Silicone molds are my favorite way to bake mini cakes, and I often get questions whenever I use them. It’s understandable since it’s a relatively new baking material – so here’s a post detailing all my tips on baking with silicone.
Silicone is rubber-like manufactured material containing no plastic. It’s widely used in the medical device, baby product, and food manufacturing industries. For baking, use food-grade silicone, typically indicated on the manufacturer’s labeling. These silicones are heat-safe up to 400°F/205°C.
These is my Ube Velvet cake recipe baked in silicone molds to create 4-inch mini cake layers.
Silicone is flexible, which is pretty different than other metal-based baking pans you may be used to. Generally, these types of molds are not only oven-safe but also microwave-safe and freezer-safe.
Silicone baking mats have been around for years – I use mine as a reusable eco-friendly alternative to disposable baking sheet liners such as foil. (They’re pretty great for macarons.) Using them as a pan to bake liquidy stuff like cake and muffin batters has a few differences from working with metal, so let’s get into it.
What are silicone mini cake molds and where to buy it?
The mold I use to make my mini cakes creates perfectly flat 4-inch (in diameter) layers that are a little less than an inch tall. There are 6 holes (or “cavities” as the mold industry refers to them), and each holds about 2 cupcakes worth of batter.
I buy mine from Amazon, which you can see here if you like.
I use these layers to make lunchbox cakes, which are cute mini cakes that fit in takeout containers.
This post goes over how I specifically use this mold, but you can use these tips for baking in all kinds of silicone molds.
How much batter do you need for these silicone molds?
Each hole in the mold can be filled with about 2 cupcakes worth of batter. That means that each of these molds holds about the same quantity of batter you’d use for 12 cupcakes.
Typical cupcake recipes or one box of cake mix (such as those from Pillsbury, Duncan Hine’s, and Betty Crocker) create enough batter for 24 cupcakes. In that case, you’d need two molds.
Do you need to grease silicone molds for cake?
Silicone is naturally a bit nonstick on its own. Usually, my cakes have enough fat and sugar and will not stick to the surface without any extra greasing.
That being said, just grease the pan anyways. It’s a bit of insurance to get that cake out later and doesn’t really have any adverse effect on the final cake. A gentle light spray of cooking oil is all you need.
What temperature should you bake cakes in silicone molds?
You will just use the temperature indicated in the cake recipe. For my Cakeculator, all of my cakes bake at 350°F/176°C.
One thing to note. Although the mold will get hot and thoroughly cook your cake, it does not conduct heat as efficiently as metal pans.
This just means there won’t be as much browning on the cake surfaces in contact with the mold. I don’t mind this because it gives the finished cake a consistent look and color, even on the bottoms and sides.
How long does to bake a cake in a silicone mold?
These silicone molds for my mini cakes have a very short yet wide interior baking cavity, so it’s a relatively small cake if you’re used to baking 6 or 8-inch rounds.
I find that it bakes at almost the same time as a cupcake tray. All of my cupcakes bake from 18-22 minutes, and these cakes usually finish baking around the 21-22 minute mark.
If you’re using a cupcake recipe other than mine, use the recipe’s timing as a guideline. Start checking for doneness at the shortest time given in the recipe.
If you’re using a different type of mold than what I’m showing here, you’ll have to experiment a bit to get the timing right.
How to remove cake from a silicone mold?
To remove cakes from this mold, allow the cake to cool slightly.
At this point, I also like to trim the tops off of the cakes. This is helpful while they’re still in the mold because the mold serves as a guide, and you’ll get perfect even layers of cake.
Then gently pull the sides away from each cake. You can flip the mold over very quickly onto a flat surface to remove all the cakes, and they should fall out.
If you’re unsure or baking a new recipe, try removing just one cake by inverting the mold to gently push out the cake. One of the advantages of using silicone is that it’s flexible, so bend the mold as much as you need to so you don’t break the cake.
How to bake mini cakes using a silicone mold
Step 1. Prepare the mold.
