When using your own homemade pan release (got recipe off of the site), can you let your cake cool in the pan? I thought that I read somewhere that you don't want to let it cool in the pan longer than 5 mins. Is it best to flip your cake onto a cooling rack after the 5 mins. to let it cool completely? I'm trying to avoid the gooey top that I get when I flip out immediately and then wrap in plastic wrap. TIA for any suggestions.

Mine sometimes sit in their pans for hours. Meh.

Leah - Do you then freeze your cakes? What is your process for defrosting? I rely so heavily on the wonderful advice from CC'ers!

I flip mine out within 5-10 minutes or they do get sticky. I think it depends on how dense the cake is too though. When I worked at a catering place they always cooled theirs on racks and then slid a knife around the outside and popped the cakes out (sometimes lined the bottoms with parchment though which really helped) but at home I just pop them out nearly right away. I use homemade cake release (love it!!!!).

The only time the tops of my cakes get gooey when they are wrapped is if the top did not get browned enough (I don't mean BROWN but you know, just nice and golden.) Oh I do have a pumpkin recipe that gets gooey too...but I don't mind, its moist and people like it.

I use the homemade pan release. Sometimes they sit in the pan 5 minutes, sometimes 15 min (or more) if I'm busy.
I wrap in saran after they are 50% cool, and freeze. When I take them out, I unwrap them almost immediately, and almost NO cake comes off on the wrap. The cakes are also much easier to handle frozen. Then I fill & decorate them!
But, I typically use whipped cream icing...so, keep in mind, if you use buttercream, (I've read) that you may end up with bubbles or bulging if you ice a frozen cake.

Doesn't matter to me - the colder the better when it comes to the whipped cream!

HTH!!

I've always turned my cakes out after 10 minutes. They cool better that way.

I like to wait no more than 5-10 minutes before turning my cakes out. I, too, use homemade pan release and love it. If I get sidetracked, which happens more often than I'll admit, I simply run a knife around the edge then place the pan over the open flame of my gas stove for a just a second or two to reheat the bottom. You can also do the same with an electric element, just keep it in motion. It should release cleanly when flipped. (Forgot to mention, I use pan release on bottom and sides, then a cut out of waxed paper and pan release on top of that. I have never had a cake stick and the top doesn't get gooey.)

where's the pan release recipe at ?

It's equal parts shortening, veg oil and flour. (like 1 cup of each) Put in blender or food processor. Will keep in airtight container for a long time at room temp.

I used to use homemade, then I was told by a friend that she uses Bakers Joy, uh...much better success AND I don't have to run a knife around like I used to. But when I did use the cake release, I too turned my cake out after about 10 minutes, then let it cool for about 30 more before I wrapped and froze/refrigerated mine.

I bake, cool however long, typically run a spatula (not a knife) around the edge and pop the cake out of the pan. I always put waxed paper in the bottom. Peel off the waxed paper, torte and level with the Agbay, wrap in plastic and freeze.

Take cakes out of the freezer, fill, rewrap in plastic (the same plastic), put a ceramic tile on top and let sit for anywhere from 3 hours to overnight.

Decorate.

leah - I always love seeing your words of wisdom - I learn something every time I read one of your posts!! So...question: why the tile on top?

Once again, THE PEOPLE ON THIS SITE ARE AMAZING!!!! Thank you everyone for your ideas. I learn something new everyday from this site.

Thanks,
Sheila

The tile on top promotes/speeds up settling. Eliminates the (possible) bulge.

Gotcha! Thanks, Leah!!!