Parchment Paper (Silly Question)
Decorating By itsacake Updated 12 Nov 2005 , 1:38am by sweetsuccess
Hi All,
This is pretty off the wall, but......
I always grease my pans, line the bottom with parchment paper and then grease the paper. It is probably the part of prep I like the least. I just took two cakes out of their pans and washed the pans so I could put two more cakes in the pans. I threw out the parchment paper, but I wondered if anyone has ever reused parchment?
It's not like I would save the greasy, yucky stuff for another day, but I had just cut two new liners to use immediately. The cheap part of me is thinking it would be great if they were slightly less disposable. Anyone ever try it?
Thanks!
I use wax paper.. ALOT cheaper and works out fine with out grease.. Good Luck!
I remember growing up watching my mom grease and flour the bottom and sides of pans then she would put a piece of wax paper in the bottom of the pan. WHY? 
I don't understand the need for this. I have been baking for over 20 years now and I have never used this method. I used to grease then flour the pan but about 10 or so years ago I started using spray oil. Is this not right? Would this make a difference in how my cakes turn out? I never (well, not in a very long time anyway) have any cakes or anything stick to my pans. I'm not trying to be rude -- I just want to know the need.
Thank you all.
I guess maybe parchment paper is only good for making parchment-paper-makers rich. I will try wax paper and/or no paper. I've been using the pan grease recipe from here and that works well. I have been using parchment because my recipes said to use it.
I used to use parchment without grease or flour on it or on the bottom of the pan without aproblem. However, I have since discovered Bakers Secret and use that exclusively.
I do not, however, spray the sides of the pans--only the bottoms. I believe Dawn told me about this? Or maybe Squirrely? Can't remember but it was somebody here.... Anyway--they turn out just perfectly and you don't get any form of "crispy" sides at all.
Lisa
I re-use my parchment paper or wax paper if i'm making alot of cakes at once. Especially since i only have one pan of each i can bake each cake with the same paper and it comes out perfect.
I always spray lightly on the bottom then stick parchment down and spray lightly again then i spray a little heavier on the sides. I use the cake release or spray with flour.
Usually if i skip spraying the parhcment peice again on top the parchment sticks to the top. It peels off with a good bit of the cake stuck on.
I never use line My pans when baking cakes. I just put a dollop of Crisco on a piece Of wax paper and rub them. I never use flour either and I dont have problem getting the cake out or cleaning My pans. They actually could pass for brand new.
Ummm as for the Not greasing the sides of the pan. I believe this helps the Cake to rise. The batter has something to attach to when Cooking. With A greased surface, there is nothing to attach To so it will Not rise As high.
I line my cookie sheets with parchment. And yes I reuse the parchment. I guess the key factor is how soiled the parchment is.
Princess
Princess, I know very,very little about cookie baking but wanting to start so I can offer more than cakes. Question for ya, you said you line your cookie sheets with parchment paper, so I was wondering does this just keep them from sticking or spreading out, don't mean to sound dense I just didn't know, thanks
I use wax paper on the bottom and oil on the sides. For the 3D cakes, I love the cake release.
My mom used to use wax paper on the bottom of her cake pans all the time. She'd grease the pan then put the wax paper on then grease that. I stopped doing that when the good baking sprays started being made. I use a baking spray and no paper with no problems.
For cookies, I don't really use anything on the tray b/c that makes them spread faster and I like a poofy cookie. As long as I remove them before they are entirely cooled, they come of the tray fine.
Okay, my 2 cents...
I use parchment for every cake I do, and I grease them as mentioned above... then WASH them!!! As long as you're gentle, you can wash and re-use them MANY times...
I have one cut out for each pan I own, and I just keep the right one in the pan it belongs to. Every now and again have to replace one because it gets old and ratty, but they work for a lot of cakes!
Waxed paper is cheaper initially, but NOT re-useable so the parchment is cheaper in the long run.
MelC
I will have to try that! Having the parchment in the pan is just an extra bit of security that the cake will come out. Have you ever used the paper still wet, or do you always let it dry?
I have some test cakes to do this afternoon and am also going to try not greasing the sides as someone on this thread (and Squirrelly before this) has mentioned.
I have just wiped them down with a damp cloth and re-used them immediately... no problem.
If you've actually put it in hot soapy water, then realized you need it again, then rinse it off, then pat it dry as you can with a towel and use it!
Just be GENTLE when you wash it... I usually put it in my fresh dish-water for a couple of minutes to soak, then lay it on the (outside) bottom of the cake pan and sort of rub the cake crumbs off with a wet dish cloth... rinse everything, flip it over and repeat. Rinse the parchment in hot fresh water and put it on a cooling rack to dry. If I don't have a free cooling rack, we have a magnetic strip for knives, etc on the wall... I use 1-2 small metal pieces to hold the parchment in place and let it hang there to dry!
