From Victoria sponges to Christmas cake or even brownies, cake tins are magical tools which shape and turn simple batters into mouthwatering delights. Nowadays, we're lucky enough to have springform, dishwasher-safe, and non-stick tins to make both baking and cleaning up extra easy. So no more excuses for not wanting to get in the kitchen!
Whether you want to whip up a round, square or even a rectangular cake, we've compiled a list of our ten favourite tins to help you find your match. Including the famous French brand Le Creuset as well as Prestige, Alan Silverwood and more, you can easily purchase them from Amazon, Argos and John Lewis. Let's see what kind of cake you'll want to bake by the end of this article!
Quick List - Top Cake Tins
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Choosing a cake tin can be really straightforward, but if you want to find one that you'll truly treasure for your baking, this guide will show you what you should really be considering before heading off to buy one.
One of the reasons baking a cake can be so exciting is that you get to choose from such a variety of shapes! However, while you can find tins in everything from heart shapes to rugby balls or cars, today we'll be introducing the three most commonly-used styles.
Round cake tins are the most readily-available shape. Whether it's your first or hundredth time baking, nothing beats a cake that comes out perfectly round, especially if you're making a classic layer cake or sponge. You can also find fluted or bundt tins which create a fancier-looking cake with minimal effort!
Square and rectangular tins are slightly less popular than round tins, but they're perfect for making brownies or more easy-to-portion cakes. If you're an experienced baker, you might even be able to create cakes in irregular shapes by trimming off the excess after using a large rectangular tin.
Besides the shape of cake tin, you can also choose whether you want a loose base or fixed base. Either base won't affect the outcome of your baking, but they each do have some pros and cons.
Loose bases, including springform tins, are especially popular with new bakers as you're able to remove the tin very easily once the cake is done. However, we would suggest that if your cake batter is rather thin, it's best to line the base with parchment paper to prevent it slipping through the gaps.
Fixed bases have a relatively less versatile use in comparison. While the cake can be easily removed if the tin is non-stick, you'll need to invert the cake to do so – and not all cakes can be inverted. For example, it's not ideal to bake a cheesecake with a fixed base as the bottom of the cake will end up being on top!
Thankfully, we live in modern times where non-stick cake tins exist. Without this coating, not only it will be difficult to remove the cake from the tin, but cleaning will a hassle too – baked-on cake residue is really quite hard to remove!
However, in order to remove your cake easily from the tin, we would still recommend lining a loose-bottomed cake tin with parchment paper. Furthermore, take care when cleaning a non-stick tin in order to preserve the coating.
Aluminium, however, is super heat-conducive and will allow your cake to rise evenly. It might sound like the perfect material, but aluminium tins can corrode if your batter contains any form of acid, such as citrus juice.
To overcome this issue, you can choose an anodised aluminium tin. This is considered the best type of cake tin as not only does it have the properties of aluminium, but the anodised coating will prevent any corrosion and make for a very long-lasting product.
When it comes to tins, recipes aren't one-size-fits-all, and most of them will tell you which size to use as a reference. While technically you can use a tin with different dimensions to the recipe, you'll have to be quite the expert baker to know how to adjust the baking time.
That's why it's important to know the size of your cake tin and how many you'll need so your bake will come out as intended, especially if you're baking for an occasion. These dimensions are usually indicated either in centimetres or inches, which can take time to convert if your tin and recipe use different units.
To help you purchase a cake tin with the right size quickly, we have included both units beneath our recommendations so you won't have to spend time doing the calculations.
Baking can get messy, so you'll be glad to know that some cake tins are dishwasher-safe. This saves you time doing even more washing up – all you'll have to do is sit back and wait for your cake to be ready.
We want to remind you that even though some cake tins can be popped in the dishwasher, it's actually still recommended to wash them by hand as this more gentle care will prolong their life just that little bit more.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Alan Silverwood Anodised Round Cake Pan | ![]() | A Must-Have for Both Professional and Amateur Bakers | |
2 | Ekkong Brownie Tin With Dividers | ![]() | Delivers Over a Dozen Fudgy, Crispy-Edged Brownies | |
3 | House by John Lewis Non-Stick Sandwich Cake Tin | ![]() | A High-Quality, Fairly-Priced Tin for Casual Bakers | |
4 | Argos Home Round Sandwich Cake Tins|Pack of 2 | ![]() | For Efficiently Baking Sandwich Cakes in One Go | |
5 | PME Anodised Aluminium Round Cake Pan | ![]() | The Ideal First Anodised Aluminium Cake Tin | |
6 | Prestige Inspire Non-Stick Square Cake Tin | ![]() | Bored of Round Cakes? Try Out a Square! | |
7 | MasterClass Non-Stick Fluted Ring Cake Tin | ![]() | Any Glaze or Icing Will Sit Perfectly on This Ring Cake | |
8 | Wilton Round Cake Baking Tins Set|Pack of 3 | ![]() | A Tin to Fulfil Your Dream of Baking a Triple-Layered Cake | |
9 | Le Creuset Non-Stick Springform Cake Tin | ![]() | Premium Quality, World-Renowned French Bakeware | |
10 | Wilton Angel Food Tube Cake Tin | ![]() | The Perfect Tin for a Light and Fluffy Cake |
We just love how this tin can satisfy both professional and amateur bakers alike, all thanks to the anodised aluminium. As well as producing a flawless regular bake, if you want to create a New York cheesecake or no-bake dessert, you'll only have to gently push the loose-base bottom for a perfect result.