Spray the molds with some cooking oil. Place your molds on a baking sheet BEFORE filling. (Moving an unsupported silicone mold filled batter is a recipe for disaster.) The metal tray also helps transfer heat to the bottom of the mold while in the oven.
Step 2. Scoop the prepared cake batter into the mold.
I’m using a scoop to portion out my batter, and I put two scoops into each hole, which comes out to about 2/3 cup of batter. For most cake recipes, you’ll want the batter to reach about 75% high inside the hole. That way, it will rise above and allow you to trim it down, so it’s a perfectly flat cake cylinder.
Step 3. Gently tap to remove any large air bubbles.
It will depend on the recipe, but all of my recipes need 2-3 firm taps on the counter to remove any big air pockets. It’s such a shallow mold that an air pocket can make a significant dent on the bottom of your cake, so settling the batter before baking is essential.
Step 4. Bake.
Use the cake recipe’s temperature. (Mine are all baked at 350°F/176°C.) These cakes take around 18-22 minutes to bake.
Step 5. Allow cakes to cool slightly before trimming.
Remove the mold from the oven and allow it to cool slightly. Once I can touch the cakes without it being painful (they are still quite warm though), it’s time to trim off the tops. Using a long serrated knife and the mold as a guide, gently slice off the cake tops so that your mini cake layers are all even.
Step 6. Quality Control
Those cake tops are strictly for quality control measures. Take a taste while they’re still slightly warm and ensure your cake is delicious, which I know it is. Moving on.
Step 7. Remove mini cakes.
Gently pull the sides to ensure there’s no cake sticking. If cakes look like they have shrunken away from the sides, it’s probably easier to flip the entire silicone mold onto a flat surface all at once. They should all fall out. (See the rainbow mini cakes I made earlier in this post.)
If you have any doubts, try to remove one cake by inverting the mold. Remember, the mold is flexible, so bend it if necessary.
Step 8. Use immediately or store for later.
If you’re using the mini cakes soon, you can let them sit on the rack. If it’s more than a half-hour, I always wrap my cakes so they don’t dry out.
For these, I put little squares of parchment in between each cake layer and stack them 5 or 6 layers tall. Then I wrap them in plastic wrap. You can keep them like this for a couple days on the counter or double wrap them and put them in freezer bags for a couple weeks.
Would you like to try one of my recipes with this mold? I have lots of flavors listed in my Cakeculator – just select the cake flavor and for the Pan Size select “4 inch Mini Cakes, Round.”
I also have quite a few videos with tips on using this mold as well as assembling mini cakes or lunchbox cakes.
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Baking with silicone molds is easy and they come in many shapes and sizes which makes the whole process of baking a lot more interesting and fun. Although they appeared quite recently, people found a lot of creative ways to put them to good use. They are great because they are made of a nonstick silicone material and can be washed and reused as many times as you want. They’re usually of bright colors and interesting shapes, while available at affordable prices!
If you’re tired of constantly washing greasy pans, using silicone molds instead can be the solution you’ve been looking for! You might be a master chef or someone who simply loves to cook, either way, silicone molds should find a way into your kitchen. Forget about old-fashioned metal pans and read through our 7 great tips on how to use silicone cupcake molds!
Baking Tips for Silicone Molds
The great thing about these molds is they can be used for a variety of things – for storage, for containers and, most often, for baking. There are a few things to know about molds when used for baking so let’s look at some useful tips:
Use Smaller Silicone Molds
Baking with silicone molds is becoming more and more popular, with so many chefs including them in their cooking. Apart from being good for other things as well, smaller molds are more practical and affordable, thus easier to find and use. Equip yourself with some regular-shaped cupcake molds, as well as with some of the interesting shapes – like hearts or stars.
Once you’ve built a great collection, you’ll find that everything you’ve been baking in regularly-shaped pans so far, can be baked in the silicone molds and allow you to provide your family and friends with creatively made pieces of food. If you have kids, they’ll love everything that’s small enough for them to hold and of an interesting shape, so you’re in the lead here.
