Pan Extenders Make Sheet Cakes Mess And Stress-Free

First off, size matters. Sheet cakes take the cake (pun intended) when it comes to feeding a crowd. And guess what? We have a game-changing solution to make these sheet cakes more efficient and fuss-free: Pan extenders are here to rescue your sheet cakes. As for how they work, simply set the pan extender into your baking pan, fill it, and then bake. 

Additionally, you can use the pan extender to shape and fill your already-baked cakes to help create even layers of filling inside as well. The key to pan extenders is that they are designed to transform your traditional sheet pan or baking pan. This creates a way to bake taller cakes, all while saving you storage space. They make it easy to remove your cake from the pan, making the whole process smooth and giving you a professional-quality cake with much less effort. 

But where did these perfectly cornered sheet cakes even start, anyway? The concept of baking flat, rectangular cakes can be traced to the early 20th century, right around when the sheet pan was developed. This innovation transformed baking, enabling uniform cake layers for easy stacking and frosting, giving rise to today's modern marvel, the sheet pan extender. Furthermore, pan extenders can be helpful when baking more than just cakes, and they can work with essentially anything sticky, like lemon bars, cheesecakes, or even brownies.

Fear not, for we have the ultimate tips to ensure smooth sailing when using your pan extender. Begin by considering the age of your sheet pan; older pans are more prone to warping due to repeated thermal stress. Moreover, it's worth investing in durable, slightly pricier sheet pans that can withstand numerous cake bakes. Even Martha Stewart attested to this, reminiscing about the aluminum restaurant sheet trays she worked with during her catering days. She stated to the New York Times, "That's where I really started learning about high-quality, restaurant-quality, long-lived equipment." So, investing that extra dollar for a heavier-duty sheet pan could prove worthwhile in the long run when using your pan extender.

Now, let's address another potential issue — dealing with your sheet cake sticking. This situation often arises due to the omission of buttering or greasing the sides adequately. Remember, this pan extends well over your traditional sheet pan and could cause a sticky nightmare if forgotten. To prevent any leakage, you can take additional precautions by wrapping tinfoil around the edges or even lining your sheet pan with parchment paper. Lastly, ensure you fill your pan extender about ¾ of the way and smooth the top of the batter to prevent spillage and ensure even baking. 

However you choose to use your extender, make sure to keep your mitts about you. And don't forget to try out your pan extender with our copycat Costco sheet cake recipe next!