They last for months (or longer if not used too often) this way!
I use the Wilton Cake Release in my cake pans, and it works great! No crumbage or stickage. Just use a pastry brush to cover all of the inside surface of the pan.
Now for cookie backing, a lot of times, I will use a piece of parchment paper...works great! When baking is finish...toss, and put away baking sheet...no washing!
Princess, I know very,very little about cookie baking but wanting to start so I can offer more than cakes. Question for ya, you said you line your cookie sheets with parchment paper, so I was wondering does this just keep them from sticking or spreading out, don't mean to sound dense I just didn't know, thanks
The parchment paper prevents the cookies from sticking to the sheet. But More important it helps to prevent over-browning.
Spreading of cookies has more to do with what's in the cookies. If a cookie has a high butter content it will tend to spread a lot more than a cookie made with shortening. This is due to the fact that butter will melt at a lower temperature. I pop my Cookies in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Then I remove them and place them straight in the oven. This greatly reduces the amount of spreading. That's not to say that the type of cookie sheet used will not influence spreading.
That's ok, you don't sound dense. We all have to ask questions at some point in time. I am actually making cookies right now I will post pics later to show how much spreadage ( lol I hope that's a word if not it is now) occured.
Princess
I don't like the Wilton cake release because it contains either artificial flavor or color or preservative--I can't remember which. I don't like the smell, and the way it looks. (This is my opinion. I'm not saying others shouldn't use this product if they want, so please don't be upset!) I make and use the pan grease from this site, and I LOVE IT! Both inexpensive and natural--can't beat that!
I did use the same two pieces of parchment paper three times each yesterday, washing it between cakes and greasing both above and below it in the pans. It worked just fine. I put the used and washed pieces of parchment away with the pans to see if it works next time as well. I'm not sure it saves any money, because by the time you wash it using water and dry with a paper towel, you've pretty much used up any saviings, but I like not having to cut it out each time.
As long as I was experimenting, I also tried not greasing the sides of the pans. I think the cakes may have risen a tiny bit higher, but when I ran my angled spatula around the outside of the cake to be sure all was loose before unmolding, a bit of cake did stick to the side and the sides in general were not as smooth as usual, so I probably won't do that again.
I made 4 different recipes and 1 variation of chocolate cakes in the last two days. (10 layers in all) Tonight I am having a couple of friends come over to taste which they think is the best of the lot. I froze 4 layers to make some birthday cakes I promised to make. I wonder how they will be with slightly mis-matched layers LOL (they are gifts not sales so no one will complain)
I think I'll continue to use the parchment, even though many of you just use grease. MelC, thanks so much for your instructions on how to reuse parchment paper. I probably won't switch to sprays on a regular basis. I used to use them all the time, but I was always running out. Tthe pan grease recipe is so easy and so cheap and works so great I'll keep using that.
Thank you all for all your comments. Can you imagine having this conversation with someone not addicted to cake baking and decorating? They would surely think I was nuts (Well, they'd be right, but that's another story entirely.....) Thanks again!
So many comments I have to give my 2 cents 
I always use parchment for cookies for the same reason, no sticking and no washing pans afterwards 
For cakes. I usually just spray the bottom of the pan and I too thought that if you grease the sides, the cake doesn't rise as high because it has nothing to stick to and climb. If I want a denser cake I grease the sides but other wise I use pam to spray the bottom.
If you use parchment on the bottom, you grease it first and then place you sheet so that it has something to stick to and doesn't slide around.
I almost always use parchment paper, and if I'm using the same sized pan twice in the same baking session, I'll often re-use my parchment paper and never had a problem.
I always use parchment paper or waxed paper, but usually try to have parchment on hand.
I never did this until last summer I had a request for Italain Cream cake a three layer one. Okay no problem I have made it a dozen or so times. Well for what ever reason, This time all three layers stuck to the bottom of the pan & I could not get them out. I even tryed reheating the pans on the bottom, like I read in some baking book to no avail.
I had to start from scratch. Italian Creem cake ingredients are expensive. So need less to say I made absoultey nothing on this cake.
I made a vow to myself that very day, I WILL ALWAYS USE PARCHMENT OR WAXED PAPER IN THE BOTTOM OF MY PANS. It is worth the small amount of time and money to be ABSOLUTELY SURE the cake will come out. I rarely use 3d pans, I usually sculpt any 3d cakes so I don't have to worry there.
gma1956,
I was using the Cake Release with no problems until one day I made a sheet cake and the bottom stuck and I had to make another one.
From that day on I've been using wax paper and greasing the sides.
Haven't tried making the homemade Release yet...will have to give it a try on a practice cake.
I have used Pam with Flour for Baking and have had great results. I don't use parchment or wax paper.
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