For example, pans made by different manufacturers may vary slightly by depth—two inches versus 2¼ inches. But with their rounded edges and sloped sides, these baking dishes can’t achieve a true corner, instead creating gently curved slices that are thicker in the middle than they are at the edge. I know you value your time, so let’s keep this post concise: I’ll focus on cake and brownie/bar recipes and their corresponding pans.

When scaling down from a big pan to a smaller one, divide the area of the small pan by the area of the large pan. I didn’t want to make a large sheet cake, because we were having just a small birthday gathering for 5 people so this was perfect.

Similar to the cake batter, you don’t need a stand mixer to make the Texas sheet cake’s fudge frosting. Throughout this blog post, I repeatedly warn you that the frosting’s surface has a tendency to “crust” if made too soon. First, you need to melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the cocoa powder, water, and the dry ingredients.

Believe you me, I learned this one the hard way – with brownies, which are much more of a volcanic experience. In my debut cookbook, Weeknight Baking, I finally reveal the secrets to baking delicious desserts on a tight schedule. The BPA-free plastic cover seals in freshness and makes transporting your baked goods easy with no need to transfer. Our community of home cooks loves the quick bake time and adding mix-ins like peanut butter and fruit preserves. Once the butter has melted, add the cocoa powder and water, mixing together with a heatproof rubber spatula to combine.Often times, during community events like school sports games and fundraisers, neighborhood socializers, and church events, I’d often spy a large Texas sheet cake on the potluck table. And because this is a small batch version of Texas sheet cake, you won’t need a specialty jelly roll pan or half sheet pan. Because I’m not throwing any large parties any time soon, I wanted to see if I could make a smaller batch version. Because your brownies and birthday cakes rely on chemical reactions and exact leavening agent measurements to succeed, scaling up or down or changing the pan size necessitates a bit more precision.

Part of the Nordic Ware Naturals Bakeware collection, the pan is made of pure aluminium for superior heat conductivity and produces consistent, evenly browned baked goods every time. Try it Grandma's way and bake up a tray of decadent cookie bars made with oatmeal, chocolate chips, and caramel sauce. Retail will not share your information for marketing purposes with companies outside the Retail Group PLC. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice. Aluminum is also prone to scratches, and while they’re just cosmetic, it means that it’s better not to use metal utensils.

I once thought my Pyrex collection covered all the bases, so I put off purchasing a straight-sided baking pan for years.

I made the batter for our Classic Birthday Cake, divided it in half, and baked it in two different sized pans. Some suggestions to get you started: Old-Fashioned Apple Cake, our favorite Brownies; or some Sticky Ginger Squares (great for holiday giving). Another of my “naturals” set (I have them all now) and I have used this pan several times already for sheet cakes and brownies. They mention that it makes excellent cakes, the smooth surface gives a lovely finish without sticking and that it's the perfect size for baking goodies.Most Texas sheet cake recipes contain buttermilk in the frosting (though some variations use sour cream instead).