Shaped Cake Pans

The Best Shaped Cake Pans – Page 2

Click on any of the pictures below for more information. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, check out the entire collection here.

Norpro Checkerboard Cake Pan Set

A checkerboard cake is just about the most surprising cake around.  Using this shaped cake pan will create a checkerboard of vanilla and chocolate (or whatever flavors you want) inside the cake.  No one will know until you cut it open and everyone can see!

This set comes with three nine inch circular cake pans with one divider that creates the symmetrical checkerboard inside.  You’ll have to cook each of the cakes separately since there is only one divider, but the effect is well worth it!

A good example of what a checkerboard cake looks like inside. Image courtesy of Brian Teutsch via Flickr.com.

A good example of what a checkerboard cake looks like inside. Image courtesy of Brian Teutsch via Flickr.com.

A trick that I learned with this is to use the darkest chocolate cake mix you can find. The darker the mix, the better it creates a separation with the white cake.  Using a German chocolate or dark chocolate mix is best.  You can also use a mix that is richer than you would normally like since the vanilla will balance it out.

If you’ve never baked a checkerboard cake, relax, they’re really easy.  If you can successfully bake a regular cake you can bake the checkerboard.  I added this picture in so that you can see more closely

what it will look like when it’s finished. A darker chocolate would have produced better results than what they got in the picture.

This cake pan is made by Norpro which means that you’re getting restaurant quality at a bargain price.  This pan set is pretty hard to find locally and Amazon.com has it for $9.99 right now, and it’s eligible for free shipping on orders over $25.

Head to Amazon for more details

Alternatively, you can check out eBay for the NorPro checkerboard cake pan. They tend to have lower prices than Amazon. This is great when you only want to get the pan. If you’re planning on getting more than pan, Amazon will help you get everything that you need and have it all shipped to your house. Below you’ll find the current eBay listings for this pan where you’ll be able to bid on or buy them.

Wilton Mini Filled Cake Pan Set

These shaped cake pans will take your baking from “just like everyone else” to gourmet!  The idea is very simple, each cake mold has an open spot that is to be filled with mousse, fruit, ice cream, granache, or anything you could imagine and when the two halves are put together it is filled.

The set comes with four of these pans, so you can cook two cakes at once.  The cakes are fairly small at about 4 inches across, but with the filling inside it becomes very rich.  You could also use one half of the pan, leave it open on the top, and fill it with fresh fruit for a very decorated fruit tart.

With these cakes it’s extremely important that you let the cake completely cool before adding any filling.  You may even want to refrigerate it ahead of time if you plan on putting fresh fruit or ice cream inside to be sure that there’s no dramatic temperature change.

The cake comes with instructions and a detailed recipe booklet.  It’s a Wilton cake pan, so you know that you’re getting quality at a great price.  These cake molds retail for around $15 when purchased locally, but Amazon.com has them for under $12 right now and they qualify for free shipping with orders over $25.

Head to Amazon for more details

Alternatively, you can check out eBay for the Wilton Mini Filled Cake Pan Set. They tend to have lower prices than Amazon. This is great when you only want to get the pan. If you’re planning on getting more than pan, Amazon will help you get everything that you need and have it all shipped to your house. Below you’ll find the current eBay listings for this pan where you’ll be able to bid on or buy them.

Decorating Shaped Cakes

Shaped Cake PansAfter you’ve picket out your shaped cake pan, got the supplies, and baked the cake, the hard part is behind you right? If this is your first time, you may be thinking that decorating a cake like this is like a coloring book. After you’ve decorated a few cakes it certainly is, but the first time around is a bit tricky. Read on, and I’ll show you some tips and tricks that will make your life a bit easier.

I seriously cannot stress how important it is that your cake is cool before you begin. The last thing you want is to have Super Mario’s shoe slide right off the cake! That’s what will happen if the cake is not cool. Also, keep in mind that the cake is finishing its cooking while it’s cooling. If you alter the speed that it cools, you’ll change the texture of the cake. So don’t put it in the fridge, leave it on your cooling sheet for at least four hours.

Surprisingly, the directions that come with these shaped cake pans are very helpful and will probably be all you need to get the job done. There are a few tricks that you can use that will make your life much easier. Most importantly, if you’ve never done this before spend some time practicing with the icing bag. Use a piece of paper to doodle around on so that you get a feel for how changing the pressure changes the lines.

If you are decorating a large space that serves as a background or something else not important, don’t waste your time with the icing bag! Use a square spatula to spread the icing instead. The smooth effect will make your piping work much more pronounced.

Be sure to go thick with your black borders and outlines. This makes it much easier to fill in everything else and creates a cleaner look because of the defined edges. I usually use a #5 tip for this part.

If you need to have a smooth area that is very small (buttons, eyes, teeth), dip your finger in a bit of water and smooth it with that. This really only works if it’s one color, and too much water will smear the icing all over the place!

You may want to decorate your cake in a different way than the instructions ask you to, so at least get the tips that it specifies on the cake pan and go crazy with the colors.

When shopping for shaped cake pans make sure that you choose something that is within your abilities. There is nothing more frustrating than having a cake that is too hard to decorate and not being able to finish it!