Made in Birmingham to professional standards, we think it's absolutely worth investing in one of Alan Silverwood's cake tins. We promise you won't regret it, and before long you'll be seriously impressing everyone with your amazing bakes!
Just when you thought your baking life couldn't get any easier, in comes this cake tin, which yields 18 perfectly-even pieces of brownie in one fell swoop. The carbon steel dividers will also ensure fudgy brownies with a crispy edge – the best kind of brownies anyone could ask for!
The dividers are removable too, which makes this pan surprisingly more versatile than most. Whether you want to make a long rectangular cake, a tray bake, or even roast a chicken, this is a tin that can do it all.
If you've ever wondered what £3 can get you in the world of baking, wonder no more – you can bring home this high-quality cake tin by John Lewis. Casual bakers will also be glad to know that as well as baking your cake to perfection, this tin is non-stick and dishwasher-safe, which isn't bad for the price you're paying!
If you do ever want to make a sandwich cake or even a multi-layered rainbow cake, you can still fork out for a few of these tins, all for less than the cost of a meal out.
Want to bake a sandwich cake but short on time? With this set, you'll be able to pour in the batter and bake two identical cakes side-by-side in the oven. Push the loose base and the cake will fall out from the mould easily, saving you trying to figure out how to de-mould them without breaking it!
We think this product is a great deal, especially for new bakers, as you'll have two loose-bottomed cake tins for a reasonable price. You can also whip up one no-bake cheesecake or dessert and one baked cake at the same time, if you like.
You must be desperately looking for an anodised aluminium cake tin ever since we told you about them! In that case, why not take this particular wonder-tin home? As a further incentive, it's also the second most economical one on our list.
The 4-inch depth of this tin will slowly bake your cake with a thin and smooth top, so you'll never have to worry about any batter spilling over the top or the edges of your cake cooking more quickly than the centre.
If you're bored of baking the same old round cakes, why not try mixing it up with this square tin instead? As well as being versatile (try using it for brownies or other tasty tray bakes) you'll be able to cut and divide your cake neatly and evenly, making sure everyone at the party gets a taste of your creation.
We'd like you to be aware that the base of this square tin is textured and printed with the brand name, meaning it's quite possible these will be transferred to your cake. Avoid this by using parchment paper!
Baking with this pretty fluted cake tin will almost certainly make the finished product worthy of a photo or two! This particular shape will also maximise the amount of glaze or icing on each piece of cake, so it'll taste just as good as it looks.
While this cake tin has a non-stick coating, we highly recommend lightly greasing and flouring it before pouring the batter in so you'll be able to remove it from its mould without a hitch.
This pack of 3 cake tins in varying sizes will help you fulfil your dream of making a triple-layered cake at home! Even if you're not making a tiered cake, it's always nice to have the option to choose the size that you'd like to bake with. You can also stack all the tins together so they won't take up too much space in the cupboard.
That said, without loose bases and non-stick coatings, this set isn't a very beginner-friendly buy, and is perhaps better suited to those who are ready to challenge themselves with traditional cake tins such as these.
You know you'll be guaranteed the best results using Le Creuset's bakeware for your dessert, and the springform design will allow you to remove the cake easily from the tin once it's done. We also love the design details, such as the heat-resistant silicone covering on the metal clip which prevents you from burning your hands.
The only downside to this product is that it is quite pricey, especially for those who have just started their baking journey. If so, we'd say come back to this product once you've gained more confidence and want to invest a little more.
Looking to bake light, fluffy and mildly sweet angel cakes or chiffon cakes? You'll need this special-looking cake tin! The 3 feet at the edge of the tin will allow you to invert your cake while cooling down so it will keep its unique texture.
We would like to remind you that since angel cakes are made made only the whites of the egg, greasing the tin will only result in the cake losing its wow-factor as it won't be able to rise while baking. This unfortunately means you'll be spending quite some time cleaning this tin after use.
If you're new to baking and still stocking up on equipment, why not check out these other baking-related items? Just see them as a one-off investment and you'll be able to whip up a batch of delicious treats whenever you want!
No. 1: Alan Silverwood|Anodised Round Cake Pan
No. 2: Ekkong|Brownie Tin With Dividers
No. 3: House by John Lewis|Non-Stick Sandwich Cake Tin
No. 4: Argos Home|Round Sandwich Cake Tins|Pack of 2
No. 5: PME|Anodised Aluminium Round Cake Pan
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