Ok, So I always use a baking spray for my cakes, I just read that they can make the cake have a dark hard crust! Well what are people using out there? crsico and four, just crisco, non-aerosolized veg oil?

I'm looking to see what the best options are? I hate that dark crust on my cakes, now I know why...but...what do I use instead?
Thanks a bunch!

By far the BEST thing I've found so far is homemade pan grease, mix equal parts of all-purpose flour, crisco, and vegetable oil. Mix it up with your mixer or a whisk until nice and smooth and creamy. I put it into squirt bottles and keep it in the cupboard (I go through a ton of it quickly) and squirt it into the pan and use a pastry brush to spread it out. I have NEVER had ANYTHING stick with this stuff!

My first choice is Country Kitchen brand Pan Grease, and if I'm out of that I use plain 'ole crisco (which is what I used for decades). I never flour my pans. I never use spray anything because it fries the outside of my cakes and makes them crispy.

I use the homemade pan grease also. Equal parts of veg oil, shortening, and flour. I mix it up anywhere form 1/4 cup of each to 2 cups of each depending on what my next month or two of baking holds. I also use it for greasinga ll of my pans /sheets when i'm cooking too (i have a home based business where i work out of my family kitchen)

I use shortening, and then I spray it with spray oil. My cakes don't brown, and they pop out no problem.

I love the Wilton pan prep that you squeeze out of a bottle and wipe around the pan.

A bottle of it seems to go a very long way and I really love the texture of the sides of the cake.

I'm sure it's the same stuff I could make myself, but with a coupon from Michael's, it's a good deal.

Rae

I line the bottoms with parchment and don't do anything to the sides of the pan. Run a knife around the sides and they turn right out.

I will give another vote to the Bakers Grease (the equal parts flour, crisco and veggie oil or canola oil in my case)

Just remember to shake or mix it up before using as it can/will seperate

Ditto on the lining the bottom with parchment, or wax paper (which is cheaper).

The sprays contain lecithin (sp?) which causes the crispy crust (which I learned from Alton when he was making waffles and said that was the secret to crispy waffles).

In my mind flour and grease just makes mud on my cake, ewe!

I use butter flavored cooking spray on the sides only. The bottom has parchment. Whatever butters pray is on sale, I'm not loyal to any one brand. Original is yucky. But any brand butter spray that is on sale is my favorite!

Parchment and homemade release. I have used the spray before I started using the homemade, but I used very little and spread it with a brush. Straight from the can seemed like too much at one time.

I use Baker's Joy.

I use Baker's Joy spray.

Bakers Joy is my first choice.

The baking spray with flour. I haven't had any crispy cake crusts so I can't speak to that issue mentioned above. Maybe the brand I'm using? (Haha, sadly I don't know which one, I just know when I see it. Heaven forbid they ever change the container).

Absolutely!

Yes, if you want crispy edges, then the canned aerosol spays--plain, butter flavored, or combined with flour (Baker's Joy)--will give you that.

But, if that isn't what you want--and I don't--shortening dusted with flour, homemade pan grease (recipe is in one of the above posts), or the Wilton squeeze-on pan prep will prevent crispy edges.

My personal preference, as well as that of those who eat my cakes, is a consistent texture from edge to center.

Rae

Thank you all so much. I am trying to move away from the crispy sided cake, so my next move is homemade release or plain ol crisco! Thank you all for you help! It is much appreciated!