I think waxed paper is okay in this context, though I do wonder about wax residue on your food when you bake with it. But when you bake cookies or something and the edges of your paper are not covered, make sure you use parchment paper - waxed paper will smoke and burn!

My mother used typing paper taped together with scotch tape - tape side down - as parchment rounds. Maybe that's why I'm a Bakers Joy girl, I've cut my share of rounds for tons of cakes that weren't even mine!!

i just use the Kroger brand Baker's Joy. For some reason the Baker's Joy gets stuck on me.

Ive never used the wax paper for cakes only cookies.

If I'm reading some of these posts correctly, you guys grease the sides of your pan as well as your bottom? I was also told this would prevent the cake from gaining the proper height during baking but this must not be true. I've always been super careful not to grease the sides for this reaseon.

I started baking a long time ago using shortening/flour to coat my pans because that's how I was taught as a kid. Then after I took my first class - just a couple years ago, I started using the Wilton Cake Release and parchment. Then I ran out of the Cake Release, so I started spraying with Baker's Joy and using parchment. Then I ran out of parchment, and just sprayed. And that is all I have used in the past year or so. I have had no problems with it. I spray liberally though.

I do have a question though...why do we coat with a nonstick substance (shortening, flour, etc.) then out down the paper too? I never really thought about it. Isn't that duplicate work? Just a little extra insurance I guess? Has anyone tried using just parchment?

I do use parchment on the sides to make the cake taller, but not necessarily because I am scared it will stick.

I always use pam and then wax paper lining--no problems. I switched from parchment b/c waxed paper is cheaper-- sorry about your cake!!

Maybe it is just me but I just use the Wilton's Cake Release Spray. I know that it is like PAM but I can get it at a wholesale price so I do. Never used waxed or parchment paper but I remember when I little my grandmother did maybe it is just beginners luck. Knock on wood

Sorry you are having problems. I have never put waxed/parchment paper under anything but my cheesecakes. I grew up greasing the pans and then flouring and shaking them out. Then a baking miracle appeared.....BAKER'S JOY. I haven't greased a pan with anything else in years and never had any problems.

I swear by "cake release" from Wilton, it's great the bottom of my cakes don't burn and it goes a looooooooong ways!

*perk* did someone say cake balls??!!

Seriously I have used the shortening light coat of flour with waxed paper on the bottom of my pans...no issues.
I have also used the baking relase spray with parchment paper no issues.
The only time I have issues is when I do not use any kind of paper
also I do always grease and flour/ or spray under the paper.
I am sorry you had problems

I grease the sides of my pans with the homemade cake realease and then lay parchement on the bottom of the pan. I do not worry about greasing under the parchement paper b/c it won't stick to the pan.

I have tried twice in the last year not using parchement b/c there are a lot of people on here that only use spray/release/crisco and flour etc.... And both time my cakes stuck and fell apart when I removed from the pan. This was the last time that I try that! These were the same recipes I always use... So I went back to what is comfortable for me and I know works for me.

I used to only use Baker's Joy. I occasionally had a cake stick in the very middle if it was a really moist cake, mainly chocolate. I've recently started using parchment paper with Baker's Joy and love the results. I just don't care for the thought of wax melting into my cake from wax paper - even though it isn't supposed to.

We all have our preferences, but the reason I use waxed paper is because it hepls keep my cakes from breaking if I need to move them before they are assembled. I leave the paper on them until I have them in place to ice. Just makes it a little easier for me.

For those who are concerned about the wax on the wax paper-parafin is not harmful. It is used in canning and many candies, especially chocolates to help it solidify.

I've got candy recipies that instruct to add a small amount of parafin to chocolate when the chocolate is used as a coating. And does anyone remember those candies in the stores that were tiny soda bottles with the juice inside? And the wax lips?? Those were made with parafin. The miniscule amount that would come off the wax paper onto cakes should not worry anyone.

My mom always used waxed paper in the bottom of her cake pans. I just use the Baker's Joy. Waxed paper is food grade. It isn't going to hurt you.

I always line my entire pan with wax paper. No grease needed, NO washing pans.... the cake doesn't ever touch the pan!

When you peel the paper off the cooled cake, any wax goes with the paper, I never crumb coat either

Jennifer Dontz
traveling teacher

I agree with Pamela5 using waxed paper helps if you have to move a cake before it's decorated. I don't pull the waxed paper off until i'm ready to start frosting. The wax paper pulls off nice and clean.

I've been baking cakes this way for over 20 years with no problems. My mom did this before me with no issues. For me I will not bake a cake without it!

