The Best Tube Pan

Baking is both an art form and a science. And just like an artist needs a paintbrush and a scientist needs some test tubes, you cannot bake without the right tools. While some types of cakes can be baked in any type of pan, others require a special type of baking pan to make magic in the oven. If you’re looking to make a cake that has a light and airy crumble, like chiffon cake or angel food cake, then you’re going to need a tube pan.

A tube pan is a special cake-baking pan. It’s round, but it has a hollow tube in the center — hence, the name of the pan. The tube has a special purpose: it conducts heat. This helps the cake to bake faster in the oven. Plus, it also helps release the cake from the pan more easily so that it doesn’t get stuck. For perfect angel food cakes or chiffon cakes, the only way to properly bake them is in a tube pan.

Another common baking pan that has a hollow tube in the center is called a Bundt pan, and the terms are often used interchangeably. A Bundt pan is very similar to a tube pan, with one key difference. A true tube pan has straight sides, while a Bundt pan has fluted sides. This gives the cakes a beautifully decorated shape where frosting or icing is not required. Bundt pans are perfect for dense cakes with a moist crumb, such as pound cakes and coffee cakes. Typically, Bundt pans have a light-colored inside so as not to over-brown the cakes.

A tube pan has straight sides because of the kind of cakes they are designed for. Angel food cake doesn’t use a leavener and rises because of the air that is whipped into the batter. In order to rise in a baking pan, the sides need to be straight and ungreased so the batter can cling to them as it rises. Most true tube pans are also uncoated, while many Bundt pans are coated.

• When you’re on the hunt for a tube pan, consider the type of material it’s made out of. Aluminum is an excellent heat conductor and ensures that your cakes are baked perfectly even. Keep in mind that most aluminum pans are hand-wash only. Another good choice is stainless steel. It’s highly durable and can even be cleaned in the dishwasher. However, it’s not as good a heat conductor as aluminum. You can also find metal baking pans that are a combination of aluminum and stainless steel.
• Getting your cooled cake out of the tube pan can sometimes be challenging. Look for a pan that has a wide opening that helps the cake to slide out easily. This will ensure your cakes don’t crack or break when you’re trying to take them out of the pan. Consider a pan with handles. You might also want to find one that has a removable bottom.
• If you don’t want to worry about your cakes getting stuck, opt for a tube pan that has a non-stick coating. Keep in mind that some cakes, like angel food cake, bake better in uncoated pans. Consider what kind of cakes you bake most often to decide whether a coated or uncoated pan works best for you.
• Tube pans and Bundt pans come in varying sizes. The most common sizes you’ll find are 9- to 10-inch round pans with a 10-12 cup capacity. This works with most cake recipes that yield enough batter for two 9-inch round cakes or one 9-inch by 13-inch cake.
• If you frequently bake cakes in your tube pan or Bundt pan that don’t require any frosting or icing, consider the pattern of the mold. Some pans have angular ridges, others have rounded ones, while some have a combination of both.