Mind the Temperature
Many people who buy silicone molds have the same question – Can you put silicone in the oven? While this is a completely justified question, we must tell you that you shouldn’t worry too much about it. Silicone molds are usually very heat-resistant and can be used even at very low or high temperatures. Of course, you want to be aware of the temperature ratings and avoid melting the pan and ruining your hard work.
Choose Wisely
The market has a lot to offer on silicone molds nowadays. Shapes and sizes are numerous, but the practicality varies, too. They are quite inexpensive as well, but again, that doesn’t mean they are practical enough. Many molds are very small and if you are preparing something for a larger group of people, you’ll have to do more than one batch, which can be a bit tiring and boring. Go for regularly-shaped molds of average sizes and avoid cute or tiny shapes. We know how tempting it can be, but be smart!
Greasing Can Help
Generally, good old greasing is not really necessary with silicone molds. However, using cooking sprays or even greasing before baking and cooking can make your life a lot easier when it comes to washing them later on. Think of this as a means of prevention – you’ll spend much less time doing the dishes afterward. Isn’t that something we’re all striving for?
Another option that can reduce the washing-up time is putting paper baking cups in the mold instead of greasing it and just use the mold as a structural form. Cleaning time will be minimal this way!
Check the Quality
Checking the quality of your silicone molds is a must if you’re interested in buying a quality product. Baking in silicone is really easy and great, but only if the pan or the mold are made of 100% silicone, without added fillers. You want to be sure you’re buying pure silicone so you need to check the way it was made.
How can you check your silicone mold is made of pure silicone? You should do the pinch test – pinch the silicone and twist it a bit. Once you do that and the color of it stays the same, you’re dealing with a 100% silicone mold. If it turns white, it was probably mixed with some other material and you should steer clear from that one. Be careful! If you want to bake in silicone, buy pure silicone first.
Find Good Recipes
A great thing about baking with silicone is the variety of recipes available online! You don’t have to be a master chef to be able to bake with silicone, you just have to find delicious recipes for silicone molds and start baking!
Recycle and Reuse
If you have children, you can use them to freeze little pieces of food or meat for them and avoid throwing away meals. Of course, their creative shapes make them great for containers, lunch or snack trays and even homemade DIY products! It’s cute, it’s practical, it’s easy! Using silicone molds in your household is really great because they are easy to use, wash and stack. Make your pick!
Baking, baking, baking, isn’t it fun? Once you get used to using silicone molds for baking and cooking, you won’t even remember how it was before you had them. As you can see, they are very practical and easy to manage, while at the same time safe to use at different temperatures. Even if you haven’t been a fan of baking so far, these cute molds might make you change your mind and turn you into a state-of-the-art baker!
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If you have ever wondered about all tips on the way to master baking with silicone molds, here is a guide. So make a cup of coffee and read it on.
Nobody can resist purchasing a naturally non-stick, lightweight, colorful, heat and cold resistant, and inexpensive silicone bakeware.
Interestingly, silicone molds are not only used to bake desserts but also to cook and store your dinner.
The molds come up in different forms, ensure easy release and perfect cooking, and are effortless to handle and clean.
And it doesn’t matter if you are a beginner or experienced baker: a lot of people love silicone bakeware.
French chef Guy Demarle is an excellent example of a silicone mold lover. In the 1960s, he merged food-grade silicone and glass threads to create his innovative material FLEXIPAN®.
His online store offers a large selection of professional quality silicone molds, which is impressive.
So, equip yourself with a couple of new silicone molds, read all the tips on using them, and bake.
The more you bake in silicone molds, the more you fall in love with them. It is guaranteed!
Safe bakeware first
When you decide to buy a silicone mold, the most common question is if it is safe.
First and foremost, make sure that the product is labeled as FDA approved, BPA free, and is made of 100% food-grade silicone. Try to avoid cheap bakeware that may contain fillers or coatings.
