIP: I love using a small frozen butter in order for me to spread the butter evenly in the bottom and side of the pan.
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| grease bottom and sides |
Here is my favorite part....place the cake circle on the bottom of each pan. LOOK at that, just perfect fit for my pan. Easy! No sweat!
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| perfect fit! |
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| small stick of butter will do the trick |
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| powder time! |
Then, tap the side of the cake pan. While tapping and shaking the cake pan, you will notice that the flour is spreading evenly on all sides of the cake pan and on the top part of the cake circle.
Your pan should look like this before you pour your batter.
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| ready to bake your batter |
With this technique, you will be able to release your cake easily from the pan without damaging the side or bottom part of it. When the cake is already baked, let the cake stay in the pan for 10 MINUTES, then YOU MUST place it upside down on a cooling rack. It will be an easy release! Then, peel off the cake circle IMMEDIATELY! (yes, while the cake is still hot). TIP: Just place the cake circle on the top of the surface where you peeled it off in order to keep the moisture inside the cake and prevent the air to penetrate inside the cake.
I also use cake circle to hold the top of a layered cake while coating the side with buttercream or ganache. I don't touch the cake with my bare hands.
I also use cake circle on my tiered cakes. I make sure that before I place another layer on top of a cake, I put a cake circles (same size of the cake I will place on top of it) so that the bottom part of the cake board (which bottom have touched different surface in the kitchen, eeeeew!) will not have contact with the fondant covering the cake. Just like in this latest cake that I made for our anniversary, there is a cake circle in between.
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| anniversary cake |
I would suggest that if you are using a dummy cake on the top of your fondant cake, lined the top of the fondant cake with a cake circle (same size of the dummy cake). In that way, the styrofoam will not touch the edible part of the cake. Cleanliness and safety should also be a priority when baking your cakes, right?
Happy Baking everyone!
