Wax Vs. Parchment Paper

Decorating By Kristy Updated 3 Jun 2005 , 2:44am by CakesbyKimmie

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Kristy Posted 30 May 2005 , 2:42pm
post #1 of 8

This may be a silly question, but what is the difference between wax and parchment paper? Ive used wax much more, but is there ever a time where you can use one but not the other?

7 replies
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ntertayneme Posted 30 May 2005 , 2:54pm
post #2 of 8

What were you using it for?

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CakesbyKimmie Posted 30 May 2005 , 2:57pm
post #3 of 8

Here is a very very big tip. Do NOT put wax paper in the oven. Yes, realizing this now, I was foolish. But starting off I didnt know the difference and used wax paper instead of parchment paper and stuck it in the oven. Well, needless to say the paper started to burn and I was SOL.

You can use wax paper for all of your royal icing decorations, and use the parchment paper for baking.

Hope it helps.

Kim

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Loucinda Posted 30 May 2005 , 3:20pm
post #4 of 8

I have always used wax paper as a liner for the cake pans, and never had an issue. (we're talking 20+ years here....) You cannot, however use it for baking cookies etc. you would need to use the parchment paper for that.

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SquirrellyCakes Posted 30 May 2005 , 3:22pm
post #5 of 8

Cakesby Kimmie,
Actually you can put waxed paper in the oven, when it is lining a cake tin, not to line a cookie sheet for baking cookies and such. It was the old standard for lining cake tins to insure that the cakes don't stick to the pan. I still use if for that purpose as generally it is much cheaper. So basically if you want to use it, at long as it is completely covered by a batter like in a jelly roll pan or other cake pan, it is fine. I grease my regular cake pans and flour them and then add the cut-to-fit waxed paper.
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

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CakesbyKimmie Posted 30 May 2005 , 3:27pm
post #6 of 8

Wow I feel really silly!!!!!!!! I was making cookies when it happened! I guess I was just too afraid to use it for anything else. Maybe I will be adventurous and try it with a cake.

Does the lining have to be equal to the size of the pan or can it go over?

Thank you both for helping out. Hopefully I can avoid a blaze in my oven. LOL

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SquirrellyCakes Posted 30 May 2005 , 3:42pm
post #7 of 8

Hi CakesbyKimmie,
No need to feel silly at all kiddo. I think that today, people are using more specialized products for different purposes but generally the old ones still are useful for other things. Parchment paper is treated with silicone and is usually finer than waxed paper and is better suited to more baking uses than waxed paper. However at a time when waxed paper was all many of us had available, it did its thing, haha!
Generally when using waxed paper, you are only covering the bottom of your baking pan so that it will be covered by the batter and this is why burning and such isn't an issue. So you want to trace the bottom of your pan and cut inside the traced line so that it will fit. I try not to go up the sides at all as this makes it hard to keep it in place when you pour in your batter.
Some people find parchment paper easier to cut, I guess because it is finer. It is considered water proof, so you can wet it and it won't become soggy to work with or you can line pans and not have the same worries. Personally, though, I find for lining cake pans, I have never had any issues with waxed paper, it comes off the finished cake easily, I remove it once I flip the cakes out of their pans.
I keep a roll of both handy and use both.
Haha, gosh I can remember a time when all we had was waxed paper and aluminum foil to wrap sandwiches and such in. Since aluminum foil was expensive, folks wrapped sandwiches in waxed paper. People were judged by how neatly they folded their waxed paper when covering sandwiches, there were even tips for how to do this in cookbooks, haha! Guess we have come a long way!
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

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CakesbyKimmie Posted 3 Jun 2005 , 2:44am
post #8 of 8

Thank you sooooooooo much for the advice. I am always eager to learn more to help my baking, and on how not to blow up my kitchen. LOL

Thank you again!

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