The Pioneer Woman 11-Inch Nonstick Cast Aluminum Floral Fluted Cake Pan, Champagne

Whether or not I would recommend Pioneer Woman’s Fluted Tube Cake Pan to anyone else would really depend on what the individual’s baking experience is. I have found that, in the days of constant change and new technology, it’s important to carefully read the instructions that come with each individual new pan we buy, regardless of how similar it may look to something that we have been using for years. For example, “nonstick” cannot always be taken literally, and that is especially true with this pan. This pan needs to be treated prior to pouring in your batter. This is important. The instructions on the packaging say to coat it with a flour-based cooking spray. Personally, I prefer to coat with butter and then dust with powdered sugar (I don’t like to have to taste the extra flour so I use powdered sugar instead). I do this with all of my baking pans that have bends, curves, recesses, or ridges. Two things happen if you don’t grease and flour/powdered sugar your pan… 1) It May not come out of the pan when it’s done baking, and/or cleanup will be a minor nightmare when trying to get the baked on batter out of the nooks and crannies. Always note the maximum temperature at which you may bake with any new pan… heating nonstick pans above their stated limit can not only damage the coating, but can also give off fumes that could be toxic for small pets, like birds. The maximum temperature you may heat this particular pan to is 400 degrees. Next, you’ll want to use a dense cake mix or recipe… such as pound cake. Lighter cakes don’t separate from the pan very easily. This suggestion is included with the instructions that come with the pan. You can also make any of your cake recipes produce a more dense cake by simply adding a box of instant pudding to the recipe. You can also use two extra egg yolks (yolks only and in addition to however many eggs your recipe calls for), or replace the water in your recipe with milk. I have found that the instant pudding works best. There are a few more suggestions that will help you enjoy this pan more, make it easier and safer to use, and make it last a long time: 1) Never, ever, ever use any kind of metal utensil on it for any reason… it will damage the coating. 2) Never leave this pan filled with water to soak. 3) Never put it in the dishwasher. 4) Do wash it with soapy water as soon as you pop the cake out of it. Doing this helps you remove any residual cake or batter before it hardens. 5) Do dry it, completely, by hand and with a clean cloth. 6) Do apply a thin coating of spray cooking oil to the pan (wipe off any excess) before putting it away. Seasoning your pan this way protects the coating and helps it to last. Long story short (lol), I have probably given too much information, but I really wish someone would have taken the time to explain all this to me when I started using pans with a lot of twists and turns. If you want to create a beautiful cake and are willing to invest a little extra time and effort in pan care to do so, you will LOVE this pan. I have attached pictures of the first cake I made with it and the neighbor I gave it to could not have been more delighted! So, yes, I highly recommend this pan! :-)