A glass pan can be used as a cake pan – provided that you grease it well. Some even find them to be more effective than a metal pan or a baking pan!
Today we’re looking at the correct way to grease a glass pan so that your mixture doesn’t get stuck inside after it’s been baked.
Can You Bake In A Glass Pan?
Baking is traditionally done in metal pans, but that doesn’t mean you cannot use a glass pan instead.
Glass is an insulating material that takes time to heat the batter inside, and it will retain the heat better as well.
Glass is an excellent material to use when making brownies and cakes.
Just be aware that the cooking time might increase than if you were to use a metal pan, so don’t be alarmed if your cakes are not done in the suggested cooking time.
Are Glass Baking Pans Non Stick?
That would be the life, wouldn’t it? If we didn’t even have to grease a glass pan before baking with it!
Some glass pans are so smooth that they are naturally non-stick! However, we have fallen victim to this claim more times than we’d care to admit.
While your glass pan might claim to be non-stick, it’s always best to grease a glass pan to be safe.
Method One: Use Parchment Paper
Parchment paper has become one of the best-loved baking supplies since it can be used with almost every single pot or pan.
Simply line the glass pan’s interior with a sheet of parchment paper and pour in your cake batter.
This will effectively stop the cake from sticking to the pan and you can pull off the paper once it’s cooled.
Parchment paper is incredibly quick to clean up – you might not have to wash your glass pan at all!
Still, this comes at a price. Parchment paper is not easy to lay on glass since it’s so slippery, and you’ll likely get folds and ripples in the paper.
These will translate to the cake as it cooks, leaving you with an unattractive cake.
If your cake needs to look perfect, then parchment paper might not be the best option for greasing a pan.
Method Two: Use Butter Or Oil On The Glass Pan
Butter or oil are excellent ingredients to use when greasing pans since they can be slid all over the glass to make them non-stick.
You can use olive oil or vegetable oil to grease a pan. We’ve even had luck using vegetable shortening and canola oil!
Coconut oil is another great alternative that lightly tints your cake with the flavor of coconut. This would be amazing if you were making vanilla cake or brownies!
Melted butter is always an excellent option when greasing pans, and it can be cost-effective too.
Simply spread a thin layer of your chosen greasing material over the glass pan interior and pour in your batter. This will help the cake not stick to the pan as it bakes.
Many baking spray is made with either butter or oil, as well as cooking spray. These can be very effective at greasing a pan, and allow you to use the perfect amount without overpowering your batter.
When To Grease A Pan With Butter Or Oil?
You can use butter or oil to grease a pan whenever you’re going to use it to bake a cake. When using glass pans in baking, you always need to grease it before baking.
Grease a pan before you begin making the batter so that the pan is ready and waiting for when you want to put it in the oven.
Otherwise, you might forget and be left with a cake completely stuck to the pan!
Method Three: Put Flour On Your Greased Glass Pan
This isn’t technically a way to grease a pan, but it can help the process.
If you’re worried about the flavor of olive oil or vegetable oil seeping into your cake batter, a little flour over the top can create a barrier and prevent it from flavoring the cake.
A flour barrier also helps to keep the grease away from your cake so that you’re not left with an oily base.
This can ruin a great cake, so consider adding a dusting of flour before pouring the batter into the glass cake pan.
Tell Me The Difference Between Glass And Metal Baking Pans?
Both metal and glass pans are good choices for your baking pan, but the main difference is that metal pans are thinner and therefore will cook the insides quicker.
Glass takes slightly longer to heat up, so your cake will take longer to make.
Metal pans are more traditionally used within baking, so cooking times are always catered assuming you’re using a metal baking pan.
However, if you want to use a glass pan, just remember to add a few minutes to the baking time and keep an eye on the cake as it cooks.
Can Glass Pans Be Placed Inside Ovens At 350 Degrees Fahrenheit?
Glass cooking pans have been made with high-quality glass that can withstand extremely high temperatures.
You can use the best quality glass pans at temperatures reaching nearly 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
Still, make sure you read the instructions given by the manufacturer to ensure that you can use your pan at the desired temperature you need for baking.
Summary
Greasing glass pans is simple when it comes to baking. You have plenty of options, such as parchment paper, butter, oil, or cooking spray.
However, the best way to grease a pan is with a type of fat. Use a paper towel to coat the glass with an even layer of the chosen grease before pouring into the batter.
Many people consider metal pans to be the best pan to bake with, but we think that glass is just as great – all you have to do is know how to grease it properly.
