Did you cut the cake into ever more layers than she does? I looked up the recipe and see she has two layers. Beautiful cake btw!!! I’ve been CRAVING a chocolate cake recently.

Oh that looks so good. Might have to make that for my birthday in October

Tuck me into that third layer from the top and tell me goodnight.

Oh my😍😍😍this looks gorgeous!! Excellent job

ooh i've tried that recipe too and it's so good i love how moist it turns out the ganache is my favorite part just made it last week and it was gone in a day might have to make it again soon

I haven’t had any leak issues with my USA Pan. No complaints!

Consider buying something vintage! You can get some on Ebay that will last for life at a similar price to a new one you'd find in a store.

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Aluminum

I don’t use springform, but for cake pans I like Magic Line or Fat Daddio. They bake so evenly I don’t even need cake strips anymore.

I have had various USA pans for at least a decade. You really don’t need to grease them, we call them the Magic pans. Muffins literally fall out without muffin papers. Cakes come out cleanly without greasing or parchment. The sheet pans do tend to get a little more wear because sometimes my family grabs the regular (not non stick safe spatula). Cookies don’t generally stick (though I use parchment for really delicate sticky things like meringues). USA pan also has a “heavy duty” version of the sheet pan which is good for savory things where you want a lot of browning (or just something really heavy like a large amount of meat). I don’t use them for cookies because it’s too much browning.

I also have Nordic ware sheet pans, they work very well but things definitely stick.

I have a number of fat daddio cake pans. I partially like the loose bottom/cheesecake pans because then you can just pop them out (like on the British Baking Show). They also are available in 3” deep and many diameters which I like for a lot of cakes. For those I always line with parchment.

I have not noticed any significant difference in baking speed between the brands, the USA are actually quite light, if there is a difference I would attribute it to them being significantly heavier weight because they’re steel inside not aluminum.

The point of restaurant supply is that they’re very sturdy commercial brands, the others are consumer brands.

Been running a microbakery for 5 years. Go with steel. Brand does not matter. No aluminum, no non-stick. My best pans are 10 year old Oneida and KitchenAid. I recently stocked up on more from USA Pan and they seem fine so far but we're only about a year's worth of use in.

I always use aluminum for baking and use parchment paper or cake paste/butter and flour to get my bakes to unstick. the light color metal makes for more consistent color control whereas dark metal browns faster than I would like. I agree nonstick coating doesn’t work great and doesn’t last

I would listen to the posters saying steel, non stick commercial pans from a supply store. They aren't designed for anything other than durability and to work.

There is a reason commercial kitchens all use steel pans, consistent product, durable pans. Many restaurants never get rid of them, they just accumulate more and have pans 30+ years old that still work a treat

I like everything Nordic Ware that I own. One caveat is that if it doesn’t have non-stick coating of any kind it scratches pretty easily and that annoys me (visually, haven’t had it affect anything baking). I’ve used the same Naturals Nonstick cake pans for at least 15 years. Never any chipping or anything. I usually find them at Costco or Homegoods, sometimes Walmart, otherwise Amazon when they’re on sale.

USA Pans are fine, you’re correct that they’re darker but they’re not “dark” to where I’ve found I need to make adjustments. I had truly dark pans, I believe Chicago Metallic, Bakers Secret, and maybe Calphalon or something… anyway, those did affect things. USA pans don’t seem to. As far as spraying them, I’ve not sprayed mine because of the instructions. I usually line them with parchment or foil, and spray that with baking spray. I’ve never noticed any residue.

Another brand I like is Williams Sonoma Goldtouch. I haven’t bought any of their other brands, but the cake, muffin, and cheesecake pans I have work well and seem durable. But, they’re pricey and don’t seem to run sales or coupons like they used to.

Not a popular opinion, I don’t like fat daddio. I don’t get good bakes from their round cake pans. And their square/rectangle pans are so rounded on the edges I haven’t bothered to try them.

I’ve also never bought any restaurant supply store brands. I spend money on what I’ve read reviews of from reliable sources. And, for something like Vollrath sheet pans, they’re just not as readily available at a price that interests me.

I can't resist chiming in. My old Cornflower Corningware is still stunning after 50+ years. Fridge to microwave to oven to dishwasher. And don't overlook cast iron. The simplest stuff holds up the longest.

I've had lots of cookie sheets and pie pans, and the kind I like best are the ones that turn black with wear.

Nonstick doesn't hold up. What works is to use simple pans and sheets, and learn the tricks to make them perform. My world changed when my MIL left a roll of parchment paper at my house. 🩷

I don't think there's any point in having a nice sheet pan, they work better the more patina they get on them! I like the Nordic Ware ones I have but the restaurant supply store ones have held up fine too. I haven't tried their sheet pans but I have a bunch of their loaf/muffin tins and I really like the brand USA Pan (super heavy duty and made in the US of course). I also really like the quality of the cake pans I have from Fat Daddio's.

For bread pans, Emile Henry! For baking & casserole dishes, Le Creuset or Staub... the French know what they're doing. Though if it's ceramic I'm not sure it's worth investing into super high end.

For enameled cast iron that can transfer between stove and oven, I love my Le Creuset risotto pot (has a wider base/more surface area) and braiser which works great for casseroles that require some sauteeing then baking. I used to have a Lodge enameled pot but the Le Creuset enamel is definitely worth the splurge if you can swing it.

Most of Caraway's stuff is non-stick, I wouldn't bother. My mom got their roasting pan and it's heavy duty but it's still non-stick...