All that means that if you invest in high-quality silicone molds, they are safe to use.
You can buy your favorite mold in your local grocery store, home goods stores, or online stores. The latter carries the most significant variety to choose from.
Top-quality silicone is essential
While reading about silicone molds, please don’t get confused with the material like silicon (the spelling without the added “e”). It is wildly used to produce such things as computer chips.
So, you will be looking for silicone bakeware and not silicon molds.
Food grade silicone is a unique material that combines silicone polymers with a catalyst (either platinum or peroxide).
These catalysts are essential because they are the ones that guarantee the mold’s ability to prevent the particles from migrating toward the food.
But if the platinum silicone remains inert up to 392-572 degrees F or 250-300 degrees C, the “peroxide” silicone (cheaper) allows particles to migrate towards the food from 320 degrees F or 160 degrees C.
So, for total food safety, it is strongly recommended only buy silicone molds clearly labeled “platinum silicone.”
What is important to know is that professional-quality silicone products pass the pinch test.
What is it? It ensures that you invest in good silicone material, also known as pure silicone. You should pinch the silicone and twist it a little bit. Pay attention to the silicone color: if it stays the same, it is a 100% silicone pan.
If the color changes to white, it is likely mixed with other fillers. You don’t want to buy such bakeware. Remember: quality is crucial.
Make the right choice
What and how many types of silicone molds should you buy?
Silicone pans come in different shapes, sizes, and bright colors, so you might consider buying more molds than you eventually need.
It happens the same with cookie cutters. “I can never have enough cookie cutters,” you think.
You just can’t help yourself, and before you know it, your kitchen is cluttered with cookie cutters.
But let’s do smart shopping. Among the many silicone molds you can buy, first invest in silicone muffin cups.
Decorative silicone molds, for example, heart-shaped and animal-shaped, can be a cute addition to your home, but you will only use them once a year for Valentine’s Day or birthdays.
Use small silicone molds
If you have a passion for creating perfect little treats, it is worth investing in small silicone molds.
They are less expensive than large molds and the most versatile while baking.
You can easily transport them, so they are always at hand when you need a treat on the go.
Plus, muffins, cupcakes, and small cakes are the perfect way to serve your delicious desserts at family and friends’ gatherings, baby showers, and birthday parties.
Individually served desserts are easy on the stomach but still make a great impression.
Build a small collection
Minimalism is the key when it comes to kitchen equipment. You should find balance in numbers and types of molds to continue making yummy treats without running out.
So, make sure to have a minimal variety of silicone baking molds.
A set of 3-piece silicone bakeware is a good start. It includes essential round cake mold, square cake mold, and bread loaf pan. All of them have steel handles for easy and study handling.
Over time, you might fall in love with silicone bakeware and decide to invest in 41-piece silicone bakeware. It is probably the most versatile silicone set around worth buying.
These are the best times to get creative with your baking. You can use all that extra cake batter to make a few muffins or make, for example, mini muffins out of the banana bread dough.
So stock up on different types of molds because you will indeed find yourself using them more often.
Get ready for baking
When you purchase a new silicone mold, there is one small step that needs to be taken before using them for the very first time.
Some molds smell of plastic once bought, but the smell can be easily removed.
So before the first use, wash the mold with soap or dishwashing liquid well, rinse thoroughly and let it dry. Don’t use a kitchen towel to prevent the deposit of fabric particles.
Then heat the empty mold for one hour in the oven at 392°F or 200°C. Now your new mold is ready to use.
Find the right recipe
Many recipes can be baked in a silicone mold, but baking a large cake could be challenging.
So, use a stainless steel mold to make large or tall cakes, especially those made with butter, that require longer baking time.
Greasing silicone molds
Do you grease silicone pans? It is another common question from my readers. The answer is that it depends on the quality of your silicone mold.
Let’s say that with a “cheap” non-stick material of the silicone mold, you may find that it is better to butter and flour your mold or spray it with a cooking spray. It reduces the chances of breaking your baked goods when unmolding.
