Best Professional Cake Pans

Cake baking can be a fun and incredibly rewarding hobby or professional enterprise, but as all experienced bakers know, substandard equipment can quickly cause your dreams of the perfect cake to crumble - quite literally - before your eyes. 

A cheaply made cake pan can lead to your batter sticking to the container during baking, leaking into your oven, or even not baking properly at all. 

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Luckily, the solution to this is simple and relatively inexpensive! By investing in a professional cake pan, whether you bake commercially or recreationally, you can easily minimize the chances of messy, batter-related accidents, sticking, or uneven bakes. 

We’ve made a list of the best professional cake pans on the market, along with a useful buyers guide and FAQ section to help you on your way to baking success! 

Top 5 Best Professional Cake Pans

OUR TOP PICK

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  • Set of 2 8 X 2-inch tins
  • Aluminum material heats evenly for baking consistency
  • Durable, warp-resistant, and rust-resistant
  • Set of 2 is perfect for layered cakes
  • Range of sizes and shapes available
  • Option to include icing spatula
  • Hand wash recommended 

This set of 2 round cake pans by Wilton is sure to produce professional-looking and tasting results!

Made of even-heating aluminum, these pans ensure even and consistent heat distribution during the baking process, so you won’t need to worry about ending up with a cake that’s burnt at the edges and raw in the middle. 

Measuring 8 inches x 2 inches, these pans are of good depth and can be used together to construct layered cakes.

These pans are also warp-resistant and rust-resistant, meaning that they can withstand regular, commercial use without any structural or material damage. 

If the shape or dimensions of these cake pans aren’t quite what you’re looking for, Wilton also offers this pan model in square or rectangular shapes, all available in a range of diameters and depths.

However, the 8 x 2-inch size is the only one that comes as a pack of 2, with the 6-inch round tin available in a 4-pack and the others being sold as single units.

Moreover, if you anticipate icing your cakes, Wilton offers the option to include an icing spatula with the purchase of your cake pans.

Pros:

  • Even-heating aluminum for baking consistency
  • Warp and rust-resistant
  • Set of 2 perfect for layered cakes
  • 2-inch depth suitable for tall layers
  • Range of sizes and shapes available
  • Option to include icing spatula 

Cons:

  • Hand wash recommended

EDITORS CHOICE

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Fat Daddio’s Anodized Aluminium Round Cake Pan is definitely one of the best cake pans on the market. 

Designed to produce the best quality cakes, this pan is available in a range of sizes, from 3 x 3 inches to 18 x 3 inches, but the standard 9 x 3-inch size is widely used in the baking industry and will make a great addition to your kitchen.

This pan is made of anodized aluminum, which means that the aluminum has undergone a process that thickens its oxide layer. This increases the aluminum’s strength, resulting in tougher, more durable metal.

Anodizing also has the added effect of sealing the pores of the metal, creating a nonstick surface.

Because the aluminum is anodized, no additional coating is required. This means no peeling surfaces or chemicals being transferred into your baking. 

The pan reflects heat rather than absorbing it, allowing the pan to reach desired temperatures faster and heat more evenly than other baking tins. It also cools quicker than standard aluminum pans, saving you time and minimizing the risk of residual heat burns.

Pros:

  • Anodized aluminum material for extra durability
  • Wide variety of sizes available
  • Heat reflecting for faster baking times
  • Quick cooling
  • No chemical coating 

Cons:

  • Handwash recommended

BEST VALUE

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This 9-inch pan from USA Pan is perfect for baking regular-sized cakes to a professional standard. 

The heavy gauge aluminized steel material is highly durable and finished with an Americoat silicone coating. This coating enhances the non-stick properties of the pan, making removing the cake after baking and cleaning up easier than ever. 

The bottom of the pan features USA Pan’s unique, corrugated surface which contributes to the pan’s durability and non-stick property.

Moreover, this pan’s measurements of 9 x 2.25 inches make this a suitable pan for most standard cake baking projects. 

Pros:

  • Standard sizing
  • Durable aluminized steel material
  • Silicone Americoat coating for non-stick baking
  • Easy cleaning 

Cons:

  • Some reports of silicone coating peeling away

RUNNER UP

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If you’re looking for a professional quality pan for rectangular cakes, look no further than Nordic Ware’s high-sided sheet cake pan. 