I really like Le Creuset. You have to be a bit careful with them (no metal utensils, no steel wool) but they cook really well and will last decades if you take care of them. I have some Pyrex glass dishes and find myself using them quite a bit, love just throwing them in the dishwasher, but for baking specifically glass doesn't perform as well.

Nordicware sheet pans are the gold standard

Caraway is all marketing. Their stuff does not last, any nonstick stuff will need to be thrown away as soon as it scratches.

I’m a Staub fan - made in France, like half the price of Le Creuset, very similar looks and durability.

I like Fat Daddio anodized aluminum. I recommend that you buy the ones that are three inches tall.

https://www.seriouseats.com/fat-daddios-cake-pan-review-8382428

I like the 3 inch tall pans. More versatile.

If using an all aluminum pan, do not put it in the dishwasher! Do line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, it is well worth the effort as insurance. ATKs top recommend are Williams Sonoma and Nordic Ware naturals. I use Fat Daddio's and Magic line, mostly because that is what I could get on the day I needed to make a cake that size.

Magic line, Nordic ware, USA pans, fat daddio are all good choices. I recommend 3” tall pans

USA Pan makes good stuff.

Nordic Ware and USA Pan are my favorite pan brands. High quality, thick, and American made.

Get at least two 8 inch round and two 9 inch round pans. 8 and 9 inch square pans are nice too, for things like brownies or small one layer cakes. A 9×13 rectangular pan is good for large sheet cakes.

You may also want a bundt cake pan. Nordic Ware has the best bundt pans.

A loaf pan is good to have on hand too, for loaf cakes/breads.

There isn't one brand of magical pans that prevent doming. It's going to happen no matter what unless you use cake strips, so get whatever brand you like best.

Fat Daddio are very popular but they do come with a caveat. The pans are made of anodized aluminum which heat up faster compared to other materials, so the manufacturer instructs bakers to reduce temperature by 25'F and adjust bake time as needed.

Parrish Magic Line are a cult classic because cakes bake up very light in color, and their square and rectangular pans are perfectly angular. However, they only sell within the industry, so you'd have to get them from baking supply shops. Or if you're fortunate enough to live close to their factory in Gardena, you could just buy something directly from their outlet.

Nordic Ware are always reliable, and USA Pan are good if you prefer something with a nonstick coating.

The pan alone doesn't make the cake dome, that's a result of a combination of the recipe, the oven, the batter temperature, the rate at which the heat penetrates the cake batter, etc ...

I always use 3 inch deep pans from the restaurant store, exact brands vary, WinCo, Bake Line, Magic Line, etc. The taller cake allows the dome to be cut off and have plenty of thickness to torte.

Wilton pans, especially the ones you’re getting from Michael’s or Walmart or whatever retail store, aren’t great. As much as I personally don’t like them, I’d suggest Fat Daddio from a store like TJ Maxx or Homegoods instead. Check out this recent post https://www.reddit.com/r/AskBaking/s/wKTKTJFvB9

Cake strips work great to eliminate domed cakes. Even DIY ones work well. 

I second Fat Daddio pans. I really like them. I like the straight sides of these pans compared to the ones I had before. I also second using bake even strips. They are easy to use and really do help minimize the dome.

I have Fat Daddio cake pans. I use them all the time.

I recommend that you buy pans that are three inches tall, not two inches tall.

You can use the same amount of mix. The higher walls of the cake pan (relative to the batter) can help decrease doming to bake a flatter cake. Also, it just gives you more options if you want to bake a thicker cake layer.

If the 2-inch cake pans work for you, you don’t need to switch.

Love Fat Daddio’s! If you’re in the U.S., you can also find them randonly at TJ Maxx/Home Goods. Nordicware pans are also excellent.

My only problem with these pans is the texture makes me want to crawl out of my skin. Feels and sounds like nails on a chalkboard 😭🫠 but other than that, they work.

I’ve liked all the ones I’ve gotten, just don’t put them in the dishwasher and use cake goop and you’re good to go!

It’s nice to have at least one 3” height pan for a variety of reasons. Flourless chocolate cakes that rise high with meringue. For that time you just want to punt for a ‘me’ cake, doing a half recipe etc.

Depends on how many servings will they need.

I always use Wilton’s serving charts: https://blog.wilton.com/wedding-cake-guide/

I highly reccomend you watch or read up on how to properly stack cakes, you’ll want rods. Especially if you’re using buttercream, it’s heavy.

Personally I like Wilton brand but the pans are all inherited so I can’t speak to the quality of them now.

People like Nordicware too but personally don’t prefer them.

I don't have a recommendation about the pan, but Sally has some information about how to adjust your recipe once you do select a pan. Sally cake pan sizes

I really like the Fat Daddios, but I also have used the Wiltons.

Use the same height as your 6 & 8" pans if you are making the same cake recipe for all 3 tiers. I have had good results with Chicago Metallic, Fat Daddio's and Lloyd, and the Naturals from Nordicware.

A 10" pan will hold about a third more batter than a 8" pan at the same depth. So 1.5x the recipe that you use for 2 8" pans will fill 2 10" pans, and adjust baking time a little.

I’d personally go with a Bundt pan and then decorate it with a glaze and sugared strawberries

I would use Bundt. Definitely the best for a box cake.

depends on what you want to do with the cake:

• springform for icing and it's easier to do classic cake decor
• bundt for glaze, ganache, or other simple toppings

What's the project?

Springform Pan- consider this pan if you're making a layered cake that needs to be easily removed.