In the case of large molds, it is highly recommended to grease or butter and flour them. It ensures easy release and avoids cracking when you remove your preparation from the mold.
In terms of washing your mold afterward, it is also worth greasing the pan. Easy release and easy clean-up are what benefit the greasing.
But if you use silicone molds of high silicone quality, for example, those composed of food-grade silicone and glass threads, forget the terms “butter and flour.” These molds ensure incomparable release.
Oven temperature
Can you put silicone in the oven? Are silicone molds oven-safe?
In general, silicone molds are very heat-resistant and withstand both very high and very low temperatures.
They are capable of withstanding the cold of the freezer, the fridge, and the heat of the microwave oven and the traditional oven.
The answer is it depends on the silicone mold you have chosen.
The temperature limits of the silicone baking molds range from -94 to 572 degrees F or -70 to +300 degrees C.
For example, FLEXIPAN® molds by Guy Demarle withstand 500 to 536 degrees F or +260 to +280 degrees C.
DeBuyer’s Elastomould cake molds made of silicone mousse resist temperatures up to 572 degrees F or 300 degrees C.
Still, you should check every piece of silicone cookware while shopping. Please, read the description of the silicone items carefully.
Table of the different temperature ranges of silicone molds in Fahrenheit
Table of the different temperature ranges of silicone molds in Celsius
Baking on the oven rack
You might be wondering if you can place your silicone mold right on the oven rack. The answer is yes.
For example, to get the perfect madeleines, you will need to bring a silicone pan to the middle rack (not the oven tray) of a well-heated oven. This ensures that the madeleine hump develops properly.
When baking, it is essential to place an aluminum foil trap underneath the rack if you want any chance of preventing spillage.
Adjust the baking time
The baking time varies depending on the mold you use.
When baking in silicone molds, you will need to lower the temperature by 18°F or 10°C compared with your recipe and lengthen the cooking time a little (unlike classic metal bakeware).
For example, if it says that the recommended temperature to bake Spanish muffins is 420 degrees F or 210 degrees C, then try using 400 degrees F or 200 degrees C for a silicone type of pan.
Unmold correctly
Demolding silicone molds is easy and quick when you use the right technique.
In general, the unmolding should be done immediately when the mold comes out of the oven.
However, some delicate preparations, such as sponge cake, dacquoise, madeleines, or even muffins, require at least 10 minutes of rest before being unmolded.
A little but important tip: when you take your preparation out of the oven, never let it cool on the stove; the bottom could hang under the influence of heat.
To release small cakes, muffins, or cupcakes from the silicone cupcake cups, all you have to do is press gently on the bottom of them.
To unmold a larger cake, turn the mold upside down on a plate. Then gently pull the mold’s edges apart while applying light pressure to its base and pull the mold away.
When removing your preparation, it is important that you don’t overstretch the mold or risk tearing it on its surface. This will negatively affect the quality as well as the lifespan of your mold.
Once unmolded, clean your mold immediately.
Cleaning molds after baking
You want your silicone molds to last as long and be in peak condition for use, but they need some everyday maintenance.
The most efficient way of doing this is by soaking them in hot soapy water immediately after baking.
Clean your molds with a hand. Avoid using a scraping sponge to prevent micro-scratches.
Rinse them thoroughly with clean running water and let them dry. Don’t wipe them with a towel to avoid the deposit of fabric particles.
Can you use a dishwasher to clean all the silicone molds? It depends upon the quality of the silicone. Read the manufacturer’s instructions to see if it is dishwasher safe.
To learn how to remove burn marks, stains, and fat residue from silicone, read a post devoted to this topic.
Stack it to store
One great benefit of using silicone bakeware is to save space in the kitchen.
They stack easily and take up a little space. Just imagine how much space it takes to store silicone baking cups, no more than an espresso coffee cup.
But don’t stack differently-shaped molds in a pile. It will cause them to bend and buckle.
Store your bakeware in a dry place at room temperature. Please avoid excessive heat and UV light that dry out the silicone.
Reusing silicone bakeware
If washed and appropriately stored, silicone molds can last long, for a few years. It takes usually between 2000 to 3000 uses, depending on the product, to wear the mold.
But how to use silicone baking molds?
They are great for making desserts as well as savory dishes. In addition, they can be used to reheat the meals or freeze leftovers.
Once you find that your silicone pan has lost its shape, you can give this mold a second life.
Just use it in place of a traditional storage container or a snack tray.
Conclusion
As you can see, baking in silicone molds is a safe, convenient, and cheap alternative to metal molds.
They are for everyone, from a beginner baker to famous pastry chefs. The whole baking world is amazed by silicone utensils.
And if you want to start baking, invest in a couple of silicone baking molds, and give it a try: these cute little guys might just convert your non-bakers.
I hope that this article answers all the questions about how to bake with silicone molds.
With the secrets of silicone molds revealed, it is time to crack open your favorite mold! And why not make the best blueberry muffins or pistachio cupcakes?
FAQ’s
Can you bake in silicone molds?
It is safe and convenient to bake in silicone molds, but they have to be made with food-grade silicone, be FDA approved, and be BPA free. Also, check the mold package for the temperature range of the silicone bakeware.
Can silicone go in the oven?
Silicone molds are perfect for baking and cooking in any type of oven, and they can stand up to high temperatures. In fact, most of them are resistant up to 446 degrees F or +230 degrees C, sometimes even higher.
Are silicone molds microwave safe?
Silicone molds are microwave safe, but be careful, however, not to put your mold in your microwave oven when it is in grill mode.
Why does my silicone mold smell bad?
Poor maintenance and poor quality of silicone are two main reasons why silicone molds smell. They may smell of plastic once bought, so just clean them with soapy water. Silicone molds shouldn’t smell when cooking or baking.
- Preparation: 20 mins
- Rest: 2 hours
Want to bake with the children during the Cindy holidays? This week, we offer you a no-bake, quick and easy cake with small butters. The idea is to transform your small butters into delicious sponge cake by dipping them in coffee. If you don’t like coffee cakes, you can replace the coffee with lukewarm milk chocolate, for example. We will therefore alternate a layer of small butters and a layer of chocolate until you make pretty stripes.
In topping, you can sprinkle with cocoa or add a decoration in whipped cream or with red fruits.
Ingredients for the cake
- 18 small butters
- 200 grams of milk or dark pastry chocolate
- 25 grams of butter
- 25 ml liquid cream
- Prepare the ganache by melting the chocolate in a bain-marie over very low heat.
- Once the chocolate has melted, add the butter and then the liquid cream. Be careful not to overheat the ganache.
- Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
For presentation, cut the edges of the cake to see the different layers. We did 6 layers in ours.
A lot of chefs are now turning to silicone bakeware instead of some of the more traditional materials. While there are a lot of good reasons for this including affordability and being dishwasher safe, there are some notable downsides. Most obviously is that your cake might stick to the silicone mould and be incredibly difficult to get out.
So, if you want to avoid this, you’ve probably been wondering how to remove cake from a silicone mould. Let me be the first to tell you that it’s all about correct preparation.
In this guide, I’ll be walking you through how to successfully use a silicone mould for your next baking adventure. And I promise, it isn’t going to be the disaster you imagine it to be!
- Why Use A Silicone Mould?
- How Do You Remove A Cake From A Silicone Mould?
- Know When To Stick With Metal
- Conclusion
Why Use A Silicone Mould?
One of the main attractions of silicone moulds is that they’re super affordable. At a time when we’re all trying to watch our bank balance, this is a welcome change to forking out over the odds for metal bakeware.
What’s more, silicone moulds are much easier to store owing to how flexible they are. If you’re a keen baker, you probably are short on storage space; I know I am! Moreover, you get a choice of colours and shapes which is always nice.
What Are The Problems With Silicone Moulds?
