How to Line Cake Pans with Parchment Paper

You may have seen my post last month, "How to Make Parchment Paper Cupcake Liners." Today, we continue the love by lining cake pans with parchment paper! Once you know this easy method for fool-proof lining of cake pans, you'll never go back to using non-stick spray and hoping for the best.

Lining cake pans with parchment paper is like taking out a little insurance policy that your cakes will easily slip out of the pans. The prep is worth the extra few minutes!

To line cake pans with parchment paper, you'll need:

parchment paper (that one was probably obvious): I've been loving these parchment paper sheets that I picked up on Amazon.
Sharpie
kitchen shears
softened butter or shortening
flour

This method works on any size cake pan. I happen to love Fat Daddio cake pans, but use what you have!

Place cake pan right side up on a sheet of parchment. Use a Sharpie to trace the bottom of the pan onto the parchment. Don't worry, you'll cut the ink off. (You could also use a pencil.)

Fold the parchment in half, lining up the tracing to make a half-circle.

Use kitchen shears to cut inside the Sharpie line. Do this for as many pans as you're using. A three-layer cake will need three circles of parchment.

Use softened butter or shortening to grease the bottom and sides of the cake pan. Be sure to get the inside edges.

Smooth the parchment circle into the pan. The butter will hold it in place, but you can still shift it to fit evenly in the pan.

If the parchment was cut just a bit too small or a smidge too big, don't panic. A bit too small? No adjustments are needed. A bit too large? Smooth the edges of the parchment circle up onto the sides of the pan.

Now, use the softened butter to grease the parchment paper. Yes, more greasing. The pan will be greased under the parchment and on the parchment.

Sprinkle the greased and lined pan with flour.

Tap the pan to coat the entire pan with flour, tipping to get the sides. Once every bit is covered, tap out the excess.

Hint: if you see an area you missed, grease that bit and re-flour.

Ta-da! You have a perfectly lined, greased, and floured cake pan that is ready for your masterpiece. Once your cake is baked, let it cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Place a wire rack upside-down over the top and FLIP! Peel the parchment off of the top. Perfection!

Need some cake inspiration? Here ya go: