Baking is a favourite pastime of so many of us as it can be relaxing and creative. But unlike other types of cooking, it can sometimes be unforgiving! Recipes need to be carefully followed to avoid disasters. And how you set up your equipment can mean the difference between a successful bake and one that you can’t get out of the tin!
Knowing how to line a baking tray is a skill that you will do without thinking about the next time when you have mastered it. Additionally, after taking the time and effort to prepare a delicious treat, it is preferable to prevent your baked goods from sticking to your baking pans or cake tin.
If you’re new to baking and are wondering, “What is a lined baking tray,” keep reading because we’ll give you all the advice you need!
Preparation
Choosing the right equipment for the task is the first thing you should do. You might not think that there can be too many decisions here, but there are a few to think about.
For instance, are you using single-use baking parchment paper or reusable? Suppose you are using single-use baking paper. In that case, it doesn’t matter what size or shape you cut it to. But if you want to wash and reuse your parchment paper, significantly cutting it down will limit the size of baking pans you can use in the future.
Make sure that you have the right size tin for the job. Something too small will lead to overcrowding when you bake and mean that things like brownies stick together.
If you don’t line the tin fully with paper, you can end up with your baking batter or dough stuck to the edges, which will burn.
Equipment You Will Need:
- Cake tin or baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Scissors
- Butter or spray
How to Line a Baking Tin
Now that you have everything prepared and to hand, you are ready to start lining.
Step 1: Measure Out the Baking Parchment Paper
Rest your baking pan down in a clear space, then place a piece of baking paper over the top to ensure that you have a bit of surplice beyond the edges. Tear or cut the paper from the roll.
Step 2: Fold and Cut the Corners
Fold the parchment paper into the tin, making a folded line into the corners. If you are lining a square or rectangle tin, simply cut down the lines from the corners. This will allow the parchment to sit neatly in the tin.
Step 3: Line with Parchment Paper
You can grease the cooking tin by spraying or wiping a thin layer of oil or butter onto it, making sure to get into each corner. This will ensure that you can firmly stick the lining to the tin without it coming away before filling it with your cake mixture.
Press the baking paper down into the tin, pressing the snipped edge into each corner.
Step 4: Trim Any Excess Baking Parchment
This step is as simple as trimming along the edges to remove the excess lining. This makes your baking tin easier to get in and out of the oven and is less cumbersome to take out once your cake is cooked.
Leaving the baking paper un-cut can result in it catching or burning in the oven, and you don’t want your efforts to be wasted with your cooking tasting like smoke!
How to Line a Round Cake Tin
If you have wondered how to line a round cake tin, it is slightly different to a square one, but once you have learnt the simple technique, it is straightforward to do each time.
Step 1: Measure the Circumference of the Cake Tin
Measure the circumference of your round cake tin and add an extra amount to your measurement so that the parchment paper can overlap. Also, measure the height of your cake tin, and again, add an extra 7.5 cm allowance. Finally, cut the baking parchment paper out to your measurements.
Step 2: Snip the Parchment Paper
Fold the paper up in a line along the bottom of one edge and make cuts all along it up to the fold line. The line should be about 2.5 cm deep.
This is how to line a round cake tin as it forms a base around the bottom.
Step 3: Grease the Cake Tin
It is easier to grease your cake tin with oil or butter when lining this type of tin rather than the paper strip you have put cuts into. Make sure to oil it well, as you don’t have corners to press the parchment paper into.
Step 4: Cut Out a Circle for the Base
Draw or measure around the base of your cake tin onto your sheet of baking parchment and cut out the circle.
Step 5: Lay the Base on Top of the Edge Sheet
Cover the base and the snipped inch of paper from the sidelining paper with your circular base piece of parchment. Make sure to press it down well.
Ready to Bake!
Now that you know how to line a cake tin with baking paper, nothing stops you from creating show-stopper cakes! There are just a few key things to always have in your stock cupboards to accompany your favourite recipes and ingredients.
Use baking paper or parchment paper to line your pans to prevent your cakes or bakes from sticking, as they are the best material for the job and are heat resistant. You just need a pair of scissors to cut out the parchment to the size you need to cover your pan and a spray of oil to stick your baking parchment to the pan.
Then it is just a case of cooking your recipes and turning out error-free bakes from your pans time after time!