I use only Crisco Spray with Flour...If I am short on cash, I get the Bakers Joy but I am not as fond of it, it doesnt seem to :always: let my square corners out of the pan : perfect :


I even grabbed it this morning while knee deep in caking and sprayed the omelette pan with it in a hurried attempt to make my little boys breakfast...omg, was the most perfect omelette Ive ever made...not a burned spot to speak of...and get this...it flipped out, ALL IN ONE PIECE!


Pan sprayers UNITE!

In response to those who think wax is yucky: You probably eat it more frequently than you know. For instance, candies like chocolate covered cherries use paraffin to help set & mold the chocolate. Paraffin is just a fancy name for wax.

I always do use waxed paper to line my pans, never had problem of the paper sticking to the pan. Maybe my article would be of some help (I hope). Anyway, this is the way I do it: I draw the bottom of the pan over the wax paper, then cut the shape (usually cut a little bit smaller so when I separate the cake from the pan using a knife, the paper is NOT on the knife's way otherwise it will pull the wax paper and the border of the cake too ruining it), spread either Crisco or butter to the bottom AND the sides of the pan AND SIFT FLOUR OVER IT, tap the bottom of the pan to get the excess out and proceed to place the wax paper. Even though, many of famous cake decorators don't recommend lining the sides of the pans, I always do it. This way my cakes come out very smooth on top and on the sides. Good luck next time!!!

i have greased my pan, then put the wac paper down and then greased again, and i have also only greased the sides of the pan and not the wax paper and i haven't had a problem once...hmmm. maybe it was just the brand of wax paper?

Well I was obviously wrong to incriminate the wax paper, I didn't realize so many people still use it! I have no idea why it fused itself to my pan now!

I must say for all you NO-paper people, I keep seeing these cake-baking videos and none of them line their pans and their cakes don't stick either, just like all of you. I'm scared though, I just can't do it!!!!

one thing an instructor taught me in the one set of classes i took (was level 1 in four steps) what she used in a pinch was paper sack oiled or greased.

one time i did the same when *I* was in a pinch and it worked

I used to ALWAYS line my wedding cake pans with wax paper and let me tell you.....it was the one job that I absolutely hated. Cutting out the circle, square, whatever size needed and still greasing the sides of the pans. Every week I'd say Calgon, take me away! One week I completely forgot to do the wax paper step.....just used my equal parts shortening/flour mixture on the whole pan. I was kicking myself the whole time they were baking because I just "knew" I'd have cake stuck to the pan and probably have to rebake. To my utter delight, that cake fell right out of the pan and I have not cut one more wax paper circle since. Now let me say that I do use my homemade relase mixture very liberally and I'm very careful about releasing the cakes as soon as the pans are cool enough to handle (usually 10-15 minutes) so that combination may be part of the answer. Love saving the money I'm not spending on wax paper and love even more the time I save by not cutting all that wax paper. Hope this helps convince others to try as I am certainly a believer!
Roberta

OK, I have read all 4 pages and I'm still not sure if I understand why people use parchment or wax paper. I have always greased and floured
my pans without problems. I take the cake out of the oven, let cool in pan
for 10 minutes (use timer) then flip out.
My question is "Are there other benefits to using the parchment or wax paper?"
If I am not having a problem with sticking (which I think is why some people use it) Should I switch? This question was so much easier in my head!!!!

THANKS FOR LISTENING!

And Ceshell, I hope you get your oven issues fixed and HAPPY BAKING!

OH! one more question, If you line you whole pan with paper, Wouldn't you have a wrinkly edge cake?? Or do you cut out the size of the bottom and then cut out strips for the sides of the pan?

Thanks again!

LLAURALS - you lucky duck, you have no need for parchment or waxed paper, your cakes don't stick! Mine used to stick when I just greased and floured, so I started lining my pans because I was tired of throwing away cake (didn't know about cake balls ). It's possible that I did, in the past, always let them cool too long so maybe I will believe all of you and give it a try w/homemade release.

As for wrinkling, you do cut the size of the bottom and then strips for the sides, although I think you'll notice there are only a few people who bother with lining the sides (not me), it's already enough of a hassle. I've always endured the hassle because baking a new cake took longer than the 3 annoying minutes of cutting out paper.

You prob. noticed a few people said they line because they like to KEEP the paper on the cake right up until icing it, makes it easier to handle, but I for one always remove it to cool.

Anyway, in your case: if it ain't broke, don't fix it!!

I ran out of waxed paper and parchment once. I found that a coffee filter does the trick really well in a round cake pan.

What are you using instead of Crisco?

Thanks Ceshell!

BTW, I have never had luck with Bakers Joy, maybe I will try
Krogers or Crisco.