Food and Recipes Kitchen Assistant Baking Pans Every Southern Baker Should Own A pan for every occasion—and cake. By Sheri Castle Sheri Castle Sheri Castle is an award-winning professional food writer, recipe developer, and cooking teacher known for melding storytelling and culinary expertise. The Southern Foodways Alliance named her one of Twenty Southern Food Legends in 2019. She's written more than a dozen cookbooks, and her favorite is The New Southern Garden Cookbook. Sheri is a Contributing Editor for Southern Living and writes regularly for a number of media outlets. Her new cooking show will debut on PBS NC in 2021. Sheri hails from the Blue Ridge Mountains and now lives in Fearrington Village, North Carolina, with spoiled pets. Check out shericastle.com. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on October 31, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Specialty pans and fancy gadgets can be fun and tempting, but home bakers can tackle most recipes with only a few basic pieces. Simple and plain are best. Spend wisely and invest in sturdy, well-made pieces that can last for years. High-priced pans don't necessarily perform better. Dark, heavier-than-necessary pans with colored finishes and nonstick coatings sound helpful, but often interfere with the recipe and can cause more problems than they solve. On the other end of the continuum, flimsy disposable pans rarely work properly and can cost nearly as much as a real pan. Eric Jeon It's easy to find reliable bakeware online and in kitchenware shops, although restaurant and bakery supply stores and some warehouse-style chains offer professional-quality pieces at bargain prices. To get the most from the pans and help them last, clean and store them as directed. Baking pans are made of metal. Baking dishes are made of ceramic, tempered glass, or pottery. They conduct heat differently, which affects baking times and the texture of the baked good. If a recipe specifies one or the other, there's a good reason and it's best to follow that instruction. These are the go-to pans for any home baker. 01 of 13 1. 9-by-13-inch Baking Pan Amazon Our Pick: USA Pan Bakeware Rectangular Cake Pan BUY IT: $19.99; amazon.com 02 of 13 2. 10-inch Lightweight Aluminum Tube Pan with Removable Bottom (also known as an Angel Food Cake Pan) Amazon Our Pick: Wilton Angel Food Tube Cake Pan BUY IT: $24.99; amazon.com 03 of 13 3. 12-cup Classic-Design Bundt Pan Amazon Our Pick: Nordic Ware Pro Cast Original Bundt Pan BUY IT: $24.99; amazon.com 04 of 13 4. Rimmed Baking Sheets Amazon A 12-by-16-inch pan (often called a half-sheet) is the most useful and versatile, and most cooks want at least three. Some people refer to baking sheets as cookie sheets, but an actual cookie sheet is rimless and not as versatile, although serious cookie bakers might want one of those too. Our Pick: Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker's Half Sheet (2 Pack) BUY IT: $21.99; amazon.com 05 of 13 5. Round Cake Pans Amazon Three 8-inch pans and three 9-inch pans. Select pans that are 2 inches deep to avoid spill-overs. Our Pick: USA Pan Bakeware Round Cake Pan BUY IT: from $14.99; amazon.com 06 of 13 6. Square Pans Amazon One 8-inch pan and one 9-inch pan. Our Pick: USA Pan Bakeware Square Cake Pan BUY IT: from $14.99; amazon.com 07 of 13 7. Loaf Pans One 8-by-4-inch pan and one 9-by-5-inch pan. Our Pick: Wilton Perfect Results Large Nonstick Loaf Pan BUY IT: $11.49; amazon.com 08 of 13 8. 9 1/2-inch Tart Pan with Removable Bottom Amazon Our Pick: Wilton Excelle Elite Non-Stick Tart and Quiche Pan with Removable Bottom BUY IT: $17.19; amazon.com 09 of 13 9. 9-inch Springform Pan Amazon Our Pick: Nordic Ware Leakproof Springform Pan BUY IT: $21.13; amazon.com 10 of 13 10. 9-inch Deep-Dish Pie Pan Our Pick: CorningWare French White 9" Pie Plate BUY IT: $12.99; bedbathandbeyond.com 11 of 13 11. 24-Well Mini Muffin Pan Amazon Our Pick: Wilton Perfect Results Premium Non-Stick Mini Muffin and Cupcake Pan BUY IT: $14.59; amazon.com 12 of 13 12. 6-Well Muffin Pans Amazon Our Pick: Chicago Metallic Professional 6-Cup Non-Stick Muffin Pan (buy two) BUY IT: $15.90 each; amazon.com 13 of 13 13. Wire Cooling Rack This isn't a pan, of course, but almost all baked goods should cool on a wire rack that lets air circulate under the pan. Our Pick: OXO Good Grips Nonstick Pro Cooling and Baking Rack BUY IT: $14.99; bedbathandbeyond.com Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit