How An Expert Saves Cakes Stuck In Their Pans

We've all been there. You run a knife along the edge of your cake pan, carefully suspend it over a drying rack, and then ... nothing. Rather than a show-stopping celebratory sensation, you're at the precipice of total dessert disaster. But before you start crying over the kitchen sink, we have a list of expert tips and tricks to try to save your cake.

Speaking exclusively to Chowhound, Anna Gordon, the founder and co-owner of The Good Batch Bakery, shared a few of her most tried-and-true methods. "If a cake is stuck, you could try placing the pan in a hot pan of water (keeping water out of the cake!) to loosen up the ingredients," she says. If you're worried you don't have the dexterity to keep your cake dry, you can also wrap a warm, damp kitchen towel around the base of your cake pan for at least 15 minutes. Also, be sure to grease the knife you're using with butter to help better release the cake's sides from the pan. If you have the time, you can also let physics do the heavy lifting. "You can try keeping the cake upside down for an extended period of time, let gravity do the trick," Gordon adds.

If nothing has worked, go ahead and frost, slice, and serve your cake straight from the pan. If you keep the cake pan in the kitchen, your guests will be none the wiser. "And if all else fails and you have to rescue the cake chunks at a time, you can always make cake trifle or truffles," Gordon suggests.

If you're a seasoned baker, you know better than to put your faith entirely in the nonstick properties of a cake pan. You probably even greased your pan with cooking spray as your recipe directed. But a quick spritz of Pam isn't always enough. "Spray the pan generously with an oil spray, or slick all the sides with soft butter, then use parchment along the bottom," says Anna Gordon. For an even stronger insurance policy, go ahead and grease the top of your parchment paper as well. Depending on your cake recipe, you can also try adding a bit of flour when preparing your pan. After greasing and lining your pan, sprinkle in a little bit of flour and knock it around the pan until it has coated all the sides. Your cake should slide out like a dream once it's baked.

Besides a prep shortcut, this baking problem can arise if you remove your cake from the oven too soon. Be sure to wait until the sides of the cake start pulling away from the pan, otherwise it's guaranteed to stick. Another common pitfall? Not waiting for your cake to cool. It needs to cool entirely to room temperature, which can take quite a while, before you attempt to remove it from the pan. Placing your pan on a cooling rack will help the cake, especially one that's likely to stick, release more quickly.

Want other baking tips to ensure your dessert turns out just right? Try these methods for making a perfect carrot cake, baking a red velvet cake, or upgrading boxed cake mix.