This pan measures 16.5 x 11.38 x 2 inches on the interior and is made of pure aluminum. The aluminum is highly durable, scratch-resistant, and 100% rustproof, so you can be sure that this pan will be a long-lasting investment. 

Moreover, the aluminum’s superior heat conductivity allows for even heat distribution during baking, so your cake will be baked through perfectly. Meanwhile, the non-porous quality of the aluminum ensures a non-stick baking experience.

Nordic Ware’s sheet cake pan features a reinforced, solid core steel rim for added durability and warp resistance. 

If all that wasn’t enough, this pan also includes a storage lid. The lid is well-fitting and BPA free, so you can keep your cake sealed and fresh for longer without worrying about BPA toxicity.

Pros:

  • Highly durable pure aluminum material
  • Non-stick, rustproof, and scratch-resistant
  • Reinforced steel rim for warp resistance
  • Includes BPA-free storage lid 

Cons:

  • Dishwasher use not recommended 

RUNNER UP

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This 3-Piece cake pan set from Chicago Metallic is ideal for creating multi-layered, Instagram-worthy cakes! 

The set includes 6-inch, 8-inch, and 10-inch cake pans, all of which measure 2 inches in depth. However, if you prefer, the 8-inch and 9-inch pans are also available for purchase individually.

Made of heavyweight, aluminized carbon steel, these pans are not only extremely durable but also provide great heat conduction, ensuring even and consistent baking. 

The pans also feature a  nonstick, BPA-free coating for easy cake removal and can, therefore, be easily cleaned either in the dishwasher or by hand. 

The flexibility offered by Chicago Metallic in terms of cleaning also extends to cooking methods, with these pans being designed for safe use in all oven types.

Pros:

  • Set includes 3 different sized cake pans for layering or variation
  • Durable and conductive aluminized steel material
  • BPA-free nonstick coating
  • Dishwasher safe (but handwashing recommended)

Cons:

  • Water or batter may collect under pan edges

Best Professional Cake Pans Buying Guide

Having seen the professional cake pans available on the market, you’ll now need to decide which one best corresponds to your baking needs. 

To help you out, we’ve put together this buyers guide of all the features you will need to consider when choosing your new professional cake pan. 

Shape and Size

Whilst the average cake is round and roughly 9 x 3 inches, these dimensions are by no means the only options available! 

Cake pans can be round, rectangular, or square and vary greatly in terms of size. 

The first decision you will need to make when choosing a professional cake pan is what shape and size you want your cake(s) to be. If you know what kind of cake you are hoping to bake, you can base your search for a cake pan around this idea rather than potentially finding yourself constrained by the shape and size of your pan later on.

If you don’t yet have a design for your cake(s), consider investing in a set of different sized cake pans, as not only will this offer you some flexibility in terms of your baking creations, but it will also allow you to create multi-layered cakes if you wish.

Regardless of shape and diameter, it is a good idea to choose a pan with a depth of at least 2-3 inches to allow for solid layering. 

Material

The second factor you will need to take into consideration when choosing a professional cake pan is the material. 

Most cake pans are made from either steel or aluminum, both of which are highly durable and heat-conductive materials. 

The durability, heat conductivity, and rust-resistance of these materials make them ideal for repeated exposure to intense heat and thorough cleaning. 

However, if you’re a busy commercial baker or bake regularly from home, you might want to consider an even stronger, more durable option. 

Anodized aluminum is one of the best materials for professional baking pans because of its superior durability and insulative properties. Anodizing aluminum means there’s no need for any additional chemical coating, making for a healthier and more long-lasting baking surface. Moreover, anodized aluminum is non-stick and scratch-resistant, making cake removal and cleaning easier.

Coating

The metal used to make cake pans is often further enhanced by the use of an additional coating. 

This coating will most often be silicone-based and is designed to create a smooth, damage-resistant, and non-porous surface for easy cake removal and clean-up. 

Aluminized steel is a popular cake pan material that combines the durability of both aluminum and steel through the process of coating the steel in an aluminum-silicon alloy.

Interior coating on a cake pan can greatly facilitate the baking process in some areas, but it also has certain drawbacks.

Although one of the primary purposes of coating the inside of a cake pan is to improve its durability, the coating itself may present a durability issue as it may eventually peel away following repeated use and cleaning.

If you want to enjoy the benefits of a coated cake pan while minimizing the chances of peeling, the safest option is to always handwash your pan, even if it is advertised as dishwasher safe. This will reduce the pan’s exposure to high water pressure and the harsher chemicals often contained in dishwasher tablets, extending the life of your pan’s coating. 

Additionally, when purchasing a coated cake pan, it is important to make sure that the coating is non-toxic and BPA-free to ensure a safe baking experience.

Cleaning

Most bakers can probably agree that the least exciting part of the baking process is the clean-up. Thankfully, professional cake pans can reduce the stress of the cleaning process significantly. 

Non-stick coatings and anodizing, which are common features on professional cake pans, can help to reduce the amount of elbow grease you need to put into cleaning your pan, as the non-stick properties ensure that any cake remnants slide away more easily with a little dish soap and water. 

If you don’t have a lot of time on your hands, purchasing a dishwasher-safe cake pan is definitely an option. However, it’s important to bear in mind that even pans that are advertised as dishwasher-safe will generally still be handwash recommended.

If you’re thinking about purchasing a square or rectangular pan, be aware that sharp corners can accumulate food and be difficult to clean. Similarly, rolled edges may collect food or dishwater during cleaning. Therefore, if easy cleaning is your priority, a round cake pan with unrolled edges may be the best option for you.

Additional Features

If you like to get more value for your money, consider purchasing a professional cake pan with additional features!

A lid is an entirely optional feature for a cake pan, so if your desired pan doesn’t come with one, it’s not the end of the world. However, a lid can definitely be useful depending on how you plan to use your cake pan. 

For example, if you anticipate transporting your cake between venues (ie. for bake sales or other events) it might be useful to be able to keep your cake in its pan with a fitted lid for protection and to keep it fresh. 

A lid can also be a useful feature if you plan on keeping your cake in the refrigerator, as it will help to prevent cross-contamination. 

Another great additional feature you can find included with some cake pans is an icing spatula. If you’re purchasing a cake pan to mark the beginning of your baking journey, an icing spatula can be a great addition to your purchase that will allow you to ice your cakes to a professional standard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a professional cake pan worth the money?

Despite their superior quality, professional cake pans are widely available for purchase at affordable prices. 

A professional cake pan may cost you more than your average baking tin, but given all the advantages that they bring to the table, they are definitely worth the money. 

If you want to bake professional-looking and delicious cakes regularly without having to worry about sticking, leaking, unevenness, warping, or rusting, we highly recommend purchasing a professional cake pan.

What is the standard size for a cake pan?

Cake pans come in many different shapes and sizes, giving bakers a good deal of flexibility in terms of cake design. 

However, if you’re just looking to bake a simple, average-sized cake, you may be wondering what the standard cake pan dimensions are. 

Generally speaking, a standard cake pan will be round and measure 9 x 3 inches.

How do I stop my cake from sticking to the pan?

Hopefully, having invested in a professional cake pan, you should find that sticking is significantly reduced due to the high-quality, non-stick nature of the material. 

However, if you’re still finding that your cake occasionally sticks to the bottom of the pan, there are a couple of things that you can do to minimize this problem.

The most widely used method to stop a cake from sticking to the pan is to coat the inside of the pan with a layer of butter. Margarine or other plant-based butter alternatives also work well if you’re vegan or dairy-free. Once this step is complete, sprinkle some flour over the inside of the pan to fully eliminate stickiness. Alternatively, you could try lining the pan with greaseproof paper. 

If you’ve been leaving your cake to cool for a significant period of time before removing it from the pan, and you’ve found that it’s been sticking, try removing the cake from the pan sooner. The added moisture of a warm, freshly-baked cake can help to minimize sticking, so unless your recipe specifically states otherwise, leave your cake to cool for no longer than 10 minutes before removal. 

How should I clean my professional cake pan?

A professional cake pan might be more durable than your average, cheaply-made cake pan, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still be careful and gentle with it during the cleaning process.

To ensure that your cake pan lasts as long as possible in pristine condition, you should always follow the cleaning instructions provided with the product.

If your cake pan is advertised as dishwasher-safe, you should be able to clean it in the dishwasher on the recommended setting without any issues. However, the best way to ensure the longevity of your professional cake pan is to wash it by hand wherever possible, as this will reduce the risk of damages such as peeling and scratching. 

The most common cleaning directions given for professional cake pans are simply to soak the pan in hot, soapy water and gently scrubbing away any residue with a sponge or minimally abrasive scouring pad.

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