Using Sheet Cake Pans For Round Cakes???

Decorating By Janders Updated 23 Jun 2009 , 8:00pm by jigga

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Janders Posted 13 Jun 2009 , 1:14am
post #1 of 21

Hello, all!
I recently watched an episode of Amazing Wedding Cakes and saw some bakers cutting round cakes from full sized sheet cake pan. I was wondering if anyone does this and if it's easier than baking many individual round cakes. Thanks for any advice icon_biggrin.gif

20 replies
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indydebi Posted 13 Jun 2009 , 1:33am
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I could probably see how it "might" be faster in a super high productivity business ... bake a TON of 18x26 sheets and stack 'em up in the freezer instead of a hodge-podge of various and misc sizes. But I'm nowhere near that kind of volume.

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TexasSugar Posted 13 Jun 2009 , 3:09am
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I'm thinking you'd end up with alot more wasted cake when you cut rounds out of squares. Would it be cost productive?

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wakeandbake Posted 13 Jun 2009 , 3:20am
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i saw that episode too! it was the cake alchemy girls... it seemed like a cool way to ensure that your layers are exactly the same size which could be a real time saver in the long run. i wish i knew what they used to cut the cakes with because i would love to try that technique.

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in2cakes2 Posted 13 Jun 2009 , 3:27am
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Hi all, it is really funny that you brought this up because my DH and I were just talking the other day about some of the pan shapes and sizes that I would really like to have and he asked me why don't I just cut whatever I want out of sheet cakes since I have one of those pans already and since I cut the edges off it would be pretty much the same thing but without the added cost of buying the different pans. To address the waste issue well cake scraps don't really last long in my house thanks to my very cake happy family. icon_rolleyes.gificon_lol.gificon_lol.gif So in my case it looks as though it would be a good idea.

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Deb_ Posted 13 Jun 2009 , 12:00pm
post #6 of 21

Hi,

I do it for square tiers but not round. I don't own any square pans.

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sara91 Posted 13 Jun 2009 , 12:16pm
post #7 of 21

I have worked in a bakery, cake shop and we never used cake pans. Always baked sheets of cake then cut out the shapes we needed. The cakes were baked ahead and as the orders came in the shapes were cut. I can't get over those very expensive small square cake tins. Why not just cut the cake with a knife into small squares?

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c420 Posted 13 Jun 2009 , 12:31pm
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Seems like unless you have perfect cutting skills you could very well end up with cakes that weren't the same size or shape, especially if you have multiple people cutting. Also who regulates the size then? I haven't seen this episode of cutting cakes from sheet cakes so I am clueless. Also once you buy a pan you should be able to have that pan for YEARS....so cost doesn't seem like that big a problem to me, especially since you won't be wasting extra time cutting cakes......just my two cents

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PinkZiab Posted 13 Jun 2009 , 1:45pm
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I usually only do this for certain types of delicate biscuit or sponge that don't lend themselves to being baked in a regular cake pan, so I bake them in alarge sheet (think jelly roll) and cut my layers and stack.

The sizes are not an issue as you use cake rings (which come in standard sizes) like giant cookie cutters to cut out the pieces or if the cake is too delicate you mark it with the cake ring and cut it out with a knife.

Personally i LOVE this method... so much easier than torting and all and you can make superthin layers. You'd be surprised how little waste there actually is if you plan right, but I still don't think it's cost-effective unless you're working in high volume.

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-K8memphis Posted 13 Jun 2009 , 2:00pm
post #10 of 21

I think another factor in particular for New York city is the economy of space--it takes less space to house sheet pans and sets of cake rings. Glory I look at my hodge podge of cake pans and maybe I should do some re-inventing. icon_biggrin.gif But I have a few of each size pan so they don't all nest--kwim?

The very sweet New York decorator who did the revenge of the giant monkey cake --she cuts from sheet pans.

And there can be considerable waste from using the individual sized pans--because they don't bake completely level and I shave my edges--that totals up to a lot of cake scraps--level the tops a bit. Big bowl full of scraps from a tier cake. (enough to keep my cellulite happy for weeks) icon_biggrin.gif

Do you think storage space might be part of it??

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indydebi Posted 13 Jun 2009 , 2:31pm
post #11 of 21
Quote:
Originally Posted by k8memphis

Do you think storage space might be part of it??


I do. Plus economy of scale and ease of baking high volume. Way easier to tell the baking staff, "We need 27 sheets of cake" as opposed to "we need thirteen 10" rounds, 6 white, 7 chocolate; twelve 8" rounds, 4 white, 4 chocolate; seven 14" rounds ......" etc.

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sara91 Posted 13 Jun 2009 , 3:15pm
post #12 of 21

You end up with perfect shapes as you use a template when cutting. 12" 14" 16" etc

You are not cutting 4" cakes. The sheet cakes we bake are thinner. You can have two layers of filling and 3 layers of cake. It really is very simple.


When you bake in the smaller tins that takes longer. How many pans can you have in the cupboard?

What if this week I need 10 x 6" top tiers for my wedding cakes plus other sizes for the other teirs?

I would bake sheets instead of trying to find 10 x 6" pans, fill them evenly and then bake them.

What about novelty cakes? Do you use sheet cakes or do you have to have the tin?

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PinkZiab Posted 13 Jun 2009 , 4:56pm
post #13 of 21

You're definitely right that it helps with time management. I can bake most sheet pans in 10-12 minutes, versus upwards of an hour or so to bake a traditional cake (depending on size of course). There are SO many positive aspects to baking cakes in sheet pans, really.

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Deb_ Posted 13 Jun 2009 , 5:59pm
post #14 of 21

Another positive...........I only have to grease 1 or 2 pans opposed to 4 or 8..........

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-K8memphis Posted 13 Jun 2009 , 6:08pm
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It's Wilton's fault!!! Wilton made me do it!!!

(buy all the different sized cake pans)

icon_lol.gificon_lol.gif

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Janders Posted 13 Jun 2009 , 9:49pm
post #16 of 21

Thanks, everyone!!! I have used cheap sheet cakes to practice on. I've just used my round cakes as a measuring tool. I'm thinking it might be worth buying the sheet pans

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sleeper713 Posted 13 Jun 2009 , 10:10pm
post #17 of 21

So what size sheet pans do you use? I'm picturing 2" deep 12x18 and larger... And do you use heating cores or flower nails when baking large sheet cakes, or do you pour it so thin that it's really not needed?

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PinkZiab Posted 14 Jun 2009 , 5:36pm
post #18 of 21
Quote:
Originally Posted by sleeper713

So what size sheet pans do you use? I'm picturing 2" deep 12x18 and larger... And do you use heating cores or flower nails when baking large sheet cakes, or do you pour it so thin that it's really not needed?




Actually I use 16x24 commercial sheet pans (or 12 x 16 half sheets) and they're probably a half inch or so deep.

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CatherineR Posted 17 Jun 2009 , 6:11pm
post #19 of 21

I have never used a jelly roll pan to bake a cake but I did like the technique used on the show. Does the cake dome alot and then need to be leveled as baking in regular cake pans? I also saw on the Cake Boss when the bi-plane cake was being made that the bottom of it seemed to be the same and the darker crust was cut off. Great info here!

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-K8memphis Posted 18 Jun 2009 , 1:51am
post #20 of 21

They are thin so they usually don't dome.

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jigga Posted 23 Jun 2009 , 8:00pm
post #21 of 21

Where can I get these cake rings?
Also i noticed that "cake alchemy" also used them to fill cakes.
theirs were deep.
Does anyone have an idea where i can get both?

thanks

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