I always use crisco and flour to prep my pans, but I was curious if anyone had much luck with just using a spray such as Pam for baking or some other non-stick spray.

Thanks!

I've used both the crisco-flour and Crisco cake release, which is basically the same as the Pam. I found that they both work well but its easier to just spay and bake.

HTH

I grease-only-no-flour. Haven't floured pans in over 30 years. I won't ever use a spray again. Ever. My cakes end up with a SpongeBob texture on the sides and are "crunchy" on the sides, too. The spray works well for others, but that's been my experience with it.

Even when I liberally sprayed with PAM, the cakes still stuck on the bottom (right in the middle) which made it super annoying to frost/cut. I will never use that garbage again.

I go with butter and flour.

I use the Wilton spray-with-flour, but I also use parchment paper. I spray the bottom, put the parchment in, and spray it and the sides. I have the most beautiful releases ever now.

I spray my pans with generic vegetable spray, the same as I use to cook with, and then line the bottom with parchment paper. Works wonderful for me. I used to use flour but I don't like how crunchy it made the sides and bottom.

I don't like the way spray gets all over the surfaces on the kitchen. It is hard enough to keep it clean with all the flour and sugar dispersed in the air

Pam works great with my chocolate cake. With the others, I use a mixture of equal amounts of oil, flour and shortening.

When I started getting crunchy edges with the spray ons, I went to shortening and flour (I always use parchment on the bottom)--and hated the mess. Then, I discovered Wilton's "paint on" cake release (it was on sale at Sur La Table, half price) and I'm a convert.

I paint it on the sides with a paper towel, swipe the bottom with the towel and then add the parchment. It doesn't spray all over & a bottle goes a long way

For me, the results are the best ever.

Rae

I grease and flour. Haven't had the guts to try spraying

NO SPRAYS! They do not work for me. My stuff still sticks. With the following recipe you will NEVER use those non-stick sprays again.. I promise you this:

1 cup oil
1 cup shortening
1 cup flour

blend it all together and keep it in a tupperware bowl with lid. Does not have to be refrigerated. You can use this
to grease anything that you would use Pam for. Your cakes will seem to JUMP out of the pan. And this will not effect any of your recipes.

I use homemade cake release as well. When I started I used the Wilton cake release as recommended by my instructor but couldn't find it one night so I did a quick search on line and found out how to make my own. As others have mentioned it's equal parts flour/shortening/oil mixed well together. It keeps for quite a while too. I think someone's even posted it in the recipe section now.

Huh. Maybe I'll try that sometime.

I absolutely LOVE the homemade cake release. Itis so easy to apply with a pastry brush and works perfectly!! I keep mine in a qt jar. Try it, you wo't be dissapointed.

I feel like an idiot! I have been buying cake release from my cake supply store for years! They make it there. I had no clue I could make it so easily myself! It works better than anything else I have used

Thanks for sharing!!

I use bakers joy but you know what??? I have to say it is easy but exactly what some are mentioning are my complaints too...so that is what is causing my issues...I thought I was nuts...there are more holes in my cakes (like a sponge) and the edges are crunchy...I have been cutting my edges off....so now at least I know a new way...I think I will invest in some more sealable containers and a pastry brush and start making my own too....

I use the equal amounts shortening, oil and flour, too. It's great. I normally use vegetable oil, but in an emergency when I'm out I'll use whatever I have, just don't use a strong oil.

Thank you all for all of the great information. I can't wait to make my own cake release!

I didn't spend any money on a pastry brush. Just use a sheet of wax paper as a spreader to spread it in the pan, or buy a box of super cheap (non-zip-lok) sandwich bags and use that like a glove to coat the pans.

But the wax paper is super cheap and there's no clean up!

ive been using the homemade cake release for sometime now...but the last 2 cakes i made and used the homemade cake release...they both stuck to the bottom of my pan...i didnt do anything wrong... used equal parts of shortening, flour and oil...don't know why it didnt work the last two times.

please help...

Thanks for the recipe, I'm going to make the switch!

I use the homemade cake release and paint my pans with it, it works really well!

I have a can of PAM for baking, a can of Crisco with flour, and the Wilton's spray and all work great for me. I was raised using shortening and flour so sometimes I do that too. Huh... I dunno. I just like the easy of spraying it right on.

Here's a follow up to the question... what kind of pans do you use? I use Wilton round pans but now use the things you wet and wrap aournd the pan. Flattest, smoothest cakes I have EVER baked! I was wondering if some pans offer better stick protection working with the PAM / Crisco?

I use Bakers Joy it is spray with flour in it, I get mine at walmart. I used the crisco and oil for a while but my cakes would stick most of the time, so I switched. I don't use any parchment, just spray pan and pour in batter. My cakes never stick to the pan and the edges aren't crispy.