While there are a lot of good points about silicone bakeware, one thing that you have to keep in mind is that many of them are not non-stick. They’re advertised as being non-stick but when it comes down to it, they’ll really let you down. This means that it can be a lot more difficult to get your cake out of the mould without damaging it.
Since so many people have problems with removing their cake from the silicone mould, it’s worth noting that the problem isn’t so much with the removal itself and more with how you prepare the mould before using it.
Silicone Mould Preparation
One of the most important things to keep in mind is that your mould needs to be immaculately clean. This is even more important if this isn’t the first time you’ll be using it as there might be debris and residue left over from last time which can lead to your cake sticking.
Be sure to wash the mould in very hot water and dish soap to get rid of any food and then dry it thoroughly. Any soap or water left behind could also interfere with its performance.
You’re now ready to start making your cake but if you want to be able to remove it easily and not have it stick then I’d suggest waiting to add the flour. You can mix all of the other ingredients together but hold off just for a while on adding the flour.
Next, you will need to apply a generous amount of vegetable oil to your silicone mould, ensuring that all areas are coated. The best way to do this is to apply it with your fingers as this will allow you to get the best coverage. If you find that you’ve added a little too much, just get rid of a bit using your hands.
That said, many people find that spray on vegetable oil is easier for this so if you have some, then it’s worth using.
You’ll also want to think about how you place the silicone mould into the oven as this too can affect how easily you’ll be able to remove the cake when it’s cooked. For example, if you’re using a very large mould, this will be floppy so you’ll need something underneath it, such as a metal baking sheet for stability.
The problem with this is that this will impact the temperature at the bottom of the cake so if you can make do without using anything underneath, then do so.
Once you’ve got everything ready, you can now fold the flour into your cake mix before putting the batter into your silicone mould. It’s important to make sure you add the batter evenly and try not to drag it over the surface as this may remove or upset the oil you added earlier.
Now you can simply bake your cake as you would when using any other type of cookware. Make sure that you do not open the oven door until you’re confident that the cake is cooked. Also keep in mind that, once we have removed the cake from the mould, the base will become the top so avoid using a browning feature if your oven has one.
Allowing The Cake To Cool
You should ensure that the cake is properly cooked before you try to remove it and one of the easiest ways to tell this is by looking at the edges. When the cake cooks, the edges will move slightly away from the edge of the mould, just like they would in a metal tin.
It is so important to allow your cake to cool completely before you even try to take it out of the mould. Not doing so is going to make life much more difficult as the cake will not be as firm and will be more likely to fall apart when you handle it. If you’re in a hurry, we have a guide on how to cool a cake fast.
Once the cake is cooled, you can take a knife and run this around the edge of the mould just to unstick any parts that have not naturally moved away. Keep in mind that the mould is delicate so choose a non sharp knife so as not to damage it.
Removing The Cake
You’ll need to turn the cake over. Do this by placing a flat plate or board over the top and flipping everything on its end. Now the mould will be facing you and you can begin to peel it away from the cake. Work slowly and carefully; there really is no rush. As you work, keep checking that there are no parts sticking and that the cake isn’t breaking. If this does happen then start working on another part of the cake. Once everywhere else is released, you’ll likely find it much easier to go back to those more challenging areas.
Know When To Stick With Metal
There are a lot of great reasons to use silicone moulds and if you do it properly, you shouldn’t have too many problems with the cake breaking or sticking. That said, it is worth keeping in mind that you won’t always be able to use silicone. There will be times where metal is the only option.
For much larger cakes that require stability, I’d always recommend sticking with your trusty metal baking pans. The only time it might be worth using silicone is if the mould has a specific shape such as if you’re baking a unicorn cake for a child’s birthday, for example.
More and more people are starting to use silicone bakeware and for good reason; they’re affordable and easy to maintain. However, the main problem is that cakes tend to stick to these moulds and this can make them very difficult to get out.
By properly preparing your silicone mould, you stand a much greater chance of successfully removing the cake without causing any damage.